Not Watering Ficus Salicaria After Doing Heavy Root Work

Poink88

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
8,968
Reaction score
119
Location
Austin, TX (Zone 8b)
USDA Zone
8b
I've heard of people using organic soil, but never inorganic substrates. I know on ancient Oak's when a branch is too heavy and the weight lowers it onto the ground, the touching part ground layers. Junipers do the same thing. Essentially, its the same idea as doing an air layer with dirt. I just haven't heard someone use bonsai mix for it before.

I think you are confusing bonsai mix to inorganic. Bonsai soil doesn't mean 100% inorganic always. My "soil" mix is approximately 30% organic.
 

carp

Chumono
Messages
826
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Palm Bay, FL
USDA Zone
9b
I think you are confusing bonsai mix to inorganic. Bonsai soil doesn't mean 100% inorganic always. My "soil" mix is approximately 30% organic.

Generally what I refer to as bonsai soil is mostly inorganic substrates even if there is pine bark in it.... Semantics.
 

edprocoat

Masterpiece
Messages
3,423
Reaction score
378
Location
Ohio/Florida
USDA Zone
6
Generally what I refer to as bonsai soil is mostly inorganic substrates even if there is pine bark in it.... Semantics.

HUH ??? Semantics ... ? How would semantics play into whether or not pine bark is organic, it is organics and no matter how you use or apply the name pine bark it will never be inorganic. So if there is pine bark in it, its an organic mix ...

ed
 

carp

Chumono
Messages
826
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Palm Bay, FL
USDA Zone
9b
HUH ??? Semantics ... ? How would semantics play into whether or not pine bark is organic, it is organics and no matter how you use or apply the name pine bark it will never be inorganic. So if there is pine bark in it, its an organic mix ...

ed

So a mix of Turface, Expanded Shale, Slate, Lava Rock, Diatomaceous Earth, and Pine Bark 1:1:1:1:1:1 is an organic mix? Do you call Turface, Lava Rock and Pine Bark 1:1:1 organic too? These are serious questions. Because of the little amount of organic and the majority being inorganic, I call it inorganic. And whenever "bonsai mix" is referenced, we are usually talking about several inorganic substrates with very litter organic substrate; which again I do call an inorganic mix. To me, semantics.
 

edprocoat

Masterpiece
Messages
3,423
Reaction score
378
Location
Ohio/Florida
USDA Zone
6
So a mix of Turface, Expanded Shale, Slate, Lava Rock, Diatomaceous Earth, and Pine Bark 1:1:1:1:1:1 is an organic mix? Do you call Turface, Lava Rock and Pine Bark 1:1:1 organic too? These are serious questions. Because of the little amount of organic and the majority being inorganic, I call it inorganic. And whenever "bonsai mix" is referenced, we are usually talking about several inorganic substrates with very litter organic substrate; which again I do call an inorganic mix. To me, semantics.

Yup, those mixes with organic material in them would be an organic mix ! Now if you wanted to use an inorganic mix try Turface, Lava Rock, Expanded Shale or anything other that is not organic and you would have a non organic mix.

BTW, Diatomaceous Earth is an organic component too....

Oh, and here "whenever "Bonsai mix" is referenced" we usually specify exactly what mix we are talking about. There are some serious discussion here about Bonsai mix and they leave no doubt as to which materials are included in the mix.

ed
 
Last edited:

carp

Chumono
Messages
826
Reaction score
1,030
Location
Palm Bay, FL
USDA Zone
9b
Yup, those mixes with organic material in them would be an organic mix ! Now if you wanted to use an inorganic mix try Turface, Lava Rock, Expanded Shale or anything other that is not organic and you would have a non organic mix.

BTW, Diatomaceous Earth is an organic component too....

ed

DE is organic in the sense that its fossilized diatoms, but its not dirt, and I don't consider it organic for that reason. I'm still not going to refer to a mix with a substantially higher amount of inorganic substrate as organic. I'm going to say it again, to me, the mix has a majority of organic substrate, then its organic, and if it has a majority of inorganic substrate, its inorganic; semantics. Seriously, no one on this forum is going to change my mind and I'll continue arguing my opinion that it doesn't matter what you grow bonsai in and that a mix with a small part of organic substrate is not an organic mix.
 

Poink88

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
8,968
Reaction score
119
Location
Austin, TX (Zone 8b)
USDA Zone
8b
Generally what I refer to as bonsai soil is mostly inorganic substrates even if there is pine bark in it.... Semantics.

Back in the Philippines in the late 60s, I used to assist my grandpa airlayer sapodilla (which I read now cannot be airlayered LOL). We use soil/dirt wrapped in coconut husk. I know we cloned lots of them successfully that way.

You cannot get more organic than that. ;)

So I did them from organic to inorganic soil (as you consider my mix inorganic).
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom