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Old 30-09-2005, 04:20 PM
Nina
 
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Michel, I've enjoyed reading your posts because you are obviously so
enthusiastic about bonsai. But as far as soil is concerned, you ought
to be able to work with what's available locally. As several people
have noted, the ingredients don't matter as much as the property of the
final mix: well-draining. The minimum you need is some sort of coarse
inert ingredient, and some sort of coarse water-retaining ingredient.
I use Turface MVP mixed with decomposed granite and fine pine bark.
Turface is an athletic field conditioner, so it might be available to
you locally; Profile's webpage has a dealer locator to find the place
nearest you that sells it. Or: My local nursery doesn't normally stock
it, but will order it specially for me.

Climate-wise, you have the same problem as our Swedish member, Stephan:
it's too darn cold where you are. But you do have some nice material
you can specialize in: pines, spruces, hemlocks, etc. Someone new to
bonsai will often want to do one tree of everything, but as one goes
on, one finds certain trees one has an affinity for. With any luck,
you'll find an affinity for a hardy tree.

Nina. I have an affinity for trash trees. It's sad.

Michel Bourgeois wrote:
Another example? Do you know what is in my stove this morning? 2 bags of
HARD akadama!!! [...]I made
40$ phone call to find Pumice here. Imagine the tree I would have for all
this money! When you read Walter Pall saying "I grow my big bonsais in 100%
pumice because it cost nothing!" and nobody here know pumice! A bag of 40
liters cost 5$... but 40$ shipping!!! This is why I hate than this such a
wonderfull Quebec is such in cold climate with a lot of snows!