Kevin Nikolai Payne wrote:
In the discussion of soils I admit to some concern
that I will do the wrong thing, being very new to
bonsai care as some of the others are.

How do you know what is right? I've been through books
and on IBC and elsewhere and everyone seems to say the
same thing: you need to adjust what your soil mix to a
variety of factors, but I don't find any enumeration
of what works best where and with what trees.

I'm afraid that only time and experience will teach you
this. Lose a few trees to root rot, or Verticilium wilt, or
.. . . and you learn what soils different species do or don't
like.

There are too many variables for anyone to tell somewone
else what is "best." "Best" will differ with geography,
climate, species of tree, and a long, long list of other
variables.


Most books suggest 1 part loam, 1 part sand, 1 part
humus. Obviously there are "better" mixes based on
location and plants, so in an effort to help focus in
(at least for myself let me give some info and
solicit opinions for my conditions:

I have two junipers (a Sargents @ 8 yrs and a
procumbens nana @ 5 yrs),

FAST draining soil. 100% Turface (or clone) works well.
Fertilize with balanced fertilizer with micronutrients.
Keep soil _just_ moist.

a carmona microphylla (tea tree @ 2-3 yrs),

I'm less familiar with this one, but suspect a heavier soil
-- with some compost or peat -- wold be a good choice.

and a very young pithecolobium flexicaule (Texas ebony).

The same mix as the juniper, but water less often.


I live smack on the dotted line between USDA Zone 5a
and 5b.

The Carmona and TX ebony will need winter protection, but
I'm sure you know that.

What kind of soil mix should I be considering when I
repot each of these in the future? The Sargents needs
it now by the look of the roots, the nana soon, and
the tea tree can wait til spring. The ebony needs to
grow some more before repotting.

BTW, I have a bag of bonsai soil as well as some
coarse sand and some red lava stone. What else do I
need to add to my soil resources?

Turface, Profile, Terra Green or Mule Mix (they're all the
same stuff). A bark mulch of some sort.


I wouldn't grow either the juniper or the TX ebony in
typical "bonsai soil," or if you do keep a very close eye on
moisture.

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Nature
encourages no looseness, pardons no errors. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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