nathanbs
Omono
All of these soil threads have got me thinking and talking to others and I have come to a conclusion that I think is worthy of sharing. My conclusion is that it is more dangerous using an all inorganic mix(boon mix, gods mix, etc) than it is to use a mix with organics. First off if not properly supplemented you will fall into the under fertilized category, and your trees will suffer. Secondly, fast draining soil mixes cause us to believe that a tree needs to be watered all day everyday which often times lead to overwatering.
Smoke has been hinting/telling us all along that the common denominator in all arguably successful mixes are the humates.
Whether it be an akadama based or turface based inorganic mix that is supplemented heavily with organic fertilizers or as Al does supercharged with Humic acid and miracle grow OR a mix that contains a little or a lot of organic matter, the bottom line is the same you need the humates to help the tree assimilate fertilizer!
I think possibly the misunderstanding with inorganic mixes happened during articles about superfeeding whereupon accelerated growth can be achieved through using a super fast draining soil and fertilizing and watering virtually non-stop. The soils being used by these growers contained no organics leading people to believe this is superior but in actuality this was unique to the needs of these growers to grow the heck out of their stock. You must realize that if you are not fertilizing frequently your trees will not do very well. Under watering is very possible and if you water unconditionally whether the soil is drying out or not your trees will suffer.
In my mind there is zero argument that the way smoke grows his tridents and many many growers in japan and other places alike all grow their trees with inorganic mixes and fertilize the heck out of their trees is the absolute primo way to grow trees but as stated above it is not fool proof.
In conclusion I think that it is silly to give soil advice to someone who apparently doesn't need it. Unless someone is posting complaining of their trees health and you think it's soil related I wouldn't bother. If your trees are healthy and understand what each of your soil ingredients do and how often you need to water and fertilize I would say you are in great shape. Often times the more organics you have in your soil the more it will retain water so beware of overwatering.
On the subject of turface I think it has a bad rap due to its difficulty for some to properly water their trees. I think it's agreed that it's too darn small, so as long as you are amending it with something slightly coarser like pumice and lava you should be fine.
In summary it is safer and easier to grow using organics as you need to fertilize and water less however if you are looking to maximize your trees growth you need a mix that dries out faster so you could water more often thus feeding more frequently. Fine particles are counterproductive on this quest. Another important point with inorganics is the ability to cut out fertilizer when needed in Japanese Black Pine management.
The fun part is when you understand the needs of your plants and what each soil ingredient does you can tailor make a soil for your needs, often times tweaking it slightly for each difference in species and depth of pot. I do greatly appreciate the much greater understanding that I now have about soil, so thank you for all the arguing
. I'm sure I missed something so feel free to let me know the way you always do
Smoke has been hinting/telling us all along that the common denominator in all arguably successful mixes are the humates.
Whether it be an akadama based or turface based inorganic mix that is supplemented heavily with organic fertilizers or as Al does supercharged with Humic acid and miracle grow OR a mix that contains a little or a lot of organic matter, the bottom line is the same you need the humates to help the tree assimilate fertilizer!
I think possibly the misunderstanding with inorganic mixes happened during articles about superfeeding whereupon accelerated growth can be achieved through using a super fast draining soil and fertilizing and watering virtually non-stop. The soils being used by these growers contained no organics leading people to believe this is superior but in actuality this was unique to the needs of these growers to grow the heck out of their stock. You must realize that if you are not fertilizing frequently your trees will not do very well. Under watering is very possible and if you water unconditionally whether the soil is drying out or not your trees will suffer.
In my mind there is zero argument that the way smoke grows his tridents and many many growers in japan and other places alike all grow their trees with inorganic mixes and fertilize the heck out of their trees is the absolute primo way to grow trees but as stated above it is not fool proof.
In conclusion I think that it is silly to give soil advice to someone who apparently doesn't need it. Unless someone is posting complaining of their trees health and you think it's soil related I wouldn't bother. If your trees are healthy and understand what each of your soil ingredients do and how often you need to water and fertilize I would say you are in great shape. Often times the more organics you have in your soil the more it will retain water so beware of overwatering.
On the subject of turface I think it has a bad rap due to its difficulty for some to properly water their trees. I think it's agreed that it's too darn small, so as long as you are amending it with something slightly coarser like pumice and lava you should be fine.
In summary it is safer and easier to grow using organics as you need to fertilize and water less however if you are looking to maximize your trees growth you need a mix that dries out faster so you could water more often thus feeding more frequently. Fine particles are counterproductive on this quest. Another important point with inorganics is the ability to cut out fertilizer when needed in Japanese Black Pine management.
The fun part is when you understand the needs of your plants and what each soil ingredient does you can tailor make a soil for your needs, often times tweaking it slightly for each difference in species and depth of pot. I do greatly appreciate the much greater understanding that I now have about soil, so thank you for all the arguing
. I'm sure I missed something so feel free to let me know the way you always do
