Soil For Juniper Bonsai Tree
Unlike a large number of bonsai tree species the juniper bonsai tree doesn t mind drying out in between watering.
Soil for juniper bonsai tree. The one thing junipers cannot tolerate is wet roots and they will not thrive in wet soils. Juniper tree requires bright sunlight in order to develop fully one must provide their juniper bonsai trees with at least 4 hours of direct sunlight every day. Turface tends to dissolve and turn muddy quickly akadama is better. Light requirements of juniper tree.
As stated earlier this tree grows well in soil that is always moist so one must always maintain appropriate moisture level in the water. Sun and soil juniper bonsai trees flourish in full sun as long as the soil does not dry completely. Grow your juniper bonsai tree in a location where it can receive more than 4 hours of sunlight every day and in a soil that tends to dry. This soil is perfectly acceptable for a juniper bonsai.
Juniper soil must be moist but well draining whatever the soil type. They grow best when they are periodically repotted. They thrive where drainage is efficient. The irony in the term bonsai soil is that there isn t really any soil in most bonsai soil mixes.
The most common components for bonsai soil mixtures are akadama pumice lava rock organic potting compost and fine gravel grit. Junipers do not like their roots to stand in water or soil that is waterlogged. From left to right. Akadama is hard baked japanese clay specifically produced for bonsai purposes and available at all online bonsai shops.
Fine gravel grit helps to create a well draining and aerated bonsai soil. Just add a thin layer of compost on the top of your planted trees the granular part of the soil allows the trees to produce feeder roots close to the tree and not all through soil like in the ground turface and akadama are moisture and nutrient retaining materials. Both overly sandy soil and clay like soil do not provide the drainage. Junipers also thrive in poor soil.
Instead a mix of substrates like crushed lava rock are used which more closely resembles gravel than soil. Typically plants up to 6 years old need to be repotted every two years. They can withstand dry soil or drought better than other bonsai varieties. Organic potting compost akadama pumice and lava rock.
Watering a juniper tree. Organic potting compost includes peat moss perlite and sand.