homemade soil question

Hey everyone. this is my first post.
I have done bonsai since 2003 and since that time i have used brussels soil, worked FINE, but EXPENSIVE!! this spring i decided to make my own soil.
It consists of 3mm-7mm: 2parts--sieved pine bark
2 parts riversand, pebble like stuff cleaned 3mm-7mm
1 part peat moss.
Does this sound viable to you. Its has been hit and miss for me... most pots drain well and retain well, but others are absolute swamp like... they dont drain unless you count going over the sides as draining. I am studying them and have tried everything except total repot which will damage the tree in mid summer. CAN ANYONE SHED LIGHT ON THIS PROBLEM. modify my soil mix if that what you recommend. thanks

Sounds to me like there may be a bit too much organic (peat moss) in the mix. That is fine for some trees like Wisteria, Alder, Willow, Taxodium etc that like "wet feet" but can be too slow draining for pines and many others. If it becomes a problem, water only when needed and adjust the mix next spring when repotting.

seems to me the best answer i have heard on soil is experience. start with what u know and work off that! u'l get it down to a science my friend...

I think you do have too much organic material in your soil. I dunno exactly where you live in the "eastern broadleaf biome" (it's a huge area!!) but climatically it is a very humid area. I'd suggest your next soil mix be something on the order of 1/3 Turface (high-temp baked clay), 1/3 river gravel and 1/3 composted pine bark mulch.

You can raise or lower the organic portion depending on the tree planted in the individual pot -- more for azaleas, less for conifers.

Here is an excellent article on bonsai soil: http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm

try here,
http://www.bonsaisite.com/survey5.html

JimLewis wrote:I think you do have too much organic material in your soil. I dunno exactly where you live in the "eastern broadleaf biome" (it's a huge area!!) but climatically it is a very humid area. I'd suggest your next soil mix be something on the order of 1/3 Turface (high-temp baked clay), 1/3 river gravel and 1/3 composted pine bark mulch.

You can raise or lower the organic portion depending on the tree planted in the individual pot -- more for azaleas, less for conifers.

Here is an excellent article on bonsai soil: http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm

LOL! the eastern broadleaf biome is a big area. maybe i need to look at that one again.... just being safe on the location thing to avoid theft. my bad. lol

to all the other responses.... I have considered getting turface... or calcined clay... i ran across some at a garden center as a water plant gravel. I cant find it anywhere these days. ANY one have an idea where i could get the calcined clay myself in the southern ohio region? THANKS!

As far as geographic info goes, You can easily pinpoint yourself enough that folks can help and still avoid thievery. See my sig below and info to the right ------>

ANY one have an idea where i could get the calcined clay myself in the southern ohio region? THANKS!

Read this: http://www.bonsaisite.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18443

As for Ohio, any of these near you?

Distributors

• Century Equipment
  
  
  
  • Hilliard
    (800) 346-0066
    www.centuryequip.comPremier Distributor
    
  • Toledo
    (800) 346-0066
    Premier Distributor
    
  • Cleveland
    (800) 346-0066
    Premier Distributor
    
  • Hamilton
    (800) 346-0066
    www.centuryequip.comPremier Distributor
    
  </li>
  
• Central Farm & Garden Inc
  
  
  
  • Wooster
    (330) 264-0282
    www.centralfarm.com
    
  </li>
  
• Cincinnati Wholesale Supply
  
  
  
  • Fairfield
    (513) 881-4580
    
  </li>
  
• Green Velvet Sod Farms
  
  
  
  • Bellbrook
    (937) 848-2501
    www.greenvelvet.com
    
  </li>
  
• GreenStar Cooperative
  
  
  
  • Greenford
    (330) 533-3328
    
  </li>
  
• John Deere Landscape
  
  
  
  • (800) 347-4272
    www.johndeerelandscapes.com/storelocator/BullseyePro/search.asp
    
  </li>
  
• PSP
  
  
  
  • Urbana
    (937) 362-3541
    
  </li>
  

I think John Deere Landscape stores across the country all carry Turface.

•Bellbrook
(937) 848-2501
www.greenvelvet.com
this would be decently close enuff. What do they offer here? thanks

Green Velvet says they have Turface, you want Turface MVP or Turface Pro League - The Turface Quick Dry is MUCH too fine a particle.

CedarBog wrote:
•Bellbrook
(937) 848-2501
www.greenvelvet.com
this would be decently close enuff. What do they offer here? thanks

CedarBog where do u live at?
i am in Xenia.

