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Funny that this should come up just now. I'm to give a talk on "soils"
for my Gainesville Bonsai Society this weekend. I took this as an opportunity to do a little experimentation. I built a box about (4" x 4" x 6" high) out of clear plastic, marking the height on the inside for measuring. The bottom was made out of my standard pot screen (7x7 space plastic canvas). I figured that if there was a perch, it would be at the screen and that this would most nearly represent my potting condition. As a result, any of the "soil" material which did not go through a standard window screen, did not perch. Material tested we pea gravel, perlite (expanded shale, I think), vermiculite (expanded mica?), baked clay (similar to Turface), shredded pine bark and peat moss (unscreened, i.e. straight out of the bag). Only the peat moss perched over the screen, about 1" high. I then tried the peat moss over both the pea gravel and the perlite (two different tests). As advertised, the peat moss perched over both but as the water passed slowly through the peat moss, the pea gravel and perlite both drained quickly. Please note that the tests were made with total bottom screening. I have not yet done the tests with just a partial drain hole in the bottom. That might make a difference. My analysis of the tests is that perching can indeed occur in bonsai pots but the "soil" material would have to be fine enough that capillary action can take place. If no fines are allowed, no drainage problems should occur in a properly built pot. However, if a high percentage of fine material is used in the mix (such as peat moss for azalea mixes) then a drainage layer might be a positive benefit. In this case, I think I would use a deeper than normal pot to allow the drainage layer enough space to be effective and give the roots some breathing space. It was fun to see "inside" a pot!! Have fun - jay Jay Beckenbach - Melrose, FL - Zone 8b/9a - -----Original Message----- From: Roger Snipes ] Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 12:44 PM Subject: Question and advice please ... Bonsai Soil Of course a perched water table can be a bad thing, but I don't think that bonsai pots with layered soil end up with enough of a defined layer size differential to actually create one; I think the layers get somewhat blended, especially with all the action of working soil in around the roots, etc. when potting. Therefore, I think that layered soil in a bonsai pot does no harm. ---------- CLIP ---------- Marty layers his soil and notices a preponderance of roots in the bottom of his pots in the drainage layer. I don't layer my soil, and I use a mix similar to Marty's, i.e. crushed lava rock in the 1/8" to 3/8" range, and I also notice a preponderance of roots in the bottom of my pots. I think this is a normal situation because it is always moister there, drainage layer or not. My conclusion is that if one uses a coarse, free draining soil mix layering the soil will probably do no harm, and will also probably be of no additional benefit. ---------- CLIP ---------- ************************************************** ****************************** ++++Sponsored, in part, by Bob Pastorio++++ ************************************************** ****************************** -- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ -- +++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++ |
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