Pumice size Help!

[Hump]

All,

I'll be placing a bougainvillea into a 2 gallon container to keep growing it. I just received it from an auction. 12 inches tall, about 1.5 inch trunk

Heres my question.

In a 2 gallon pot, should I use 3/8 pumice? I have a bunch of 1/8 to 1/4 size pumice which I can sift to 1/4, but I'm not sure if that's too small for such a large pot. I normally use 1/4 fot my bonsais in small pots. I'll be mixing 50% pumice and 50% soil.

Ive never grown a Bonsai in 2 gallon pots, Ive only really purchased mature bonsais and placed them in small pots as I'm new to this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I'll be mixing 50% pumice and 50% soil.

Define "soil" - one type of soil is vastly different from another. Depending on your organic blend, the piece size of the pumice may be irrelevant. Part of the job of your inorganic particles is to create and maintain void space in the soil. If you use a fine organic soil mix in your bonsai soil, it will fill in all the void space, so it wouldn't matter if you used 1/8" or 1/2" particle size.

 

[hinmo24t]

if your boug is 1.5" trunk already, maybe its time for bonsai pot where itll still grow and thicken

 

[YAN]

Here is a test i did lately on different sizes of pumice under full sun for 24 hours if it helps you by any way.
I have no experience but what I’ve read many ppl grow successfully in pure pumice for fast growth.
I also read about the importance of using uniform grain size to avoid stratification (when smaller size particles sink to the bottom and larger floats to surface after successive watering) specially with pumice since it’s very light and floats.
You can find more data in my thread lava vs pumice vs leca soil test

 

[penumbra]

None of this matters until you define soil like bonsai nut says.
Also I am curious, do you plan to keep this in a greenhouse at tropical temperatures this winter? If not I can't see the logic in hoping for much growth or development this late in the year. Tell us more about how you are planning to winter it and you will get a more accurate assessment. Have you kept bougies?

 

[Hump]

None of this matters until you define soil like bonsai nut says.
Also I am curious, do you plan to keep this in a greenhouse at tropical temperatures this winter? If not I can't see the logic in hoping for much growth or development this late in the year. Tell us more about how you are planning to winter it and you will get a more accurate assessment. Have you kept bougies?

I'm sorry for not being clear. Being new maybe I'm wrong, but I'm planning to pot this in a 2 gallon container with 2 parts organic soil, 1.5 parts pumice, and. 5 parts bark. I actually hate organic soil, and have all my bonsais in inorganic substrate (Akadama, pumice, and lava, some kiryu) but for this tree I'm going to try and grow it for a couple of years before placing it in a final small pot. I figured use organic since it's cheaper) with pumice of course) for the growing and save my good stuff for when it's more mature . I don't plan to get much growth out of it this year, and wintering is a question I still need to ask. I live in WV zone 9 I believe. It may be to harsh of a winter for the boug. I have lamps that I can use if needed to bring indoors. From what I've read thus far though, most trees like to feel the season, so I plan on porching if it's hardy enough for my winter.

 

[Hump]

if your boug is 1.5" trunk already, maybe its time for bonsai pot where itll still grow and thicken

That's not a bad point, but I also have some 1-2 year seedlings on their way and will be potting them in grow containers as well. So more of a general question.

 

[penumbra]

You are probably zone 6. Bougies are zone 9 - 10, definitely tropical. It will not grow much if at all inside unless you give it lots of heat and light. Better to let it rest and pot it up next spring where you can get a serious seasons growth. My bougies just hang in there in winter and go crazy outside in summer. Our climates are probably comparable.
I will say that 2 of mine were kept in a heated greenhouse over which I had no control. They grew quite vigorously last winter but one of them came back to me with a large host of aphids.

 

[AaronThomas]

Curious as to why you are going to use soil at all. In your climate I would think it would keep the feet too wet... especially in a container that size. I have found that if any of my trees (or vines) need a free drawing soil... bougies are it.
Here in AZ I have my bougies in DG (so damn heavy) and a bit less than a quarter cactus mix which I docked with 1/8th pumice. Kicking myself because its so hard to water.... I over water just a bit and leaves start to yellow. Can't wait till next year to repot and use pumice and lava only. My big one is in about a 2 gal pot.

