what's your recipe?

ChrisM

hi all, i am trying to compile a collection of soil recipes for my personal use as well as the use of several friends and family that are active in bonsai as well. it would be greatly appreciated if any of you would care to share what recipe you use. if it wouldn't be too much trouble, formatting it like this would help -

Type(s) of trees:
Mixture:

thanks a bunch in advance.

chris

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irene_b

All trees

lava
sandblasting rock
pine bark mulch

Irene

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jfecme

All trees:

1. Turface (high-fired clay soil amendment)
2. Grani-grit (granite chips used as chicken grit)
3. Nature's Helper (chipped and shredded pine bark)

Too many trees to itemize, but generally a 1-1-1 mixture with alittle more bark for deciduous and a little more grit for conifers.

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Graydon

All trees - 90% conifers and 10% other (needle envious trees).

1/3 pumice
1/3 akadama
1/3 lava

Mix by full bag of each item. Sifted to uniform size with "over" and "under" size screens. I retain the fines for other uses...

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midwestbonsai

All trees.

1 part Chicken grit (crushed granite)
1 part turface
2 parts father dom's duck doo

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PinkFloyd

All trees:

70% lava rock, 30% sifted pine bark.

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BrianP03103

I notice that you have no organics in your mixture? Why is that? What peculiar benefits does this give you? What unique precautions must you observe as a result?

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Dav4

Brian, non organics like pumice/lava and sand/grit don't compact or deteriorate, and last indefinately, providing wonderful drainage and, therefore, a great environment for root growth/health. You need to water and fertilize more frequently, though.

Dave

Dav4

I'm trying a new recipe this year. In years past,Conifers:
40% grit
40% turface
20% pine bark
Deciduous trees like maples/crabapples:
1/3 grit
1/3 turface
1/3 pine bark

My new recipe-

conifers:
1/3 grit
1/3 turface
1/3 crushed lava

Deciduous trees:
40% grit
40% turface
20% pine bark