Soil mix for apple bonsai tree

Culper Woodhull

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About a year ago my children and I planted apple seeds from the apple we ate. No idea what kind. One has grown great, the other is stunted and the roots are showing on the surface. I think it will be a great bonsai. I need to know what soil mix would be best. Thanks to any and all.1496617605911952062197.jpg 149661762858334890574.jpg 1496617915228255361325.jpg
 

GrimLore

Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
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Thanks for the link, but I'm looking for a recipe to cut down on price.

We have two right now one is on its second year from a 1 foot bare root to 6 foot, cut back to 4 foot and at present 5ish. The other is on its 4th season and was left to grow to 8 foot and cut back to 6 and at present 7 foot. Both are potted for landscape as to interfere with water lines. We have Pears, Cherry, Apricot and other fruits growing well too.
For all of them I use 1/3 each - Fafard Premium topsoil (jet black compost 5.99USD), Small Pine Bark mulch(3 CU foot 4.99 USD), and Course sand with silica(4.99 USD). Inexpensive for large planting and drains very good. They are in 12 and 15 gallon planters and grow nicely. My goal is to have 6 foot tall trees with about a 4 foot bush top along our short walkway and front of the driveway.
If you want to grow them out I would suggest doing similar, cutting them down to half height after leaf drop in Fall. At that point leave the lowest branch on and trim every other off half way up the trunk. In Spring they will wake up and grow very quickly. If you repeat the process for 3 seasons you will two short but stout trees and at that point you can take off 1/3rd to 1/2 of the root mass(you will need a saw) and repot into something smaller if your goal is Bonsai.
Those look dry to me, I keep mine in Full East West sun and they need a daily heavy watering. During the "hot" spell never less then 2 waterings a day. Welcome to the growing part of Bonsai ;)

Grimmy
 

Culper Woodhull

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Thanks for all the info. I will look into this. Yes, they were dry. We just got back from vacation and realized I had them on the south facing side the entire time we were gone. I just repotted them in regular potting soil. I'll move them to the east side where it's more open. If you don't mind, where do you purchase your soil? Local places like Lowe's? Or online order? Thanks again. I'll take a screen shot of your response and print it out to put in my bonsai progress journal. Do they need to be that tall to survive, or can you go shorter. I was thinking 1-2 foot.
 

GrimLore

Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
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If you don't mind, where do you purchase your soil?

I get all three items I mentioned from AGWAY but a LOT of places sell them :) The Fafard I find more likely at Farm Tractor Supply type places.

Grimmy
 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
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Generally, people like to see thick trunks on short little trees. The quickest way to get this is let it grow. Most 8 to 12 inch tall bonsai at some point where allowed to grow out to 5 or 10 times their finished height. My future 8 inch tall Amur maple is over 5 feet tall right now. Bonsai are usually brought down to size, rather than grown up to size.

From seed, first we grow them big to get the thick trunk, then we bring them back down to size.

The first 4 inches or so of trunk should have interesting bends & twists, you can put those in with wire now on the smaller one. Then you let it grow knowing that you will be cutting back to the first 4 or 6 inches after the trunk is 3 or more inches in diameter.
 

cmeg1

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Picture this growing about 7'tall.Does not take that long.Then when you chop back down to the bonsai, put in a pot full of good soil like mentioned above.Healthy roots healthy bonsai.Can put chopped spahgnum or whatever on bonsai soil to keep from drying out.IMG_0558.JPG
 
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