I have a question on bonsai soil. I understand the concepts of the soil
you would use in a "bonsai pot", good drainage etc. I buy my bonsai
soil pre-made, it's cheap when you're only using it in small bonsai
pots.

What do you use on your pre-bonsai? Large containers, 5 gallons or
more. Five gallons of pre-mixed bonsai soil is expensive. I was using
potting soil, but I lost a lot of trees this winter. We had a VERY cold
winter in Connecticut. A lot of other things other than the potting
soil may have contributed to the death of my plants in training. What I
started using this spring, after the harsh winter is a 50/50 mix of
turface mvp and pine bark mulch, do you think that's fine for LARGE
training pots?

Antonio Quental

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----- Original Message -----

I have a question on bonsai soil. I understand the concepts of the soil
you would use in a "bonsai pot", good drainage etc. I buy my bonsai
soil pre-made, it's cheap when you're only using it in small bonsai
pots.

What do you use on your pre-bonsai? Large containers, 5 gallons or
more. Five gallons of pre-mixed bonsai soil is expensive. I was using
potting soil, but I lost a lot of trees this winter. We had a VERY cold
winter in Connecticut. A lot of other things other than the potting
soil may have contributed to the death of my plants in training. What I
started using this spring, after the harsh winter is a 50/50 mix of
turface mvp and pine bark mulch, do you think that's fine for LARGE
training pots?

First, I presume you are talking about winter hardy trees. Those big
containers get real awkward indoors!

I would concentrate on drainage for your mix. There's no need for
(relatively) expensive bonsai soil for the whole pot. After all, you're NOT
trying to grow deep roots,

My inclination would be to use the turface mix (probably with less bark,
unless it was "chunky") for only the top 6 inches or so of the pot. Under
that you can use gravel, packing peanuts (aka "ghost tu*ds), etc. Anything
to support the actual growing part of the soil will be fine AS LONG AS IT IS
FREE DRAINING!.

Having said that, I confess that the azaleas I rescued (bare root) this
spring are in potting soil to help promote new root growth. Haven't decided
whether I'll disturb them in the fall. Probably will.

Regards.

Bart

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I hear you about the cold part, it was cold as heck here in Pennsylvania as
well. I lost very few trees (in training) and I use a 1/3 turface, 1/3
medium pine bark, 1/3 turkey gravel which is about 1/8". This has worked
well for me over the years.

hth
Robert
"Quental, Antonio" wrote in message
hemdc.net...
I have a question on bonsai soil. I understand the concepts of the soil
you would use in a "bonsai pot", good drainage etc. I buy my bonsai
soil pre-made, it's cheap when you're only using it in small bonsai
pots.

What do you use on your pre-bonsai? Large containers, 5 gallons or
more. Five gallons of pre-mixed bonsai soil is expensive. I was using
potting soil, but I lost a lot of trees this winter. We had a VERY cold
winter in Connecticut. A lot of other things other than the potting
soil may have contributed to the death of my plants in training. What I
started using this spring, after the harsh winter is a 50/50 mix of
turface mvp and pine bark mulch, do you think that's fine for LARGE
training pots?

Antonio Quental


************************************************** **************************
****
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************************************************** **************************
****
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

In a message dated 7/1/2003 11:20:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

What I
started using this spring, after the harsh winter is a 50/50 mix of
Turface MVP and pine bark mulch,

Here in Florida the Pine Bark Mulch would break down to a muck and all
you would have would be a very wet mix. Also, in my experience, the Turface
MVP is about 2/3 fines and about 1/3 usable size. Unless you are sifting the
Turface. I think your mix will be too wet.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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Billy,
I'm over here in Tampa and I use the Pine Bark Mulch. What do you use
for the organic material?



"Quental, Antonio" wrote in message
hemdc.net...
I have a question on bonsai soil. I understand the concepts of the soil
you would use in a "bonsai pot", good drainage etc. I buy my bonsai
soil pre-made, it's cheap when you're only using it in small bonsai
pots.

What do you use on your pre-bonsai? Large containers, 5 gallons or
more. Five gallons of pre-mixed bonsai soil is expensive. I was using
potting soil, but I lost a lot of trees this winter. We had a VERY cold
winter in Connecticut. A lot of other things other than the potting
soil may have contributed to the death of my plants in training. What I
started using this spring, after the harsh winter is a 50/50 mix of
turface mvp and pine bark mulch, do you think that's fine for LARGE
training pots?

