John Jones wrote:
"Neal Ross" wrote in message
news:000801c2eb13$6141bf80$5f4aabcd@computer...
In all the discussions I have read concerning the subject of
soil the ingredients are usually akadama, or pine/fir bark and
some sort of grit, sand or lava rock. On the cover of Bonsai
Today #82 there is a Chinese Quince and I was wondering if anyone
can tell by looking at it what the top covering or soil in that
specimen is. It looks like plain dirt and I was wondering what
people use to get that look for their trees. The mix that I use
works well for me but looks completely different from that. Just
curious, not a life threatening question.
I think they're putting a thin layer of the sifted fines from
their soil mixing, or some peat moss/ potting soil over the top,
and smoothing it over with a paint brush before they take the
photo.
I think I read this somewhere, but I don't recall where.
On this tree itīs fine akadama (you can use fine pumice or grit as well)
probably in the 1-2 mm range. I would not use potting soil as a top
covering, itīs too fine. I read in a BT issue that you should change the
top covering every year even if the tree is repotted every other year or
more seldom. It makes sense scince the small particles dissolves faster.
Henrik Gistvall, Uppsala, Sweden
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