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Post  s.jones Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:57 pm

Hi, Steve here, since it rains so much here in Naples in summer, I want to know if anyone has some ideas about keeping the soil from washing out of the pot during rain storms. They are on benches up against my utility shed. There is some tree coverage but not a lot. I thought about covering the pot with women's nylons but that would take away from the visual pleasure of having bonsai. Any suggestions?

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Post  Kevin S - Wisco Bonsai Fri Jul 04, 2014 5:44 pm

pebble sized lava rock doesnt look horrible and is easily removed when its time to enter "the contest"

also discourages squirrels

curious too what others use.
Kevin S - Wisco Bonsai
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Post  Leo Schordje Sat Jul 05, 2014 5:06 pm

For my pots of Satsuki azalea and other trees potted in perlite or kanuma, I use a layer of New Zealand or Chilean Sphagnum moss, both work well and are available in the USA. A long fiber forest moss I believe is used in Japan. It will hold a light soil in the pot. Long fiber Wisconsin or Canadian sourced sphagnum will work, but it will break down quicker, may need to be replaced every year, where the Chilean and NZ sourced sphagnum break down more slowly. The layer of moss encourages fine feeder roots to colonize the top layer of the bonsai media, which once the roots have established, will hold the media in place.

I have a bag of "Turkey Grit", it is a coarse crushed granite, averaging about 1/2 inch in size, picked up at the local saddle & feed store. One year I had a bag of "Ostrich Grit", that was really big chunks. I do live in a part of the suburbs not far from where there are some "hobby farms" and equestrian estates. One hobby farm has rheas asn a couple buffalo, so the local feed store stocks all manner of supplies. There are only a scattering of real working farms left near me, most have been turned into sub-divisions and condo developments. Odd pockets of rural life mixed with mega-suburban sprawl. Good location to find farm feed stores. Poultry grit is cheap.

Unfortunately it is the bright white granite, looks horrible except with certain cacti. I have also used a layer of this in my pots to hold soil in, and to keep squirrels from digging. The large granite chips, turkey grit or ostrich grit are a pain to pick out before a show, but fine for trees that are not going to shows.

To keep squirrels out I have also used 1/4 inch mesh hardware cloth, cut to the dimensions of the pot, and tied down much like the way the trees get tied into the pot. Usually cut in 2 pieces to fit around the trunk without disturbing the tree. I especially do this to protect trays of seed, when I propagate from seed.
Leo Schordje
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Post  DangerousBry Sun Jul 06, 2014 5:32 pm

This is what I use... If your not too fussed... Easy on and off. It's a net of putting mesh and a bit wire to hold it.
Also good if you use fertiliser on your soil too :)
bonsai covering 20140704-201056-72656983
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