hi,
I have much listen about bonsai soil tried some different soils too,but still it is debatable topic for experts and novices like me.
please can you tell that what are the functions of materials we use in soil as gravel,pine bark,deadwoods,compost,lava rock or pumice and others.
your contribution will help a lot to novices to understand the functions of these materials in soil and they will make a good soil for either plant.
thanks.
Pine bark and other organic materials really do double duties in the soil. First off, they are the moisture retaining part of the soil. Secondly, they can house many types of microorganisms that break down the organic particles and convert them into nutrients, as well as absorbing fertilizer and releasing it over a period of time. Inorganic substances like gravel, pumice, and lava rock are there to increase drainage of the soil, and help the bonsai's roots form. The can also, depending on how porous they are, retain water in the medium. Because fertilizers can take over the minority role of the organic composites, some people recommend an entirely inorganic soil medium. This is not necessary, and I am against this belief.
This is about the simplest explanation. No doubt someone will come by and add a huge (what some might call essay) that explains in detail every aspect of every substance in the bonsai soil. But for those who want the basics of bonsai soil, here it is.
This is about the simplest explanation. No doubt someone will come by and add a huge (what some might call essay) that explains in detail every aspect of every substance in the bonsai soil. But for those who want the basics of bonsai soil, here it is.
And I might also state that if you add substances like peat or humus to a rocky-type, mostly inorganic soil, it will either fall out the bottom when the soil is watered, or it will gather at the bottom of the pot, either which is bad. Therefore, I recommend using either more organic material in the soil, or using substances like pine bark for the organic composite.
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majed,
bonsaiboy has provided you with a good foundation, no essay from me.
Bonsai soil/medium must provide anchorage for roots and hold enough moisture to get the tree through to its next watering. It is not really much more complicated than that. There are numerous components and even more combinations of components, but that is the short version.
Where it gets tricky is when you consider that there are so many different species and so many different environments where bonsai are grown. You must tailor your mix to these factors. I keep certain species in an entirely inorganic mix but these species are few, namely Conifers and succulents.
While my climate can be fairly warm during the summer we do get cooler and wetter periods during the spring and fall. Since I can't re-pot every few months I need to compromise and compose my medium for these species to stay fairly dry during cooler, wetter weather.
This in turn dictates daily watering for most of the summer. But it is better to have to water every day in summer than to have an overly wet medium during cooler weather. I can always add water but it is not so easy to remove it. For deciduous species the principal is the same but I do use organics, it is just a matter of how much.
So consider your species and your weather, not just in summer but all year, and adjust your mixture to accommodate these factors. Particle size also has some bearing on all of this as well. Larger particles drain better that smaller ones.
If you have not read ynot's thread on soils then you really should. Make sure to follow the links to the resources he provided, they will answer most of your questions.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422
Norm
bonsaiboy has provided you with a good foundation, no essay from me.
Bonsai soil/medium must provide anchorage for roots and hold enough moisture to get the tree through to its next watering. It is not really much more complicated than that. There are numerous components and even more combinations of components, but that is the short version.Where it gets tricky is when you consider that there are so many different species and so many different environments where bonsai are grown. You must tailor your mix to these factors. I keep certain species in an entirely inorganic mix but these species are few, namely Conifers and succulents.
While my climate can be fairly warm during the summer we do get cooler and wetter periods during the spring and fall. Since I can't re-pot every few months I need to compromise and compose my medium for these species to stay fairly dry during cooler, wetter weather.
This in turn dictates daily watering for most of the summer. But it is better to have to water every day in summer than to have an overly wet medium during cooler weather. I can always add water but it is not so easy to remove it.
For deciduous species the principal is the same but I do use organics, it is just a matter of how much.So consider your species and your weather, not just in summer but all year, and adjust your mixture to accommodate these factors. Particle size also has some bearing on all of this as well. Larger particles drain better that smaller ones.
If you have not read ynot's thread on soils then you really should. Make sure to follow the links to the resources he provided, they will answer most of your questions.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3422
Norm