A better way to sieve

I wash my aggregate before sifting. No dust. No brainer.
 
tmpgh said:
Is there any way you can give a visual representation of this technique? I just can't really visualize it for some reason. A photo or a drawing?

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Sorry missed this.

It is like this. Capacity will most likely be limited by the mesh. You can double it with heavier wire mesh under to support it if you wish.
 

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The cycle of bonsai in Houston. Spring repotting is done and soil supplies are decimated. Summer repotting season is looming, so soil must be made before it gets to 150 degrees, eleventy million percent humidity, and the mosquito to air ratio gets close to one.

So I'm curious - did anyone ever try this? I couldn't imagine making soil without it and I'm starting to think about generation 2.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206535973866346

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10206535986386659

Toy Story pools with Woody in them are definitely the best.

Scott
 
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Ingredients are 3 40lb bags of pumice. 2 50lb bags of scoria, 3 14 liter bags of akadama, 1 24 oz bag of Hoffman's horticultural charcoal, and 24 oz of granite.

Total cost was $45 for the pumice, $30 for the scoria, $60 for the Akadama, $12 for the charcoal, and $5 for the granite. So the total cost was $152 for around 75 gallons of soil or about $2.03 per gallon.

Scott
 
Looks like a great method for mass producing soil... But DAYUM man- how many trees do you have? 60 gallons?

I bought 1 bag of Akadama in October and still have half of it left- most of the way through repotting season! This is a good method for nurseries or people sitting on TONAGE in their back yards.. I have over 100 trees and cannot imagine how long it would take me to tear through 60 gallons of bonsai soil! Of course... Many of my trees are in the ground or in a "development" Mix of Pearlite and peat still. I guess if they were all in Bonsai pots, being repotted into this mix constantly, it would be nice to have something like this.

I just use the wheel barrow, a shovel to mix it and an over sized kitchen steel mesh sieve with a 1/16 screen... Haven't had any troubles yet. My goal is to use pre- sifted material that is already a pretty uniform size of about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, sift out any dust or left over tiny particles, and roll with it.
 
Thanks for posting,looks like a good contraption. I've been using screens like yours over the wheelbarrow but without the rollers. They are falling apart, time for a rebuild and I may try your design out. Possibly a triple decker. I need a lot of soil if I have time to go collecting, I tend to get large rootballs and the first box can be a bit ridiculous, I bet I have a couple that took over 20 gallons each for one tree. Soil production, sourcing, sifting... My least favorite part of the hobby.
 
wireme said:
Thanks for posting,looks like a good contraption. I've been using screens like yours over the wheelbarrow but without the rollers. They are falling apart, time for a rebuild and I may try your design out. Possibly a triple decker. I need a lot of soil if I have time to go collecting, I tend to get large rootballs and the first box can be a bit ridiculous, I bet I have a couple that took over 20 gallons each for one tree. Soil production, sourcing, sifting... My least favorite part of the hobby.
Click to expand...

It's those yamadori that get me too. I have a couple of bald cypress, a collected live oak, and several collected juniper that will each chew up many gallons of soil each repot. It's hard to keep up with making new soil and recycling the old. Need to be efficient.

I probably have about 50 gallons of 1/4-3/8 which should keep me through next spring depending on the big bald cypress. Its in about a 20 gallon pot, but I've been trying to reduce the depth of the rootball - I'll know how successful I was next February.

Scott
 
Eric Group said:
Looks like a great method for mass producing soil... But DAYUM man- how many trees do you have? 60 gallons?

I bought 1 bag of Akadama in October and still have half of it left- most of the way through repotting season! This is a good method for nurseries or people sitting on TONAGE in their back yards.. I have over 100 trees and cannot imagine how long it would take me to tear through 60 gallons of bonsai soil! Of course... Many of my trees are in the ground or in a "development" Mix of Pearlite and peat still. I guess if they were all in Bonsai pots, being repotted into this mix constantly, it would be nice to have something like this.

I just use the wheel barrow, a shovel to mix it and an over sized kitchen steel mesh sieve with a 1/16 screen... Haven't had any troubles yet. My goal is to use pre- sifted material that is already a pretty uniform size of about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, sift out any dust or left over tiny particles, and roll with it.
Click to expand...

I have an unfortunate predilection for big trees. And I grow all my trees in this mix give-or-take (excepting the trees in the ground), including the trees in development. It's pretty cost effective when you buy in bulk - even compared to peat and perlite - especially when you recycle your soil.

Scott
 
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markyscott said:
I have an unfortunate predilection for big trees. And I grow all my trees in this mix give-or-take (excepting the trees in the ground), including the trees in development. It's pretty cost effective when you buy in bulk - even compared to peat and perlite - especially when you recycle your soil.

Scott
Click to expand...
That makes sense... I really only have a few larger trees. Most of mine are medium to smaller sizes. Shohin not really Mame... I think it makes things easier, takes up less space, less soil, less time for development, and there is more stock available for purchase at a reasonable price. Might change if I collect a few more.
 
markyscott said:
Ingredients are 3 40lb bags of pumice. 2 50lb bags of scoria, 3 14 liter bags of akadama, 1 24 oz bag of Hoffman's horticultural charcoal, and 24 oz of granite.

Total cost was $45 for the pumice, $30 for the scoria, $60 for the Akadama, $12 for the charcoal, and $5 for the granite. So the total cost was $152 for around 75 gallons of soil or about $2.03 per gallon.

Scott
Click to expand...
That's ridiculous man! I guess that's what you get when you don't buy in bulk.

You know what I paid for my soil? I bought lava and pumice (separate ) and had to pay roughly $7.2 per gallon of soil. Had no choice though, I was in dire need of it.
 
markyscott said:
I have an unfortunate predilection for big trees. And I grow all my trees in this mix give-or-take (excepting the trees in the ground), including the trees in development. It's pretty cost effective when you buy in bulk - even compared to peat and perlite - especially when you recycle your soil.

Scott
Click to expand...
markyscott said:
It's those yamadori that get me too. I have a couple of bald cypress, a collected live oak, and several collected juniper that will each chew up many gallons of soil each repot. It's hard to keep up with making new soil and recycling the old. Need to be efficient.

I probably have about 50 gallons of 1/4-3/8 which should keep me through next spring depending on the big bald cypress. Its in about a 20 gallon pot, but I've been trying to reduce the depth of the rootball - I'll know how successful I was next February.

Scott
Click to expand...

Yeah, the first potting of large yamadori can use up masses of soil, it amazes me how much soil a large box can eat up sometimes, even with extra space taken by baffles and bricks and rock and stuff.
I have 2 fair sized trees to repot this spring and that should give back a good amount to be re-used. I'm hoping as more trees get reduced I'll have a surplus someday. Still needs re-sifting though.
 
image.jpg One bald cypress in a 20 gallon pot. Doesn't take too many to go through 60 gallons. It needs to be reported next year - hopefully in a shallower pot.

Scott
 
Already posted, but still very handy.
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