Soil mix for the Bonsai trees

Utilizing the proper soil mix for the Bonsai trees is critical. Soil is very important to provide your own trees with nourishment, but in addition, it needs to drain correctly, supply enough aeration, and keep water. Though many (online) Bonsai stores sell ready-mixed lands, doing so will spend less and allows you to correct mixes per tree-species.

The grade of dirt used directly impacts the health and vitality of your shrub. It's our experience that trees that are unhealthy, that lack energy, are frequently implanted in a bad (often organic) Bonsai soil. Or worse; implanted in ordinary garden soil. Such dirt easily hardens as it becomes dry, which provides no advantage to this development of Bonsai, in reality, it's extremely bad for the tree.

Bonsai substrates

There are a number of attributes that are required in a Fantastic soil mix

• Great water-retention

The soil has to have the ability to hold and maintain adequate amounts of water to provide moisture to the Bonsai between every watering.

• Great drainage

Excess water has to have the ability to drain instantly from the kettle. Soils lacking excellent drainage are overly waterproof, deficiency aeration, and therefore are accountable to a build-up of salts.

• Great aeration

The particles used at a Bonsai mix needs to be of adequate size to permit little openings or air pockets between every particle. Beside needing oxygen for the roots, it's also important to allow the good bacteria and mycorrhizae undamaged, so the processing of meals will take place prior to being consumed by the root-hairs and send into the leaves for photosynthesis.

A particle-based, well-structured inorganic soil enables rapid drainage of water and enables fresh air to constantly input the soil. A compacted natural soil that lacks any construction additionally lacks aeration and drainage, which may result in ill health in the tree and roots and cause corrosion.

Organic or Inorganic Soils

Soil mixes are explained as being either inorganic or organic. Dead plant things such as peat or leaf-litter or bark are traditionally described as being organic soil components. The (possible ) problem with organic soil components is that over time the organic matter will break down and reduce drainage - though at a varying rate (pine bark is most likely the preferred option for most mixtures). Most potting composts, once completely dried, absorb water quite poorly. This is among the biggest problems for cheap indoor Bonsai trees bought at garden centers; you believe you watered the tree but in fact, the water runs beyond the soil to the bottom of the pot!

Inorganic soil elements include little to no organic matter such, such as volcanic lava, calcite (baked), or fired clays. They consume fewer nutrients and water than natural soils but are great for drainage and aeration.

Read More : How to revive a Bonsai tree without leaves?

Soil components

The most common components for Bonsai soil combinations are Akadama, Pumice, Lava rock, natural potting compost, and fine gravel (self-explanatory).

Akadama is hard-baked Japanese clay, specially produced for Bonsai purposes and accessible at all (online) Bonsai stores ) It has to be sifted before use. Remember that after about two decades akadama begins to break down, reducing aeration to a certain extent. It follows that regular repotting is needed, or that Akadama should be utilized in a combination with well-draining soil components. Akadama is quite expensive and is therefore sometimes substituted with similar fired/baked clays which may be available in any garden center. Even cat-litter can be used as a replacement, check our Bonsai forum which manufacturer is recommended in your country.

Pumice is a soft volcanic solution, which can absorb water and nutrients quite well. When utilized in a Bonsai soil mix, it helps to keep water and it helps the roots to ramify really well.

Lava rock keeps water and adds good structure when part of a Bonsai substrate. Roots can't develop into Lava stone. ( Click here to see the latest price of lava rocks )

Organic potting compost includes peat moss, perlite, and sand. It has several disadvantages (it keeps much water and does not aerate/drain very well), but as part of a mixture, it may be used perfectly well.

Fine Gravel also used as a bottom layer in Bonsai pots to increase drainage a little further. Most experts do not use this anymore and stick to a mixture of Akadama, Pumice, and Lava stone.

Recommended Bonsai soil mixtures

Various tree-species need various soil-mixtures, so be certain you look at our tree-species Bonsai manual to detect the ideal blend for trees. We can however clarify two chief combinations, one for deciduous trees and also you for coniferous trees. Both mixtures include Akadama (the water retention element ), Pumice (great for construction of the substrate), and Lava stone (to supply the mix together with aeration and drainage).

Be aware that both mixtures can, and should, be adapted to your regional conditions. If you don't have enough time to check in your trees twice every day, add more Akadama (or perhaps add organic potting compost) to your mixture, to boost its water retention qualities. If you reside in a moist climate, then add more lava stone (or even grit) to boost the draining attributes of your own mixture.

Deciduous tree Bonsai soil

50% Akadama

25% Pumice

25% Lava rock

Coniferous / Pine Bonsai soil

33% Akadama

33% Pumice

33% Lava rock