To sift or not to sift....

[wvbonsai]

Hey guys. I just wanted to post this little poll to get some honest feedback. Do you sift your soil for prebonsai (1 gal pots or wooden grow boxes)?

 

[Alain BERTRAND]

I always sift the granular part of my substrate, as it is time consuming, I let my slave do it for me.

 

[darrellw]

Yes, I sift. I mostly use recycled substrate for "pre-bonsai" stock (save the soil from repotting of more established trees, sift out the fines).

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Depends on the tree and the substrate. If I am using Turface, I always sift the granular portions, and hand mix with the organics. If I am using pre-sifted akadama, or similar, I may just mix it right in with organic.

 

[monza]

Turface, granite grit and organic I always do and I really need a better system. I've bought and broken three this summer alone. Have not been able to fine a local source for the right size screen to make one. I must say the cement mixer above is a solid idea, I like it. I'm mostly conifers.

 

[mrchips1952]

Sifting

My collection is 90% conifers. I used 1/3 each of pea gravel, turface and fine mulch. I sift only the mulch to that I get the finest particles the rest is right from the bag. Dave in Colorado

 

[rockm]

I stopped sifting soil ingredients long ago. I use relatively uniform largish particles. Sifting can also tend to smash organic ingredients into finer and finer dust...

 

[mrchips1952]

I stopped sifting soil ingredients long ago. I use relatively uniform largish particles. Sifting can also tend to smash organic ingredients into finer and finer dust...

It's a very good point you make about sifting and the result is a finer dust which I would think would clog drainage holes, compact and do more damage than good. No more sifting for me.

 

[rockm]

I guess it depends on what you're using as the organic component. If you're using composted pine bark mulch or (God fobid) peat moss, it is a big problem. If you're using long-fibered sphagnum moss that's been chopped up, or orchid bark, sifting isn't as much of an issue.

 

[Dav4]

It's a very good point you make about sifting and the result is a finer dust which I would think would clog drainage holes, compact and do more damage than good. No more sifting for me.

Your collection of yamadori alpine trees, in my opinion, should be planted in an 100% inorganic soil made up of similarly sized particles. I would sift the soil for those trees every time.