AKADAMA:- a clay like soil. can retain its granular structure for sevral years most used and probably best for most trees
KANUMA:- a soft pumice based soil sepially mined for the cultivation of azaleas as it is an asidic soil
SIFTED PEAT:- NOT ENVIROMENTALLY FRIENDLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BUT an excellent organic ingredient
HORTICULTURAL GRIT:-great for maintaining an open soil and good drainage
SOIL IMPROVERS
(GRIT is probably 1)
ORCHID-GROWER'S BARK:-long lasting ideal sized particles with little (if any wastage)
PUMICE:-a naturally occuring soil improver which retains moisture (handy for people who cant keep up on watering times or in summer) while keeping the soil open for free-drainging
Tarian,
:EDITED: [I was a bit gruff in my previous replies, My apologies.]
Personally, I don't use peat moss at all as due to its small particle size it is difficult to wet, compacts easily and stays far too wet for far too long for my tastes.
I have used long fiber Sphagnum moss as an organic component though I mostly use pine bark.
ynot
:EDITED: [I was a bit gruff in my previous replies, My apologies.]
There is a lot of confusion about this actually.tarian wrote:
SIFTED PEAT:- NOT ENVIROMENTALLY FRIENDLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BUT an excellent organic ingredient
Personally, I don't use peat moss at all as due to its small particle size it is difficult to wet, compacts easily and stays far too wet for far too long for my tastes.
I have used long fiber Sphagnum moss as an organic component though I mostly use pine bark.
ynot
Last edited by ynot on Sun Feb 11, 2007 6:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
tarian wrote:thanks
lol...Uh, I was asking for some clarification from you.Your first post is a bit bare don't you agree?
Could you expand on it a bit? What you use, The benefits etc...
It seems I do nothing else but rattle on about soil around here.
ynot
Last edited by ynot on Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
Gnome
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- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
Tarian,
I commend you for taking the initiative on getting some information out, thanks. I would like to add a few items to your list, perhaps others can as well.
1. Turface MVP, is is fired clay product that is intended primarily for sports applications but is ideal for use with bonsai. The 'MVP' moniker simply designates the grade/size of the product. The parent company of this product, distributes various products under various names. Many of which have been used as bonsai components.
2. Haydite, is an expanded shale material. I believe its intended application is for construction and is available in various grades as well.
3. Lava rock, the familiar material that is seen as a landscape product in almost any home center/box store. The problem is locating it in the proper size. I have read that some have located the proper size locally but I never have. I am limited to either buying by mail order, something I try to avoid for obvious reasons, or sizing it myself.
4. Perlite, an expanded mineral that resembles Styrofoam beads is available everywhere and is effective if not particularly attractive.
I have used all of these products at one time or another. May I suggest that others look into these components before going to the expense of shipping in expensive imported soil components such as Akadama or Kanuma. Many growers do just fine with local products that can be obtained in bulk at much less expense. By the way all of these materials need to be sieved to remove the fines that should not be included in your soil.
Norm
I commend you for taking the initiative on getting some information out, thanks. I would like to add a few items to your list, perhaps others can as well.
1. Turface MVP, is is fired clay product that is intended primarily for sports applications but is ideal for use with bonsai. The 'MVP' moniker simply designates the grade/size of the product. The parent company of this product, distributes various products under various names. Many of which have been used as bonsai components.
2. Haydite, is an expanded shale material. I believe its intended application is for construction and is available in various grades as well.
3. Lava rock, the familiar material that is seen as a landscape product in almost any home center/box store. The problem is locating it in the proper size. I have read that some have located the proper size locally but I never have. I am limited to either buying by mail order, something I try to avoid for obvious reasons, or sizing it myself.
4. Perlite, an expanded mineral that resembles Styrofoam beads is available everywhere and is effective if not particularly attractive.
I have used all of these products at one time or another. May I suggest that others look into these components before going to the expense of shipping in expensive imported soil components such as Akadama or Kanuma. Many growers do just fine with local products that can be obtained in bulk at much less expense. By the way all of these materials need to be sieved to remove the fines that should not be included in your soil.
Norm
Tarian,thanks soo much to GNOM & YNOT
THE MOST HELPFUL PEOPLE
IN ALL OF THE BONSAI FORUMS I HAVE
JOINED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
Indeed, Thank you.
I hope Gnome doesn't mind if I post a picture of him:
[img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/whis/whis_yoda.gif[/img]
Here is one of me as well:
[img]https://www.mainzelahr.de/smile/essen/kaffeepc.gif[/img]
ynot