logan
Seedling
I have a juniper that has lost its vigor. I think its the soil so I need to report the tree. I was just wondering what soil combinations people use out there. I live in Northern California zone 9 where it gets very hot in the summer.
Newbie needs advice on Juniper Soil
- Thread starter logan
- Start date
Redwood Ryan
Masterpiece
You're keeping it outdoors, right? Can we see some pictures?
PaulH
Omono
1/3 Akadama, 1/3 pumice, 1/3 lava. Sifted to 1/4 - 3/8 inch size with all fines removed.
If you don't want to mix your own go to Maruyama Bonsai Nursery in Sacramento and buy some.
logan
Seedling
Outdoors yes. The tips look to be yellowing. Please don't look at my wire scars I let it go to long. I'm along way from being good at this.
Paul Ive looked at Maruyama's online it looks nice but I live in Redding and that's a 2 and half hour drive so i guess ill be making my own until I can make a trip down there. But luckily I have access to all the lava i want and can find pumice cheap. I'm currently experimenting with a substitute for akadama.
Paul Ive looked at Maruyama's online it looks nice but I live in Redding and that's a 2 and half hour drive so i guess ill be making my own until I can make a trip down there. But luckily I have access to all the lava i want and can find pumice cheap. I'm currently experimenting with a substitute for akadama.
Attachments
KennedyMarx
Omono
It looks like new growth on the tips to me, but a vigorously healthy plant would be back budding along the exposed branches. Half pumice half lava if you can get akadama, equal of each if you can. Fertilize, water, lots of sun.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
How well do just the lava and pumice retain water? Well enough to only have to water once per day?
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Lava retains a lot of water, pretty close to akadama, but is not quite as quick to release it. Pumice is much drier.
Some do. I don't.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
In Europe it's made of Diatomaceous earth. Same as Napa oil dri.
KennedyMarx
Omono
From what I can tell by looking at pictures the European cat litter is larger particle size than the NAPA diatomaceous earth. It looked comparable to akadama in size.
PaulH
Omono
There is no substitute for akadama. I speak from forty years of growing bonsai in all kinds of substrates and akadama makes a huge difference.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
I use 1/3 lava, 1/3 gravel and 1/3 pumice all sieved to 1/4 to 3/8 inch. No issues so far.
My trees seem to like it so far. Lots of nice white growing tips on the roots of trees I potted into it this year.
Ive seen pumice soak up water when it was really humid. Lava might do the same but I didnt notice.
Will probably get around to doing 1 part gravel, 1 part lava, 1 part pumice and 1 part akadama eventually.
Dont try to find a cheaper alternative to the right soil. You wont find it. (I know I tried).
My trees seem to like it so far. Lots of nice white growing tips on the roots of trees I potted into it this year.
Ive seen pumice soak up water when it was really humid. Lava might do the same but I didnt notice.
Will probably get around to doing 1 part gravel, 1 part lava, 1 part pumice and 1 part akadama eventually.
Dont try to find a cheaper alternative to the right soil. You wont find it. (I know I tried).
Paradox,
The problem with grit (gravel) is that it's sharp. Which means it packs. Rounded particles don't
Consider this: have you ever walked on a walkway or path that is a couple inches thick pea gravel? Notice how the gravel moved under your feet?
Compare that to a gravel path made of sharp gravel. Paving gravel. Much firmer. It packs.
Pumice and lava are rounded. Granite grit is sharp.
I used to use gravel grit. I don't anymore because I want only rounded particles in my mix.
The problem with grit (gravel) is that it's sharp. Which means it packs. Rounded particles don't
Consider this: have you ever walked on a walkway or path that is a couple inches thick pea gravel? Notice how the gravel moved under your feet?
Compare that to a gravel path made of sharp gravel. Paving gravel. Much firmer. It packs.
Pumice and lava are rounded. Granite grit is sharp.
I used to use gravel grit. I don't anymore because I want only rounded particles in my mix.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Adair
You're assuming all gravel is the same or that I am using crushed granite gravel. You've never seen gravel mined from around here (Long Island) have you?
This isn't crushed gravel mined from a granite quarry, its pea gravel sorted from sand mines around here.
Long Island is a terminal moraine from a glacier, the rocks experienced lots and lots of grinding from sand, other gravel, rocks and ice as it got pushed by the glacier.
It isn't granite "grit" or crushed gravel. It is predominantly quartz and its mostly round and fairly smooth, not jagged and pointy.
In fact, the lava and pumice are, on average, both more angular and pointy than the gravel and were purchased from a well known bonsai supply company as a mix.
Last edited:
Geo
Chumono
The gravel around here, ie: just lying on the surface soil everywhere, has not been mined from anywhere. I'm sure it contains some decomposed granite (as opposed to crushed), as well as a lot of scoria (red and black) and quartz. I have even found pumice in it. And it is not sharp. I have a Yelow Wild Allamndra (Florida native: Urechites lutea) potted in the gravel and some coir (coconut fiber). I am just letting it grow out off of very nice exposed roots. It has grown 10 feet this year with a good thickening of the base. But that is the tropics for ya!
Last edited:
You're right, Paradox, that's different "gravel" than what we get here.
Goes to show how one word can mean different things to different people based upon their environment.
In Japan "River Sand" means something very different than what we would call "River Sand".
Just like "kitty litter" can be made of a lot of different things!
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
Our club has a guy who sifts local river sand for use in bonsai, perfect size for pines and junipers...bottom component:
(Left: Turface, top: scoria, right: akadama, bottom: river sand)
