Bonsai soil

[B.uneasy]

I am moving pretty soon, so I am planning on going into the woods and taking about ten junipers with me in buckets. Where can i get substrate in bulk, that will suit a junipers needs. (Drains clearly, etc) They will most likely be staying in there for several years.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Depends where you live, but I buy my pumice from a farm supply storm in 50 lb bags. You can sometimes find graded decomposed granite being sold in bulk as turkey grit... also at farm supply stores.


Photo courtesy of Brandywine bonsai society, PA.

 

[B.uneasy]

I live near Gettysburg Pennsylvania

 

[B.uneasy]

Can I use pea gravel? That is relatively cheap

 

[KiwiPlantGuy]

Hi,
Try reading the Soil articles in the resource section of this site. Tonnes of info there, and yes you can grow trees in almost anything as long as it drains well.
Pea gravel will be fine if your other ingredients include some water holding types like pumice/perlite/lava etc.
Charles

 

[bonsaichile]

I am moving pretty soon, so I am planning on going into the woods and taking about ten junipers with me in buckets. Where can i get substrate in bulk, that will suit a junipers needs. (Drains clearly, etc) They will most likely be staying in there for several years.

Remember to get a permit from the State if public land or from the land owner if private. I plant all my collected trees in pure pumice. It really helps the roots.

 

[B.uneasy]

Remember to get a permit from the State if public land or from the land owner if private. I plant all my collected trees in pure pumice. It really helps the roots.

Its mine at the moment, so I have access to all trees I was straying away from some clay based things because i want to beable to reuse the substrate whenever i repot my trees. Would peat moss and pea gravel be ideal? Can you think of any good replacements?

 

[bonsaichile]

Its mine at the moment, so I have access to all trees I was straying away from some clay based things because i want to beable to reuse the substrate whenever i repot my trees. Would peat moss and pea gravel be ideal? Can you think of any good replacements?

All good then. I have no idea about peat moss and pea gravel. I have never tried it. I know my collected pines are doing well in fully inorganic, 100% pumice (so no peat moss, I guess?). Where I live, pumice is not that expensive: $14 for a 20 lbs. bag, but I don’t know about your neck of the woods.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Pea gravel is typically too large for any but the largest of trees. In addition, it is mostly impermeable stone, so it is sortof like planting your tree in ball-bearings. The reason people use pumice, lava, akadama, kanuma, haydite, etc, is that they all absorb water and keep the soil moist without it being soggy. How many posts have you read on this site in the last week about trees losing branches or dying outright because the soil in the pot is too compact so that it holds water like a sponge and the roots rot?

Peat moss is usually too fine to be used in a pot for the same reason.

Peat moss + pea gravel would not be a good mix - which is why no one uses it. If it is cheap and readily available everywhere and no one uses it - trust me, there is a reason.