Question

[erb.75]

i use some organic in with mostly inorganic...i've heard that for pre bonsai you should go more organic to get more growth...you mainly just want to prevent your roots from soaking in water for days on end. I don't have time to water 2x/day so totally inorganic would never work for most of my trees.

the only one i go totally inorganic with is my schefflera...that survives easy on nothing but lava rock and only needs watered 1x/week

 

[erb.75]

for organic i use pine bark chips that are about 1/4'' length and are pre sifted

 

[erb.75]

I like a lot of stuff that BonsaiJack sells on ebay. They sell good stuff if you don't want to sift yourself and want professional bonsai soil components

 

[barrosinc]

for organic i use pine bark chips that are about 1/4'' length and are pre sifted

same here... pine bark and some times peat moss

 

[wireme]

A question for you Ron. If, after your research you found yourself potting your trees with no akadama available, would you still go 100% inorganic?

 

[Ron Dennis]

A question for you Ron. If, after your research you found yourself potting your trees with no akadama available, would you still go 100% inorganic?

Please understand I am very much in the "still learning" phase; however, with trees developed to the same degree as the ones we worked on this past weekend yes I would go inorganic--lava rock, river sand and pumice. On less developed trees I would probably add 20-25% organic.

 

[0soyoung]

I am very much in the "still learning" phase

IMHO, this should be a lifetime affliction.

 

[Anthony]

Interesting, today, a local ironwood was set up for - the try for fine twigs - so new rules as this is a first time.
Repotting by first observation, say 2 to 3 years.
Secondly the inorganic mix on the top of soil was tilted off and refreshed with a small % of compost mixed in and added back to the pot. Tree was repotted last year in a more than 2/3 inorganic to less than 1/3 inorganic mix.

Making up the rules for this one, as it is a local tree, and haven't seen any results, as of yet from anyone other country on-line.

The objective is to see - how to simulate an old tree in it's soil.
Which is probably why one goes more inorganic as the tree ages and shifts are made to feeding by composted oil cakes, instead of artificial fertilisers. The search for finer growth.
Good Day
Anthony