Soil and repotting frustrations

HB Smith

Nigel,

I too am a believer in kanuma and akadama. But especially for my collected conifers (rocky mountain juniper, ashe juniper, ponderosa pine, sierra juniper, etc...) straight akadama would be too wet and I would get root rot, so I add pumice and lava. Do you have luck with 100% akadama with these types of trees?

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Sincerely,
Howard

www.BonsaiSmiths.net

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ozzerbon

G'day Howard,

Unfortunately I have no American Pines or Junipers, but do have lots [for me] Japanese, and European types of these two species, the thing is that my growing area is an east facing balcony, four floors up, so morning sun till 2pm.

Needs must, that I water these trees almost everyday, no chance of root-rot, as the conditions of the location is that they near to dry-out fairly regularly, and I must be sharp with the watering spray, have four five-liter bottles always on the ready, if I ever get lucky and find a ground floor place with garden, I can't see that this would make all that much difference, as most folk in Holland have been persuaded to use these two most excellent of materials.

Reckon the trick is probably in repotting very carefully, [I never bare-root any of my trees] one to two years Is something like I do, just good clear common sense and close observation, and BTW, I hardly ever get any bugs or creepy crawlers, just an occassional very mild attack of what we call SPINT, which is a type of small white mould, which if left unchecked will definitely kill the poor little-uns off.

Does that help....?

Regards,
Nigel

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HB Smith

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

__________________
Sincerely,
Howard

www.BonsaiSmiths.net