Another Soil Question

johng929

When i first started playing with bonsai about 8 years ago i use to use fir bark as part of my soil mix. Over the years fir bark was hard to find and seems they subsituted pine bark which was fine also. Now i cant find either, seems the stuff they are selling today as pinebark is pretty damm close to being peatmoss. So what happened to the nice chunky stuff and how come everybodys using this peat/bark stuff. I ordered soil from two seperate nurseries and this is what i got. I also see this peat/bark stuff listed all over ebay as pine bark. I dont know but i thought bonsai soil was suspose to be loose and free draining. This peat/bark stuff might work well in flordia but it aint cutting it in NJ. Kinda mucky if you ask me, you can actually grap a handful of dry soil and can form a ball out of it . Heres a pic, on the left is the fir bark i use to use and the right is the new stuff.

https://home.comcast.net/~johng929/tmpphpGOKuEk.jpg

Advertisement

Mcspeed

John stay away from the ground up stuff it'll stay to wet and not mix well with the rest of the soil mix. Is there an Agway store anywhere near you. The H.Depot near me sell all kinds of different grades of P bark mulch stringy to chunky, just need to sift it out.

__________________
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

johng929

Thanks Mcspeed, will check out home depot. right now i was using fir bark from a pet store made for reptile bedding. Out of the 7 quart bag i was able to sift out a gallon bag of what was useable. Think i will get a better deal at home depot and a much larger bag. As for that other pine/peat stuff i will use it on the buttonwoods they love to be wet.

Graydon

Nope - composted anything does not work well for bonsai in Florida either.

I believe you are looking for fresh fir or pine bark (in other words not composted at all). Look for orchid potting suppliers and see if they can get you the smaller stuff. I have seen it sold as a potting material in that size for smaller orchids but the place escapes me.

If you have a buddy with a leaf shredder (or a chipper even better) pick up a few bags of pine bark nuggets and a six pack of beer. Start the chipper or shredder, drop a shovel full or a whole bag in and poof - smaller stuff.

Hope this helps.

__________________

bonsaikc

I'd stay away from organics altogether regardless of climate. Boon's soil mix works in every climate it's been tried in. In fact, he discusses that in the most recent installment to our ongoing conversation. You can find both his recipe and his discussion here.

__________________
Chris Johnston
"She was a critic, and lots fo critics who aren't called to do what they write about grow jealous and mean and small in their disappointment." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Sashi-no-eda.blogspot.com