Soil For Bonsai Trees In Pots

Organic potting compost akadama pumice and lava rock.

Soil for bonsai trees in pots. Therefore anything should work. The most common components for bonsai soil mixtures are akadama pumice lava rock organic potting compost and fine gravel grit. That s the most important aspect to bonsai and often we disregard it because we perceive a tree as a tree and soil is soil. Good container soil retains adequate levels of water without becoming waterlogged.

It does not become a bonsai until these two are combined and form a harmony together. Using a mixture with water retentive components such as compost or akadama is good for those who are too busy to water regularly. What is bonsai soil made up of. The soil you use affects rooting feeding watering and transpiration.

While the needs of individual species vary greatly a good rule of thumb is 30 grit 70 humus for deciduous trees and 70 grit 30 humus for evergreen needled plants but these are just general guidelines. Do not use soil directly from the garden or surrounding landscape. A large part of the art of bonsai is the experience of a tree that has become detached from its ground and now lives in a pot. Effect of soil mixture on watering.

A bonsai pot is a very challenging environment in which to grow a tree indeed it s one of the most challenging things to achieve in horticulture. Akadama is hard baked japanese clay specifically produced for bonsai purposes and available at all online bonsai shops. We have tropical deciduous and conifer bonsai trees. Cultivating plants in shallow pots is more difficult still and cultivating very old plants in very small volumes of soil is really pushing it to the edge.

A tree is a tree a pot is only a pot. Soil is more than just digging up a clump of dirt in the yard and putting it into a pot and saying. Many varieties of pre bonsai tree in nursery pots as well. The soil should maintain sufficient aeration and drainage while retaining suitable amounts of moisture.

Ideal bonsai soil should be ph neutral neither acidic nor basic. The soil mixture determines how often bonsai needs watering. Akadama is a hard baked japanese clay that is available online. A ph between 6 5 7 5 is ideal.

The common ingredients in bonsai soil are akadama pumice lava rock organic potting compost and fine gravel. Bonsai soil and bonsai pots. Mostly a mixture of lava rock pumice and gravel work fine. From left to right.

It is where half your tree lives so this is our second biggest consideration in maintaining your bonsai. We re done with step 1 let s move on.