What Type of Soil to Use for Bonsai Trees
David loves to share his passion for gardening and assist others delight in the wonders of growing and caring for incredible plants.
Introduction to Soil
Bonsai is a hobby that anyone tin enjoy. It'due south ofttimes a hobby people pick up to get in affect with nature, if not themselves. Anyone can bonsai by coming together a few conditions.
Anyone new to bonsai or to any hobby tends to have many questions.
Quite oftentimes, however, the new hobbyist asks all the questions just the actually important ones:
- How much wire practice I need to purchase?
- How much h2o is besides much?
- What kind of way is most bonny for every tree?
- Tin can I bring the tree inside to display indefinitely?
- How fast will this abound?
- What can I do to expedite my tree's growth and evolution?
Passion for a new hobby can exist like falling in love and information technology'south easy to let a spark grow into a flame and and so into an inferno. It's important to know that with any new hobby, the hobbyist should exist open to suggestion and do what's logical and proceed with circumspection and reason. We often overlook the very obvious things fifty-fifty when doing tasks we do every day.
In fact, I overlooked obvious issues and didn't inquire the important questions. I'd like to rectify my sin and pass on to new hobbyists the importance of starting from the footing up, literally!
What's so dang important?
In my stance....soil. That's the most important aspect to bonsai and often we disregard it because nosotros perceive a tree equally a tree and soil is soil. Therefore, anything should work.
Soil is more than merely digging up a dodder of clay in the yard and putting it into a pot and saying: "we're done with Footstep 1, let's move on."
Considering soil is a smashing component when information technology comes to repotting bonsai trees, and it is of import to understand why repotting a bonsai tree is a necessary evil and why nosotros practise so.
Part of being in the bonsai hobby is being a piffling flake of everything: horticulturist, geologist, artist, etc.
What i is trying to exercise is to replicate nature and nature has been at this game for a long time then it's safe to say "false is the sincerest form of flattery."
Bonsai soil comprised of various gritty materials.
Wikipedia
Soil vs. Substrate
Soil used in bonsai is a widely debated outcome due to every hobbyist having their own recipe mix for their soil. One person'due south soil limerick for tropical trees may be too light or too heavy for a dissimilar hobbyist'southward tree.
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Some people will fifty-fifty mention that bonsai soil is not fifty-fifty soil at all, as it can incorporate no soil in the traditional sense.
Many people prefer to call their bonsai substrate "mixes"
Regardless of what you lot utilize for any tree, the real departure between the traditional sense of soil and bonsai mix is that drainage is optimal and the principal goal to reach.
Different components of a standard bonsai mix.
Bonsology
Why is Drainage Important?
Why is drainage key to growing healthy bonsai?
Yous can ask yourself, "if that's my only concern, I'one thousand certain information technology can be solved by my pot having holes, I'thou sure it will drain regardless how what'south in the pot and how much water it has in it, right?"
Well, that logic is non entirely wrong because a hole will release whatever fluid in time. Simply that'southward another contingency, and the time information technology takes h2o to leave the soil and pot is solely dependent on the medium of the bonsai soil mix. Of form allowing water to drain apace will spare the tree from suffering "moisture feet" which leads to root rot.
You are welcome to place a tree into a densely packed pot of soil similar potting soil mix or the soil you dig out from the footing; all the same, y'all might not accept a tree that will be as healthy as a tree placed into efficiently draining soil.
Try to imagine, through time equally soil starts to compact, how will air and water will permeate through the soil? Starving roots of oxygen can effect in roots not growing properly, which will in turn issue in weak trees that will not allow the tree to be secured properly.
Full general Knowledge
What Are the Components?
Bonsai mix can be separated into two categories, organic and inorganic.
- The departure between organic and inorganic is based on water retentiveness.
- Both ingredients have grit, which allows for excess water to drain from the mix.
- Simply bated from that, the names for both are literal, as organic components have decomposable plant matter, while inorganic ingredients are comprised of rocks and other gritty material like broiled clay.
Unlike in the by, when baked dirt was non equally readily bachelor, organic matter was favored.
However, traditional mixes were a danger to the possibility of over watering and a dramatic shift towards inorganic matter is at present on the rise.
Today, growers tend to use a mix of high-fired dirt and other gritty materials that are great water retainers, withal, fibroid enough to encourage root growth, and can exist watered multiple times a day without over watering.
In that location are some growers who grow their trees in pure baked clay for maximum water drainage and maximum oxygen permeability. Keep in mind, however, that loose mixes can disrupt root growth due to shifting.
Organic Component
Organic components incorporate of conifer bawl, peat moss (humus), potting soil and whatsoever other composted material. To go into farther detail:
- Conifer bark as a soil conditioner tin can add bulk to the mix and can retain moisture, while allowing excess water to drain.