 

[Hump]

Curious as to why you are going to use soil at all. In your climate I would think it would keep the feet too wet... especially in a container that size. I have found that if any of my trees (or vines) need a free drawing soil... bougies are it.
Here in AZ I have my bougies in DG (so damn heavy) and a bit less than a quarter cactus mix which I docked with 1/8th pumice. Kicking myself because its so hard to water.... I over water just a bit and leaves start to yellow. Can't wait till next year to repot and use pumice and lava only. My big one is in about a 2 gal pot.

Cactus mix as in organic mix or cactus substrate like coarse sand and lava? So they're that sensitive with water? Every thing I looked at online suggested loamy quick draining soil. Rather than use my Akadama, pumice, lava mix I figured use some espermia cactus mix, pumice, maybe some red lava. It's currently sitting in what looks like potting soil and some compost surrounding the root ball (this is how it was shipped to me). Grit is indeed heavy, and although cheap around here I'm not a big fan.

 

[Hump]

You are probably zone 6. Bougies are zone 9 - 10, definitely tropical. It will not grow much if at all inside unless you give it lots of heat and light. Better to let it rest and pot it up next spring where you can get a serious seasons growth. My bougies just hang in there in winter and go crazy outside in summer. Our climates are probably comparable.
I will say that 2 of mine were kept in a heated greenhouse over which I had no control. They grew quite vigorously last winter but one of them came back to me with a large host of aphids.

Thanks for the info! Yikes about the bugs, that's terrible. You're correct where I'm at in wv is 6a. Unfortunately I have to pot it in something. I received it today with some soil/compost (it looks like) surrounding the root ball wrapped in plastic.

 

[AaronThomas]

So they're that sensitive with water?

Mine are for sure.
I used the miracle grow cactus and succulent bag with a 60/40 cactus mix/pumice.... but don't think ill do again.
Don't get me wrong... my bougie love it... just hard for me to gauge watering.

 

[Hump]

Your boug looks fantastic! Thanks for the breakdown. So you believe pure pumice and lava is a better route? If you don't mind me asking, what's your water schedule for the mix you currently have?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

My bougies in SoCal grew in hard clay with no water for 8 months out of the year. I almost thought of them as cacti. That said, I know they also do well in Hawaii and Florida - in much higher humidity and higher rainfall. The only thing that seems to kill them is cold or root rot from sitting in too much water.

 

[Hump]

My bougies in SoCal grew in hard clay with no water for 8 months out of the year. I almost thought of them as cacti. That said, I know they also do well in Hawaii and Florida - in much higher humidity and higher rainfall. The only thing that seems to kill them is cold or root rot from sitting in too much water.

View attachment 322356

Wow that thing is a beast! Good to know about drought tolerate. Now I'm all over the place on soil to grow these in for a while to get fat. Should I just use my Akadama and pumice? I worry about the pH being to alkaline. I guess I could get some acidic amendment. I have kanuma but not much. Now I'm going against my original thought of using organic stuff to (set and forget) grow to then later place in a nice pot with the good substrate once it's where I want It to look like.

Thought? Sorry I know you all have better things to do than help some guy who's confused and new to the game.

 

[AaronThomas]

Your boug looks fantastic!

Thanks!
Currently now that its like 110 every day I water once a week. (prob too much) Spring once every 2 weeks... And winter once a month if that.
I am going to try the lava pumice mix next season... Have had such great luck with it with other trees figure I would give it a shot with the bougies.

 

[Carol 83]

I have a few and although they are pretty tough, the one thing they will not tolerate is being too wet. Make sure whatever you use is free draining. Too dry is preferable to too wet.

 

[hinmo24t]

Every other day w mine in hot 90deg and humid or the leafs droop. Only my jbp is once every three to 5 days of it. Not enough soil to keep moist w these temps and drought. Otgerwose weekly for it prob if was raining and 70 or 80