Soil Composition

[jimlau]

ehm..


Yup. THey should have the same size as the pumice kernals you use.

Sorry, I meant calcimed clay/turface. The perlite is similar to pumice, right? Just wondering if I need that third ingredient.

 

[August]

@jimlau
Perlite and pumice are somewhat similar but perlite is lighter and holds more air / less water. Often used as your drainage component rather than as a water holding component. In many places pumice is not readily available; i believe it has to be mined. Perlite on the other hand is factory made (i think) and readily available in any US state. Pumice is largely considered "strictly better" than perlite in this hobby, much like akadama compared to montmorillite or calcined clay. A better component but more expensive and harder to source.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

20%-30% perlite, 30%-50% saf-t-sorb, 25% shredded pine bark. The perlite to saf-t-sorb ratio is largely dependent on watering habits. Has worked well for me these past few years. Cheap. Requires a little elbow grease to sift fines. Perlite should be able to be replaced with pumice or even hardscape red stone chips if the white reallllly bothers you.

 

[Brady D]

What is the 1 type of ingredient that is sort of similar to kitty litter, or oil clean-up? It would be for a Japanese maple.

Thanks

Would a bonsai mix with these ingredients work? Peat moss, perlite, worm castings, mulch, horticultural charcoal.

I would suggest the bonsai supply all purpose mix

 

[stu929]

Word to the wise, I too am a newbie. Excited to share, but a newb. That said, I use Bonsai Pro liquid fertilizer and use it as directed - 1/4 teaspoon per gallon. I'll mix up 15 gallons at a time (I have a number of trees at this point). I tend to throw in some Osmocite slow release as well. I'm still figuring out just how much to fertilize, but I tend to go heavy and will use it at least once a week, usually more often (all of my trees are in development). In fact, there are times I'll use it at every watering if I am trying to encourage a lot of growth. But we do have to watch out for salt buildup from too much fert.

I have a little OCD when it comes to watering, and watering by me means biblical deluge, so I tend to wash out a good deal of the previous fert application and feel comfortable hitting it with another dose. I go through quite a few of those little Bonsai Pro bottles each season. I tend to first water heavily and then hit everything with the fert.

But that's just me. I know that many of the practitioners whose work I respect use organic fert. I personally can't stand the smell and feel I have more control over the liquid. If I make a mistake, I can just flush the soil. Bonsai Pro also has all of the trace nutrients you need.

For me, the soil and fert I use are just fine. It's my skills that are lacking, not the materials I am using. As far as I can tell, Bonsai Pro is like steroids for trees. Here's what a seedling looks after being (over?) fertilized with bonsai pro for an extended period. It's growing at 1 foot per month and is now about 2 1/2 feet tall. If I fertilize in the morning, I can literally see the growth by the time I get home from work. It's nuts.

What calcined clay do you use ?