When to switch soil?

[Gr8tfuldad]

So it seems that quite a few people grow their trees out in some type of compost mix. If you are growing your tree out to thicken the trunk, when is everyone switching to bonsai soil?

 

[Lorax7]

I grow everything in bonsai soil beginning with the first time I repot it out of the nursery mix it originally came in. However, I don’t ground grow at all. All my trees are in containers: nursery cans, pond baskets, or bonsai pots.

 

[Dav4]

You have a lot more leeway when growing stock out in nursery cans or pond baskets. With that in mind, I like a granular mix of components like turface, DE, or pumice mixed 1:1 with soil conditioner, which is essentially composted pine bark. Most species, and particularly the maples, really do well in it. Trees getting moved from the nursery can will get moved up to the good stuff generally when we're done with trunk growth and moving to more refinement.

 

[Mike Westervelt]

So it seems that quite a few people grow their trees out in some type of c"ompost mix. If you are growing your tree out to thicken the trunk, when is everyone switching to bonsai soil?

Most of the people I know use more economical substrates while "growing out" in large containers. Personally I use Pumice and fir bark.

When your trees are ready for refinement and consequently a proper bonsai pot is the time to switch to something like an APL mix.

 

[Potawatomi13]

He asked WHEN not WHAT! At normal late Winter/early Spring potting time if growing in any container.