The great soil conspiracy.

bonsaial1

Once again the soil debate rages on, and the most important fact of all about soil is missing.
Learn how to water, and you can grow in anything!

During apprenticeships in Japan, learning how to water correctly takes up pretty much the first year of learning. I think a years time is a long time, but someone must think it is pretty important if they are going to trust you watering 500 year old, $50,000.00 trees.

Learn how to water and just plant the damned thing.

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III Bonsai-al

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A tree a day...thats all we ask.

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RonMartin(deceased)

A while back a fellow named Herb Gustafson wrote a book called the Bonsai Workshop. In there he has a pretty good explanation of what makes up a good bonsai soil. His explanation of the what and why is pretty good.
If I was asked what made good logical reading on the subject of soil I sure would recommend that book. For beginners and old hands alike.
Not sure if I agree with the rest of the book but he sure nailed a good explanation on good old bonsai dirt.
Guess what, I think that is the first time I have ever recommended reading any specific bonsai book. Well I have mentioned John Naka's books on a few occasions ;o)
As they say that is my $2 worth ( adjusted for inflation form what Al would call my 1960' mentality )
If anyone wants the ISBN number for the book let me know.

RonMartin(deceased)

If I am not wrong (usually am) I seem to remember someone telling me that you sold bonsai soil. If so why not give your customers a break and just teach them how to water.

Attila

On the way home I kept thinking about this soil debate.

Al's comment just made my day. Thanks Al for bringing us back to reality!
Now I have to go and do a quick soil check.

So long
Attila

Will_Heath

Attlia,

So I'm not the only one who posts from work, good to know, lol.

Will

Attila

Did you just tell the whole World !
Jeee!

P.S.: There goes my promotion.

bonsaial1

Ron, Thanks for inviting me to elaborate.

People do not know how to water potted plants. We over water house plants and we over water bonsai. Selling a bonsai soil that will drain away water more quickly for over waterers is not a flip flop ( can you tell I watched the debates tonight!). It's a necessity!

Good soil or bad soil does not kill bonsai.
Bad watering habits does!

Soil does not rot tree roots. Water does. Check before watering, if it needs to be watered, water it! If it does not why water it? If you water each day at 7:00AM whether they need it or not, then you better have the soil to handle the flood.

The exact ratio of organic to inorganic, the composition of the materials is not nearly as important as when to water. The best soil in the world will not produce the correct results without a knowledge of how to read plants and when to water.

A perfect, inexpensive potting medium for bonsai that will carry most plants year to year is any good bagged planting mix, ie; super soil, black magic, wallmart, etc. and sand. 50/50! The key is watering management. If your lazy and do not check, or neglect the plants they are doomed. Your best with a mix that is more friable and more foregiving to watering everyday and not checking. Someting more granular like lava and turface.

Remember the whole thing in a nutshell about soil, watering and thriving bonsai is lifestyle. I would be willing to bet that some of the more seasoned veterans here would probably lose some trees in the first year after retirement due to babying trees and having to much time to water and fret over the trees in summer. Remember Walter saying that sometimes he waters twice a day in summer. I'm sure that he has the knowledge to alter his mix to having the correct componets in it to water once a day. He is at home, and has the ability to water twice a day, unlike someone like me that can manage once a day and not much more. My soil has to reflect this watering schedule. I could change the mix and put in a drip, and then I could plant my plants in marbles and water 4 times a day!

It's all about the water, the soil is just a catylyst for turning water to vapor and fetilizer into useable nutrients, and not much more.

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III B-al

__________________
A tree a day...thats all we ask.

Will_Heath

Al,

That was very well put, informative and interesting. The truth is sometimes like that.

Thank you,

Will

RonMartin(deceased)

Al
I did address my thoughts on why learning to water is so hard for some.
Try here http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/showthr...69182#post69182

Post #57 on that page