- Peat moss (humus) is what retains the most water and therefore should be used sparingly. This material is really used only to bind the textile together so the unlike components do not shift effectually equally roots are growing. Information technology'southward important to know moss tin can hold a substantial amount of water, and without proper drainage, it tin hold onto a large corporeality of water for a long time.
- Potting soil will add together bulk to your mix as well equally used as a bonding agent. Exist aware potting soil is highly water retentive.
- Decomposing institute matter is added as feed.
Inorganic Components
The key to inorganic components is to add "dust" to a mix. The more than grit you add, the more aeration it allows and that will help stimulate strong root growth.
Inorganic components consist of other materials that do non break down like their organic counterpart. Most inorganic components are highly prized for their porous backdrop that can retain water but does non break down equally rapidly or condense. Here are various types of inorganic components:
- Akadama: this is a hard-fired dirt and not bad at retaining water. This component is ideal for mixing bonsai soil. It is often considered to be a mandatory component when creating your bonsai mix. The only trouble with this is it will break downwardly in a few years.
- Turface: this looks a lot like the high-fired akadama dirt simply it isn't. This cloth is mainly used for the underlining of golf courses and baseball fields as information technology does wonders of assuasive air to penetrate; thus, making information technology perfect for grass.
- Lava rock: this material is incredibly coarse and porous. Unlike the other two mentioned before, this component volition non breakup as easily. People like to use this as a top dressing for their gardens, but have no idea how incredibly cracking this serves as an amass in bonsai mixes.
- Diatomaceous Globe: This cloth is a fleck out of the ordinary and is just advised should you not find annihilation else mentioned on the above list. Diatomaceous earth ("Oil Sorb" or "Oil Dri"), is used past mechanics who spread the stuff onto the floor in case of oil spills. The cloth will soak up the oil and will make make clean upward a lot easier. In bonsai it works in the aforementioned principle; it will soak upwards water and retain moisture only still concord onto it's coarse shape allowing roots to grow effectually it. If you are able to obtain this stuff, make sure to confirm the material is #8822. This is tried and tested and will not plough to mush.
Additional Soil Conditioners
The different components mentioned above are only a few of what can be used in bonsai. At that place are diverse other soil conditioners and soil aggregates that tin be used in mixing your ain bonsai mix. Regardless of what you utilize, the three most important qualities to look for are:
- good aeration
- good drainage
- proficient moisture retentiveness
These should exist the three guidelines to consider when adding other components to your mixture.
Some may exist conventional and some may be the recommendation of friends or boyfriend hobbyists. One cannot become wrong with either organic or inorganic components, just as long as it provides those three things.
Soil sifter.
The Right Equipment
Component aside, the right equipment will let yous to get the all-time out of your material. When talking about equipment, I mean a sifter.
Your cloth, which will come in numberless or sacks, volition have a lot of impurities like grit. Other impurities like grass and possibly other organic matter can exercise the aforementioned type of harm.
Sifters will allow you to sift the fabric through various levels, which will let you to have smaller granules for smaller potted bonsai to larger granules for larger bonsai.
Sifting is not necessarily an important step; withal, it is highly and sometimes strongly recommended because yous paid a lot of money for your textile, then why non accept the additional step?
Mixing Recipes
Every bit mentioned above, at that place is no one way to approach your own unique mix. At that place are a few guidelines that many can suggest only exist enlightened that they are just suggestions. As a hobbyist in bonsai, information technology'due south of import to be open minded and endeavour it your fashion before dismissing or criticizing. What may not work for you will work for someone else. As there is a clear guideline for various types of bonsai, mixes will have to correlate to match the specific types of trees.
Bonsai Mix Recipe
| Organic/Inorganic Compoents | Basic Bonsai Mix | Tropical Bonsai Mix | Deciduous Bonsai Mox | Conifer Bonsai Mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akadama/Turface | l% | 40% | 50% | lx% |
| Lava rock/Diatomaceous globe | 25% | 25% | 30% | thirty% |
| Organic Compost Component | 25% | 35% | 20% | 10% |
Note how this soil clumps up later calculation compressing force.
The Demo Garden Blog
Note how big the particulates are and how loose the granules sit in the palm of your mitt.
Bonsai Mauritius
Clump vs. Loose
Naturally, afterward a menstruation of fourth dimension, soil will condense and that condensing action will be simulated to test how well your soil will hold upwards.
To simulate that type of compaction, fifty-fifty earlier y'all fill the pot with your bonsai mix, you should be able to squeeze a big clump of whetted mix in your hand.
If the mix compacts into a dumbo hard clump, your mix is likewise total of organic matter and will retain a lot of moisture. This tin can lead to a lot of bug, such as rootrot.
