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6-Feb-2008
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#1 |
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bonsaiTALK Journeyman
Join Date: Feb-2008
Location: Navan, Ontario
Country: Canada
Posts: 15
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Earthworm Help
I am having a bit of trouble with my ficus that I purchased a couple of months ago I put it in a relatively small pot and used a soil that was light, drained fast and still was strong enough for the roots to ground them self. Recently I have noticed that the soil has become very compact and wasn't draining as fast as it was when I first potted the plant. Also about a week later I noticed an earthworm in the soil, I picked it out and thought nothing of it. A couple weeks later I noticed another smaller brown earthworm in my soil. I checked the internet and read a post from this site from someone with the same problem. I was jus wondering what should I do? How do I get rid of the earthworms and could they be stopping my soil from draining properly? I know they are no immediate harm but I would like to get rid of them as soon as possible.
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6-Feb-2008
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#2 |
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just me :)
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Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of earthworms? Earthworms just mean there's organic matter in the soil that they can eat and turn into compost...... If you've got a plant that likes dry feet, you'd want to cut down the watering. But otherwise, leave the poor things alone-they will hurt nothing. Heck send em to me if you don't want em !
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6-Feb-2008
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#3 |
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bonsaiTALK Master Chief
Join Date: Mar-2006
Location: West Springfield Massachusetts
Country: USA
USDA Zone: zone 5
Posts: 1,198
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Skater use the search button and read up on soil, you do need to make a change because of the compaction issue. Sounds like typical potting mix and they don't work well for bonsai.
__________________
If at first you don't succeed -- skydiving is not for you. Always remember that you're unique -- just like everyone else Enjoy this day. Bill |
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6-Feb-2008
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#4 |
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bonsaiTALK Journeyman
Join Date: Feb-2008
Location: Navan, Ontario
Country: Canada
Posts: 15
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Ahh my soil mixture is one part fine grit which is like really small rocks and sand, one part regular grit and one part normal everyday soil from my local nursery. Is there possibly too much regular soil in the mixture? And when I re-pot it in a couple years will the worms follow? But other than that guys thanks for the advice I kind of worried the worms could somehow ruin my soil; big relief.
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6-Feb-2008
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#5 | |
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bonsaiTALK Master Craftsman
Join Date: Jan-2005
Location: SE Massachusetts
Country: USA
USDA Zone: 6
AHS Heat Zone: 4-5
Posts: 588
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Quote:
I will preface my comments by mentioning that I don't maintain any tropicals, and all my experience is with hardy, temperate tree. That being said, I believe the trick with mixing soil components is that they all need to be about the same size. We want uniform sized granules to allow good drainage/healthy aeration of the root zone. Mixing fine grit, regular grit, and regular potting soil negates all that because the smaller particles fill the spaces between the bigger particles (compaction), greatly reducing the drainage and aeration, which can lead to root zone problems. If I were you, I would do some research on soil recipes for trees in general but tropicals like ficus in particular(search this site...loads of info here), then plan a soil change for the tree this spring |
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7-Feb-2008
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#6 |
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bonsaiTALK Expert
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I have tropicals, ficus, banyan, and hibiscus. The only organics in mine is a small percentage of conifer bark. The rest is grits like calcined clay, pumice,
and perlite. No soil. Worms are great for the garden, where they "process" rotting organic material. For bonsai that's not good, the resulting fine granules will slow drainage and cause root rot. |
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8-Feb-2008
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#7 |
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bonsaiTALK Journeyman
Join Date: Feb-2008
Location: Navan, Ontario
Country: Canada
Posts: 15
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So until this coming spring when I make a drastic change to my soil composition what can I do to prevent root rot? Is watering less or giving my ficus less amount of water each time I water it a good solution?
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8-Feb-2008
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#8 |
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bonsaiTALK ArchMaster
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The solution to root rot is not to let the soil become soggy over a long period of time. That means you will have to learn when your tree needs water and then water it.
I learned to water bonsai by using the weight of the pot and the color of the soil--which is the most reliable way to gauge when a tree needs water. First, water the tree THOROUGHLY and completely. This means, water it for a few minutes, wait a few minutes until the water runs out of the drain holes, then water thoroughly again. You can repeat this several times, the aim is to completely saturate the soil. After you're confident the soil is moist throughout, pick the pot up. Gauge the weight in your hands. It should be pretty heavy, as the soil should be holding a considerable amount of moisture. Additionally, note the color of the soil's surface. It should be darker in color. Put the plant in its place. Wait a couple of days. Pick the plant up again, note the weight. Should be a little lighter, soil surface should be paler. Dig down an inch into the soil. Should still be moisture then. Most likely, NOT time to water. Wait two more days. Repeat the above procedure. When it's time to water, the pot should be at least half the weight it was when it was thoroughly wet--ficus can be kept on the drier side, so less than half is probably preferable. Do this repeatedly and you will find yourself being able to tell soley from the soil's color when it's time to water. |
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