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Thought for the day - Just how simple can your soil be ....................?

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Post  Khaimraj Seepersad Thu Oct 24, 2013 12:36 pm

Hiya Folks,

been looking at the experiments. Trees growing in a mix of pitching marbles and compost, stone and compost, builder's gravel [ 5 mm, all save the marbles ] and compost, aquarium painted acrylic white gravel and compost.
Everything is growing, and growing well.

So I wonder, if the soil mix is so simple - non- porous inorganic and compost - how come this idea is not travelling worldwide -------- or is it - chuckle.

I do wonder if the gravel is silica based and perhaps volcanic glass formed, will frost really affect it, or silica that is pressure fixed with Calcium etc, and microscopically filled with ores ?

Anyhow for those of us not really concerned with frost or winter,it -seems - that the ingredient is just -non porous inorganic with compost [and made as rich as is possible.]
Until.
Khaimraj
Khaimraj Seepersad
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Post  PeacefulAres Tue Oct 29, 2013 2:06 am

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Hiya Folks,

been looking at the experiments. Trees growing in a mix of pitching marbles and compost, stone and compost, builder's gravel [ 5 mm, all save the marbles ] and compost, aquarium painted acrylic white gravel and compost.
Everything is growing, and growing well.

So I wonder, if the soil mix is so simple - non- porous inorganic and compost - how come this idea is not travelling worldwide -------- or is it - chuckle.

I do wonder if the gravel is silica based and perhaps volcanic glass formed, will frost really affect it, or silica that is pressure fixed with Calcium etc, and microscopically filled with ores ?

Anyhow for those of us not really concerned with frost or winter,it -seems - that the ingredient is just -non porous inorganic with compost [and made as rich as is possible.]
Until.
Khaimraj  
I've tried a variety of different "mixes" and haven't really noticed a huge difference between any of them. If you want to keep it simple, pure turface or fired diatomite will get the job done, provide you use a fertilizer like Dyna-gro. Compost works too, but unless you're growing a species that likes wet conditions, you'd probably want to use pretty large bits of composted material. I don't really see the point of grit or other non porous material in the soil.
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Post  Khaimraj Seepersad Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:16 pm

Peaceful.

the idea behind this bonsai stuff is to keep it as simple as is possible, so you can enjoy the hobby.

So what if all you had to do was use a non porous inorganic and an organic [ compost which is a ready food source ].
Thus you could do as Jim says, fertilise perhaps 3 times or so a year.

The compost when well blended acts as a food source, and a moisture holder.

All you would have to do to control moisture is blend the non porous inorganic with volumetrically only so much compost.

Example J.B.Pine 70 % say 5mm non porous inorganic plus 30 % compost [ all volumetrically.]
No need for composted oil seed meal [ another form of compost ] balls , and only weak applications of say a 5N 3P 3K fertiliser, when needed.

Thus you could learn to water and spend more time on the Designs.

I now add, what happened to the concrete mixes used in the very cold climates for skyscrapers, and making of Bonsai pots ?
On my side simple concrete mixes can be rendered as plastic as is needed to make clay bonsai pots.
So if you wanted to be practical, and not spend a lot of money, you could make your own pots.

I think, Bonsai with present research could be a simple/r situation.
Later,
Khaimraj
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Post  PeacefulAres Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:13 am

Khaimraj,

I agree with you about simplicity. From my perspective, using fired clay/diatomaceous earth products and a once weekly application of dyna-gro is about as simple as it gets. I could get away with highly organic mixes, because the trees I'm using can tolerate moisture and acid, as well as very fine textured soils(remember that my soil is mostly sand and broken down organic matter), and because live hot area that doesn't experience constant rain. That being said, I think either a pure turface/diatomite soil and hydroponic style fertilizer is the best route. A mixture of 70% inorganic substrate with about 30% peat, compost or composted pine bark would be a good alternative. You could probably easily fertilize those plants with the basic fertilizer from a home improvement store.
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Post  Khaimraj Seepersad Wed Oct 30, 2013 2:10 pm

Peaceful,

Neli, sent an image that was sent onto to me, showing the use of 3 colanders. One inside the other, inside another.

Theory-
The bonsai need a core of inorganic particles to maintain the freely draining and air qualities.

However, you can develop a core in a colander, repot removing say 1/2 to 1" [ 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm ] on the outsides and replace with pure compost.

Noted in the Airpot advertisement on Youtube, sent to me, they are planting the trees in 100 % compost. The Airpot drains well and the roots keep subdividing enough to allow air in.

You - may - be able to grow the tree in a small colander, put that colander into a larger one filled with either 100% compost, and with time into an even larger colander with another 100% compost.
Even if that didn't work the mix could be high compost with some large inorganic particles [ say 10 mm]

The IDEA being that x compost is so rich it would equal ground growing. So you could use large colanders to duplicate results normally seen with ground growing. Saving space for more work.
Later.
Khaimraj
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Post  PeacefulAres Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:57 pm

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Peaceful,

Neli, sent an image that was sent onto to me, showing the use of 3 colanders. One inside the other, inside another.

Theory-
The bonsai need a core of inorganic particles to maintain the freely draining and air qualities.

However, you can develop a core in a colander, repot removing say 1/2 to 1" [ 1.25 cm to 2.5 cm ] on the outsides and replace with pure compost.

Noted in the Airpot advertisement on Youtube, sent to me, they are planting the trees in 100 % compost. The Airpot drains well and the roots keep subdividing enough to allow air in.

You - may - be able to grow the tree in a small colander, put that colander into a larger one filled with either 100% compost, and with time into an even larger colander with another 100% compost.
Even if that didn't work the mix could be high compost with some large inorganic particles [ say 10 mm]

The IDEA being that x compost is so rich it would equal ground growing. So you could use large colanders to duplicate results normally seen with ground growing. Saving space for more work.
Later.
Khaimraj
It's an interesting concept, but it seems pretty convoluted. Why plant a tree inside of three colanders, when you could simply plant it in the ground? It seems somewhat like flying around the world to visit your friend who is one street over.
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Post  Khaimraj Seepersad Fri Nov 01, 2013 12:02 am

Peaceful,

I grow on metal stands, thus far I have trees maturing easily to the trunk size of 3 to 5 " [ 7.5 to 12.5 cm ] and as the weight factor of tree/pot to old age goes, the 3" trunk suits me fine.[ I am going with the 1 to 5 to 1 to 6 trunk diameter to height or at times width ]

Though I have the use of many growing troughs, I find myself chosing vegetables over Bonsai.

So with the experience I have gained, I find that Health = Fine Design.

I am passing on this information, just in case anyone else who has no growing ground area, wishes to test the idea, and in a limited space.
Later.
Khaimraj
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