Also, air cannot penetrate the soil, which volition pb to more than problems.
Should the mix fall away after you release information technology from your palm, yous accept a adept, well-draining mix.
To correct either too lose or as well compact, only add together to the mix of either more than grit or more organic matter to fit your needs.
Decision
Mixing your own bonsai mix is a bang-up sign of dedication. Your love for your tree starts from the ground up. A tree will often exist able to tell you how information technology feels and will let you lot know what its needs based on its mix status.
- A good mix volition allow the grower to know when the tree needs water and the condition of the tree.
- A good mix can make up one's mind how much training a tree can endure this yr.
A bad mix will outcome with a delay in growth and as well in health. A sick tree is limited in what it tin practice and often, the grower's simplest demands are all too much for the tree.
Take care of your tree by giving it the best soil mix you tin can muster.
This content is accurate and truthful to the all-time of the author's cognition and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional person.
Terry on July 08, 2020:
My ficus bonsai has started showing yellow/green leaves with thin stems and easily dropping off. What'southward going on?...root rot? Whole plant sparse and not flourishing. Time to re pot?
Help
Paddi chahal on June 13, 2020:
How to make bonsai soil
4 parts gravel
ii parts compost
ii parts soil
1 office sand
i part Of sand
AT on May 26, 2020:
Is information technology alright if I would just utilize common potting soil for my peepal tree cause all of my other trees are growing well in it?
Paul Ryall on May 12, 2020:
E-Coco make a cracking Bonsai potting mix. Very gritty and open withal moisture retentive. Two recipes are available:
1. 25% washed cocopeat, 25% granular kokosnoot shell charcoal, 25% Akadama small, 25% Pumice size 02.
two. 33% granular coconut shell charcoal, 33% Akadama pocket-size, 33% Pumice size 02.
Fred Sieling on March eleven, 2019:
When I mix substrate, I oft add activated charcoal, size most 1/8", I use from aquarium I take.
Ted Harrington on September xix, 2018:
will using the incorrect "mix" of compost impale my bonsai?
Anita Hufham on August 23, 2018:
I am attempting to abound a wisteria bonzai tree and am trying to figure out how to mix my soil. How much of what? Is in that location any kind of step by step direction, similar a recipe, for creating the soil I demand?
Kathie Mecham on March 15, 2018:
I am looking for a neat mix for succulents. I have pumice, gravel, coco peat, and sand. Is at that place something different I should utilize in your suggested recipe for my succulents?
Tim Nadeau on December 17, 2017:
I really capeesh your sharing. Beauty always has conditioned roots.
kmrichardson@att.net on Baronial 12, 2017:
I sense that I have found some real help with this "soil" business that I have needed for some time. Thanks!
Jason on July 28, 2017:
Cheers very much for sharing this information and conveying it so well. Very much appreciated :D
ashan gunathilake on June 14, 2017:
are at that place any recomended bonsai soil mixture for tropical areas (sri lanka)?
Nikebra Jackson on May 02, 2017:
Tin can't find Bonsai soil here in my small town .I ordered some Bonsai Roses an I need to know how to found them please
Vinny Chirayil from Hyderabad, India on August 13, 2016:
Good article and I relate to the question "why not have pots with holes". I believe expert drainage & aeration begins with the pot, not bonsai soil. That comes afterward. But many bonsai experts & their followers seem ignorant of this, judging by their training / grow pots (not words). I have elaborated this event in detail, in the article 'Colander vs. Bonsai Pot' - http://instantbonsaiforeveryone.blogspot.in/2016/0...
Opinions, thoughts, counter-points, perspective etc are almost welcome.
David on April 08, 2016:
Crushed granite has been used and mainly used to add drainage. It's heavy and it'southward not very porous so it'due south really there to add grit to the mix. I wouldn't just use the granite in a loftier concentration because like mentioned, information technology doesn't agree that much water. But with the perlite and organic soil, it should assist. Skilful on you for keeping it in the pond btw!
David on March 12, 2016:
Have you ever used crushed granite as part of the bonsai mixture? I recently made my own soil using it along with perlite and organic soil dug upwardly from my father inlaws barn. The tree I placed in the mixture was a bald cypress that I had left in an erstwhile goldfish pond for 3 yrs trying to increase the size and look of the J
nabari, I planted information technology in early on February and I'g very impressed with the amount of buds I accept! I'm thinking of doing the same to my crape myrtle that's been in a bonsai pot for 2 1/2 years.
Any communication would exist appreciated! Thank you
clelanddessitheigh78.blogspot.com
Source: https://dengarden.com/gardening/How-to-Mix-Your-Own-Bonsai-Soil