What is your favorite soil to use and why?

MrWunderful

Omono
Messages
1,457
Reaction score
1,952
Location
SF Bay area
USDA Zone
10b
I use akadama, lava, pumice or some combo of the 3.

Right now Im experimenting with all akadama for deciduous.

Sometimes I will throw some pine bark in a 1:1:1 if I want it “wetter”.

My succulents get lava/pumice with a touch of akadama/pine bark.
 

AaronThomas

Omono
Messages
1,259
Reaction score
1,348
Location
Tucson, AZ
USDA Zone
8A
This should be fun....🍿
🤣

Conifers- (Montezuma Cypress) 50% Red Lava (1/8-1/4) and 50% Fine orchid bark... its glorified pine bark (1/4-1/2). I realize they probably would grow fine in muck but this mixture seems to hold plenty of moisture.

Elm- 40% Fine orchid bark (1/4-1/2) 25% Red Lava (1/8-1/4) 25% Pumice (1/8-3/16) and 10% Decomposed granite (1/16-1/8) ... DG seems to help with extra moisture retention(at least in my mind) I tried going 100% inorganic but with the heat here I was watering 3 times a day. The addition of the bark really helps my cause.
 

misfit11

Omono
Messages
1,326
Reaction score
2,246
Location
Petaluma CA -Zone 9b
USDA Zone
9b
I use akadama, lava, pumice or some combo of the 3.

Same. It's what most people use around here. The lava rock is typically gray not red (color preference). The pumice is Dry Stall which people use for horse stables. You can find it at feed stores.
Look up Boon mix. I don't know if Boon necessarily invented this mix but he gets the credit for promoting it.
 
Messages
207
Reaction score
255
Location
California
USDA Zone
9A
3 years in, I’m yet to find my go-to, reliable, steadfast mix. I’m still experimenting but have confidently narrowed things to:

1. Turface/8822 combinations mixed with
2. Pumice/lava and
3. An organic component. I’ve tried fir mulch, pine bark fines, fir bark fines and bigger (Affordable fine bark is hard to find. This year I’m trying coco coir in small quantities.)

Summer heat is a major factor.
 

eryk2kartman

Chumono
Messages
616
Reaction score
516
Location
Ireland
USDA Zone
8b
For all my pre-bonsai trees i use mix of Sanicat pink cat litter/perlite/grit and depends on the tree i might throw some organic material as well but very very little.
Ratio i used is 2/1/1 - cat litter/perlite/grit

Works well so far.....
 

Woocash

Omono
Messages
1,607
Reaction score
2,262
Location
Oxford, UK
2/1/1 - cat litter/grit/potting bark (add sphagnum for collected trees) No idea if it works well yet, but it’s cheap!
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Generally pumice conifers or mostly so decicuous🤪. More soil wars or boycotted?
 

Forsoothe!

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,878
Reaction score
9,248
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
6b
OK, let the games begin! 100% organic, no rocks allowed. Designed for high growth and slightly N poor due to high wood fiber content. Add N sparingly for bud and second flush growth after first flush hardens off, ~mid June. Add 6 grams Fulvic acid and 28 grams Humic acid per gal of water once every 3rd week. Feed Miracle Grow 20-20-20, Epson Salts, Superthrive, Sprint 138 iron chelates, Fulvic & Humic acids, ( substitute Miracid 50-10-10+Copperas for acid lovers) June, July & August. Flowering trees Miracle Grow 10-52-10, ES, S, 138, F&H in greenhouse in February, and all in April. Otherwise, do not feed from September through May. Habitually overpot (by bonsai standards) and repot every year for tropicals and every 2nd or 3rd year for deciduous.

Top Soil; 53% = 1 gal. or 3.8 lt. 53% = 10.5 lbs. or 4800 gm.
Charcoal; 15% = 1.1 qt. or 1 lt. 15% = 3 lbs. or 1300 gm.
Fafard Pine Bark Soil Conditioner; 30% = 2.25 qt. or 2.1 lt. 30% = 6 lbs. or 2700 gm.
Bone Meal 0-11-0; or alternatively Kelp meal 1% = ½ cup 1% = 4 oz. or 90 gm.
Jersey Green Sand; ½ % = 1/4 cup ½ % = 2 oz. or 45 gm.
Menefee Humate; ½ % = 1/4 cup ½ % = 2 oz. or 45 gm.
All measurements are necessarily approximate

Retains moisture perfectly for me in Michigan, zone 6b, (equal climate moisture year around). Water once a day (late) in summer any day that it doesn't rain. Full sun for most trees except JM from June 1st to mid-August in 1/2 day sun.
 

BrianBay9

Masterpiece
Messages
2,752
Reaction score
5,369
Location
Fresno, CA
USDA Zone
9
Completely inorganic. What I use depends on what's available. I've lived all over. In the east it was really hard to find a good source of inexpensive pumice. Here that's my go to base. Diatomaceous earth, lava, decomposed granite, haydite, expanded shale - all components I've used elsewhere. If you go all inorganic you'll have to water and fertilize more frequently.
 
Top Bottom