I live in hillsboro. nice to know someone is up that way! bonsai artists are far between down here.

I visit Beavercreek about once a year usually around mid October but this year it might be the weekend after Thnaksgiving.

Billy M. Rhodes wrote:Green Velvet says they have Turface, you want Turface MVP or Turface Pro League - The Turface Quick Dry is MUCH too fine a particle.

thanks billy. Now do i need to seive the tuface when i get it or what is recommended? thanks for your help.

Purists sieve it, and so do I -- at least with the first bag. I use the fines for my mame. And sine there will be a LOT of fines, I'm lucky I have a lot of small trees.

Later bags don't get sieved because I'll have all the fines I need for all of my twice-yearly repotting of my tiniest trees.

I mix 20 - 40 % composted pine bark with the Turface; percentage depends on what I'm repotting.

(Incidentally, Turface is a trade name and is trademarked and all that jazz. It should be capitalized. FWIW.)

Sieving TURFACE will result in about 50 to 75% loss. I don't

oooops! i really meant thanks for everyones help. this help since i know know where ot get turface.

i get my turface at knollwood nursery in beavercreek ohio who i would guess gets it from green velvet sod farms in bellbrook ohio only a few miles apart cos they get it for me in 2 days. now that i know green velvet sod farms has it i will price them this spring. thanks! Cedarbog u r right about bonsai artists but i dont think i am a artist at this point a hobbiest is more like it. in our area there is a club at cox arboretum in dayton but i havnt seen any shows by them lately, and 1 in cincinnati, try here http://mababonsai.org/pages/ohio.html this is all ohio clubs.

"i get my turface at knollwood nursery in beavercreek"

I try to visit this nursery every time I visit Beavercreek just to see some of the Northern plants we can't grow in Florida.

In mid October, when I am usually there they have some discounts on things like Japanese Maples.

Ricky Keaton wrote:i get my turface at knollwood nursery in beavercreek ohio who i would guess gets it from green velvet sod farms in bellbrook ohio only a few miles apart cos they get it for me in 2 days. now that i know green velvet sod farms has it i will price them this spring. thanks! Cedarbog u r right about bonsai artists but i dont think i am a artist at this point a hobbiest is more like it. in our area there is a club at cox arboretum in dayton but i havnt seen any shows by them lately, and 1 in cincinnati, try here http://mababonsai.org/pages/ohio.html this is all ohio clubs.

Knollwood nursery?? where is that at? I regularly visit beavercreek ohio, and never heard of it? Is it a bonsai nursery or what? thanks

hey cedarbog try this,
http://www.knollwoodgardens.com/
its on Dayton-Xenia Rd. in Beavercreek, Oh.

Been out for some time but has been compelled to come back.
Since posting this thread, i have finally settled on my mix that involves haydite, turface, and granite grit. NO MORE PEAT. I have had a phenomenal year in watering, development, and the lack of root rot due to my former mix containing the peat.

CedarBog wrote:Been out for some time but has been compelled to come back.
Since posting this thread, i have finally settled on my mix that involves haydite, turface, and granite grit. NO MORE PEAT. I have had a phenomenal year in watering, development, and the lack of root rot due to my former mix containing the peat.

I forgot to mention that pine bark is part of my mix now too.

Depending on the tree, deciduous or evergreen.

Deciduous- Varies with the type of tree, but the basic mix is :

1) 1/3 Oil dry, it's like Turface but you can find it at most auto stores. It must be screened. I keep the 1/16 and larger but separate
the larger grains 1/8 " and up. the 1/8" and up goes into my main soil.

2) 1/3 washed chicken gravel. Small (sifted) Medium.

3 ( bark or compost depending on the tree.

4 ) I Also use Akadama, when I have it.

Evergreens:

General mix is:

1) 1/3 pumice small

2) 1/3 Akadama

3) Small volcanic rock or rotten gravel (red granite), we have a lot of it around here.

I put some organic matter in for a few trees like Hinoki cypress etc.

That's' it.

Oil dry is actually something called Fullers earth, which is baked. Unfortunately it will turn to mud after only a few months. Turface is a calcined clay product and is very stable. Oil dry seems like it would make an excellent Bonsai soil amendment, alas in my opinion its unsuitable for more than a few months after that point it begins to quickly break down.

after 3 years of experimentation with 100% inorganics I have found that Pro-field conditioner (Turface) cut with a little turkey grit, has been the winner for my trees. Simple, elegant, easy to deal with and effective.
-Jay