Antonio Quental


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Since I sent out this email the other day asking for advice I went on a
shopping spree. I've been to Agway; they sell Chicken Grit (crushed
granite). It was only $7 for a 50 lb bag, so I picked up two. The
granite looks to be a perfect size; it doesn't seem to have any fines!!
I also went over to another local store, about 5 miles away and picked
up two more 50lb bags of Turface MVP, for $8 each. Then I went to the
local Home Depot and picked up 2 bags of Pine bark mulch, for about
$2.50 per bag. The only thing I still need to do is to get some window
screens and some sort of larger screen to get rid of the fines. The
larger screen would be to get rid of the large, uglier pieces of pine
bark mulch. Any recommendations on screens? Or where to get screens?
Do window stores sell screens with varying hole sizes? Thanks!! You
guys have helped me out a lot!

Antonio Quental


-----Original Message-----
From: Donald Veasey ]
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2003 10:48 PM
To:
Subject: [IBC] Pre-Bonsai Soil

Billy,
I'm over here in Tampa and I use the Pine Bark Mulch. What do you
use
for the organic material?



"Quental, Antonio" wrote in message
hemdc.net...
I have a question on bonsai soil. I understand the concepts of the
soil
you would use in a "bonsai pot", good drainage etc. I buy my bonsai
soil pre-made, it's cheap when you're only using it in small bonsai
pots.

What do you use on your pre-bonsai? Large containers, 5 gallons or
more. Five gallons of pre-mixed bonsai soil is expensive. I was
using
potting soil, but I lost a lot of trees this winter. We had a VERY
cold
winter in Connecticut. A lot of other things other than the potting
soil may have contributed to the death of my plants in training. What
I
started using this spring, after the harsh winter is a 50/50 mix of
turface mvp and pine bark mulch, do you think that's fine for LARGE
training pots?

Antonio Quental

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Quental, Antonio wrote:



Any recommendations on screens? Or where to get screens?

Do window stores sell screens with varying hole sizes?



Try your local hardware store or building supply and ask for "hardware cloth
.. It comes in various sized screening and sometimes in stainlessl



Jim Harwood zone 7b

central Arkansas

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

I agree with Jim, but, in most hardware stores, they carry the fine mesh
needed to get rid of fines without losing too much good soil, only as window
screening.

By the time you buy all the minimum size rolls (unless your store sells by
the yard), you will have spent more than the cost of bonsai screens. If you
buy those, make sure that the set includes the 1mm mesh (about the same as
window screening).
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim"
To:
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 12:43 PM
Subject: [IBC] Pre-Bonsai Soil








Quental, Antonio wrote:



Any recommendations on screens? Or where to get screens?

Do window stores sell screens with varying hole sizes?



Try your local hardware store or building supply and ask for "hardware
cloth
. It comes in various sized screening and sometimes in stainlessl



Jim Harwood zone 7b

central Arkansas


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++


************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Since I sent out this email the other day asking for advice I
went on a
shopping spree. I've been to Agway; they sell Chicken Grit
(crushed
granite). It was only $7 for a 50 lb bag, so I picked up two.
The
granite looks to be a perfect size; it doesn't seem to have any
fines!!
I also went over to another local store, about 5 miles away and
picked
up two more 50lb bags of Turface MVP, for $8 each. Then I went
to the
local Home Depot and picked up 2 bags of Pine bark mulch, for
about
$2.50 per bag. The only thing I still need to do is to get some
window
screens and some sort of larger screen to get rid of the fines.
The
larger screen would be to get rid of the large, uglier pieces of
pine
bark mulch. Any recommendations on screens? Or where to get
screens?
Do window stores sell screens with varying hole sizes? Thanks!!
You
guys have helped me out a lot!

Antonio Quental

=================

You can buy (at any nursery or from catalogs or on line) a set of
three screens, 1/4, 1/8/ 1/16 screens that are very useful at
screening your bonsai soil. The sent shouldn't cost more than
$20. (US).

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - The phrase
'sustainable growth' is an oxymoron. - Stephen Viederman

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++