Tried and true (?) soil components

midwestbonsai

I use a mix that the badger bonsai societies president make him self, it a mix of turface, chicken grit (chrushed red granite), and peat. In this mix the peat is very, very fine. Are you saying that this is no good? If so, then how do you mix with peat and not get the fine particles.,

Thanks
-Paul

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Will_Heath

First let me repeat a statement that I have made many times, "With the proper care, bonsai will grow in anything." However most of us do not have the time to put in the care needed when a good soil mix for your climate will meet your schedule and the trees needs.

Fine peat in my growing area has the tendancy to fill in and clog the much need air spaces between the particles. Remember that roots need air, water, and food in order for the plant to survive. Take away anyone of these three and the plant dies. Period.

In my experience fine peat tends to take up the air spaces and either stays wet for too long or dries and is next to impossible to re-wet.

That being said, I no longer use peat in my mix, however those in my area that do so use the chunkier type and then screen it well before use.

Keep in mind that I live in Micgigan, zone 5/6 and we do not have very dry weather. If I lived in a drier state, my thoughts on using peat may be different, however AAI would still refrain personally from any componate that would take up my air spaces between my other sifted materials.

Will

midwestbonsai

I live in Wisconsin, zone 4/5. I did not know that there was a chunkier type of peat. Can you give me a brand name or something. So what do you use for an organic componant?

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Will_Heath

No, sorry, I don't know brand names, all I know is that I perfer the Canadian Peat over the Michigan Peat, but the local nurseries here always has bins with samples in them, I like this as I can feel, see, and taste (jk) the stuff before I buy it.

I use either uncomposted fir bark or aged pine bark depending on the species for my organics. My base mix typically consists of lava rock, turface, and bark.

Will