Bonsai Soil Mix Ingredients

Peat clay two kinds of fuji sand and volcanic soil.

Bonsai soil mix ingredients. Making one s own bonsai potting mixture is a process. But it s worth the effort. Akadama is hard baked japanese clay specifically produced for bonsai purposes and available at all online bonsai shops. For deciduous trees one needs to use a small mix 1 16 1 4 and add 1 part akadama to it as well.

Whereas inorganic oil comprises pumice volcanic soil sold as kanuma fired clay soil and granular clay sold as akadama and turface. Bonsai soils ingredients whether you choose lava haydite kanuma or something else the most important consideration in choosing a soil is drainage. Clay king is great because it breaks down more slowly than many of the other akadama based mixes i ve used. Potting soil will add bulk to.

It is basically river rock and is the ingredient usually mixed with cement to make concrete. Peat moss humus is what retains the most water and therefore should be used sparingly. Mix together two parts granite grit one part loam and two parts peat moss for a basic soil mix. The recipe for bonsai soil mix includes 1 part lava rock 1 part pumice 1 part akadama 1 2 cup horticultural charcoal per 5 gallon mix and 1 2 cup decomposed granite per 5 gallon mix.

The most common components for bonsai soil mixtures are akadama pumice lava rock organic potting compost and fine gravel grit. It involves four ingredients. There is ready made bonsai soil but ken at adachi nursery one of the remaining japanese owned nurseries in the bay area persuaded me that my plants deserved better. From left to right.

While allowing excess water to drain. To go into further detail. Medium small bonsai soil akadama and pumice with some lava charcoal and decomposed granite the medium small mix is similar in size to the medium clay king mix imported from japan. As the terms indicate organic soil particles include bark peat leaf litter and plant parts.

Conifer bark as a soil conditioner can add bulk to the mix and can retain moisture. Organic potting compost akadama pumice and lava rock. In addition potting soil is used in the bonsai soil mix. This is the substance most often included in a good bonsai soil mix.

So i mixed my own using two parts volcanic rock to one part potting soil. Or at the local concrete manufacturer. Bark sphagnum moss akadama lava scoria red or black soil pumice turface river sand. This material is really used.

Or in bags from building supply centers. Organic components of bonsai soil.