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Guidelines For Creating Bonsai Soil.: by Randy Clark Charlotte, NC
Guidelines For Creating Bonsai Soil.: by Randy Clark Charlotte, NC
Bonsai Soil.
The right recipe for bonsai soil is like the right recipe
for spaghetti sauce. Everyone has a slightly different idea
of what should go into it, but the basic ingredients generally remain the same. Bonsai people will argue for hours
about which ingredients will work the best. The actual
fact is that most thoughtfully prepared mixtures perform
fine so long as they provide for excellent aeration and
drainage. The objective here is not to describe an exact
mixture for making bonsai soil, but rather to discuss the
principals and elements necessary for an effective potting
mix so that readers can construct a workable medium
tailored to their own individual needs and growing conditions.
referred to as perfect drainage. Second, it should be essentially pH neutral... that is, neither wildly acidic or basic.
A pH value somewhere in the 6.5 to 7.5 range seems
best. There are all kinds of pH testing kits available on the
market. It is a good idea to get one and use it to test soils.
Local agriculture extension agents also offer soil testing
services for a modest fee.
This concept is fairly simple to understand. As proof, consider the kind of potting
mixture which plant propagators use for
the rooting of cuttings. Normally it is coarse
sand or perlite. Both of these substances
have a uniform particle size, drain water exceptionally well and have no fine dust which
would inhibit air movement through the soil (aeration).
These are exactly the same characteristics on which
a workable bonsai mix is based. The actual ingredients
from which you assemble your soil mixture are certainly
important, but regardless of the components,... if the final
mixture does not have good drainage and aeration, it is
wrong.
A bonsai potting
mix for use with
smaller, shohin
and mame class
plants. This
particular recipe
contains pine bark
chips, fired clay
particles and river
rock which have
been screened to
eliminate dust and
produce particles
of 1/8 to 1/16 inch
in size.
Hardened Clays
Akadama
Akadama and Kanuma are particles of pelletized
clay which the Japanese use extensively for potting their
Inorganically Speaking
Aggregate is the largest and most critical component
and will comprise an average of 65 to 85 percent of the total soil mass. Aggregate is the best term to describe these
substances, although, rock, gravel and drainage material
will also work. The aggregate portion of the mix may be
composed of just a single component or a combination of
components. The only requirement is that the aggregates
used have a uniform particle size and a neutral pH value.
It is not necessary to ship such materials across the
country or around the world in order to obtain a workable
potting mix. In all probability, they will be easily available
locally.
As one travels and meets bonsai growers in other
locations they quickly discover that soil components
change by region based upon what is available in a
particular location. People in Florida use a lot of sand in
their soil mixtures. Thats because they have got a lot of it.
Colorado bonsaists can obtain all the decomposed granite
they want from the sides of their mountains. In Hawaii the
primary inert component in a soil mixture is... you guessed
Two examples
of hardened clay
products. At left:
Turface and on
right: Japanese
Akadama.
Three examples of
expanded (porous)
aggregrate. Left: Haydite,
Center: Lava Rock, Right:
Permatil
Lava rock (left) is an excellent example of porous aggregate which contains holes that absorb and release moisture to the
plant. River rock (right) is a non-porous aggregate and does not absorb moisture.
Although turface is the term generally used to describe fired clay, it is, in fact, a brand name. Other manufactures market similar products under the names such
as Soilmaster or Terragreen. There may be others. Note,
however, certain brands of cat litter and oil absorbent products on the market contain fired clay as their prime ingredient. You should be extremely cautious about using such
products because they often contain chemical additives
which would be detrimental when used in a soil mix.
Expanded Aggregates
Haydite
Haydite is another brand name and is the rock equivalent of turface. Similar products may be found marketed
under names such as permatil and staylite. They come
in different colors (brown or gray usually) depending upon
where it was made and what kind of stone was used. Historically, expanded rock is the primary ingredient used in
the manufacture of concrete blocks to make them lighter.
Only in recent years has this products value as a soil
amendment been discovered. Haydite, which is brown in
color is expanded shale. Permatil is grey and made from
slate. The term expanded means it has been heated
to over 2000 degrees which causes these two
types of porous rock to become even more porous. Like the turface it is full of tiny holes which
absorb water and release it back to the plant.
Some research even indicates haydite releases
water more readily than does the turface and is
less inclined to accumulate salts from watering.
Depending upon where it comes from, expanded
rock may be slightly pH acidic. This can be easily corrected by adding a little horticultural lime to
the soil mix.
Lava Rock
Yet another expanded stone product is lava rock.
This is usually available in garden centers and is red in
color. Bonsai people are fond of using lava rock as a
finishing dressing on the surface of the pot, but it can also
make an excellent primary aggregate component for any
mix. Like expanded shale and slate, lava rock is full of
tiny holes which absorb water and then release it back to
the plant slowly. Unlike expanded shale and slate, it was
the volcano gods who did the expanding and not man.
Non-Porous Aggregates
Poultry Grit
Weve used this substance for years and swear by
it. You can purchase it by the bag from your local feed
or farm supply store already separated into the correct
grades. Poultry grit is composed of fragments of crushed
granite which farmers feed to their chickens to help them
grind up corn. (As it turns out, chickens have no teeth).
The particle size in any given bag will vary depending upon
whether it is intended for baby chicks or full grown turkeys.
Unlike clay or expanded rock, crushed granite is dense
Organically Speaking
There are some bonsai growers who believe a good bonsai soil mix need not contain any
organic ingredients whatsoever. They maintain
that drainage and aeration are the two single most
important aspects of a good bonsai mix and that
you, as the grower, have the responsibility for supplying all the nutrients and moisture your bonsai
may require.
A Couple Of Tips
Moss - Decorative ground covers such a moss can
add a great deal to a bonsais appearance. They can also
be dangerous. Dry moss will actually shed water away
from the plant. If you use moss on your bonsai make sure
that the moss does not cover the entire surface of the
pot and that you are always able to inspect the moisture
condition of the soil. There is a Japanese rule which says
moss may be permitted to touch only three sides of the
container. If followed it means that you will always be able
to inspect the condition of your soil easily.