HI Anil


Anil Kaushik wrote:

Brent

Thank you for the comprehensive reply. At last I got the right answer!
(Theo also said so and I think he was absolutely correct)
Also could you please tell if there are parameters regarding the porosity of
Bonsai mixture? Has anybody conducted research or study on *porosity*. If
you pour water over gravel, the water will drain out in seconds. And if you
do the same on fine grit say with 1 to 2 mm sized particles, it will still
drain out quickly. Likewise it will pass out quickly through fine sand
(dust free) or may take a little longer. How porous the Bonsai potting mix
should be for different climatic conditions? If you have some information
please share.
Someone few montha ago said something right
I do not remember his name
but this person was living in very hot and dry places and he said that
he could grow bonsai in totally different soils than the ones adviced
in northern countries , so soils has to be adapetd to the climate un
first with regard to teh kind of tree we are repotting

I proceed as follows to see the time of drying out

I take my hard material that is lava or pouzzolana of stone grit
washed from dusts and akadama well sifted
I select for my trees thata re genereally 70 cm 3 ft tall 3 to 5
mm diameter and must be really coarse this is why lava is ok
I add some home made soil that changes from plant to plant for
maples I add 25 % for pines 10 % mix well and also according to his
phase of growth and age ( but
so 10 to 20 % of home made compost and the rest in equal parts
akadama and lava or just lava ..
I can add sequoia bark cut in dices , is like a sponge.. and make
the quantitiy of one pound 500 grs put it in bonsai container
sink into water very well
and than put in the location as if it was a bonsai pot
and check everyday the umidity ..
this mix opften takes one week 8-9 days to dry well in may june sunny
weather in switzerland .. if it is windy takes less with a plant
inside takes a little less
so you can be almost be sure that that mix with a bonsai inside will
stay humid 6 days with no problem and 1 -2 more days without needing
watering if is a pine ( of course it also depends upon the pot size
if deep or flat if small or large ) for mame or shohim teh small
quantity of soil dries within hours no matter how damp might be

Tested that I change the components according my needs

thin sands retains water in the very beginning but dries out quickly
coarse sand makes the water flow away very quickly
peat if dries too much has a difficulty to get wet again and clogs
lava retains inside water and release t slowly almost like akadama
but does not disgregate
warms up quickly in the sun and roots grow well

I did that when left home for one week and I had no problema with my
trees




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