What's the big fuss about soil ingredients?

TreeBay

Some folks are fussy about their soil mixes, spending hours sifting ingredients, washing sand and lava. *Others *spend scary amounts of money on imported Japanese soil and claim their results justify the expense.

Then, there are those who go down to Woolworth's Nursery and buy Whitney Farms Bonsai Soil or pot their trees in Supersoil and report satisfactory results.

There are even growers that have grown trees for years in field soil, a practice we would not recommend for most, but if you live in a Kanuma, Japan, it might work very well.

The determining factors besides how naturally fussy a grower you are:
[*] Where you live[*] How frequently you are able to monitor your trees[*] What kinds of trees you want to grow[*] What size containers you are planting in.[*] What kind of exposure your trees have

If you are living in a hot climate or are unable to water frequently, you need to have a soil mix that retains more moisture. *Generally that means adding organic material or some type of clay pellet or shale, like akadama or Turface.

If your trees are very small, you will need to pay a lot of attention to drainage or you will likely have some difficulties. *Some beginners lose trees because the pots are so darn small that maintaining proper hydration is a balancing act that an experienced grower would find challenging.

If you are fortunate enough to live in a mild, very temperate climate, you may be able to grow many different common bonsai in the same soil with almost the same watering regime and enjoy good success.

If not, the best advice we can give is

1) Avoid very small bonsai containers. *The soil construction and watering practice is less critical in larger containers.
2) Seek the counsel of an experienced bonsai grower in your area. *This first-hand advice is worth more than all the words we could write here.

[b:dba3288443]Related Topics:[/b:dba3288443]
[*]Why do we repot bonsai?[*]When to repot?[*]Getting the tree out of its pot[*]Trimming back the roots[*]Preparing the new container[*]Replanting the tree[*]Watering-in[*]What's the big fuss about soil ingredients?[*](Even more information at bonsaiTALK Links under Techniques>>Transplanting)

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