Bonsai Soil (What You Need To Know)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- No subject in bonsai causes as much controversy, disagreement and argument as bonsai soil. And no subject causes so much confusion and anxiety among people new to the hobby.
But bonsai soil does not have to be difficult if you understand some basic horticultural principles and what your bonsai tree needs.
Here is my take on bonsai soil, where I dispel myths and tell you everything you need to know to grow successful and healthy bonsai trees.
Enjoy 🙏😁🌳
If you enjoyed this video then please like, share and comment. To be notified of future videos like this then please subscribe:
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Chapters:
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00:00 Introduction
00:33 Essential Soil Properties
04:11 Tree Growing Conditions
06:43 Why We Don’t Use Garden Soil
07:27 Commercial Bonsai Soil Mixes
08:12 Organic vs Inorganic
10:47 Soil Borne Pests
11:21 Soil Component Properties
15:59 Cat Litter Controversy!!!
17:00 Akadama vs Moler Clay
20:37 Special Considerations
20:56 APL - A Popular Bonsai Soil Mix
22:50 Bonsai Soil: The Truth
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Social media:
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Thanks mate.
That's useful knowledge 👌
Cheers Alan
Thanks
This is the best video I've seen on bonsai substrate. It's like reading 100 books in 20 minutes. Thank you!
That’s very kind of you.
So true
This is THE BEST video that I have ever seen on Bonsai soil. Great job!!!
Wow, thank you for your kind words 👍
Excellent video. Really gets to the heart of the subject. Best I've seen, and gives me the confidence to prepare my own substrate. Thank you
Glad it was helpful Alan 👍
That was a brilliant presentation! Since most of my trees are in early development, I'm trying to learn as much as possible early on. Many traditional bonsai soil ingredients are extremely limited where I live (unless I order from Amazon), so understanding the properties and how to substitute ingredients is so helpful. Many thanks!!
Glad this was useful for you Sue. 👍
SUPER informative video. Thanks a ton for taking the time to do this. Great work and cheers
Thank you 🙏
Best honest and transparent presentation I have seen on this topic! I would have considered discussing “briefly” Cation Exchange Capacity of each of the main substrates as many Bonsai growers do not understand the bio engineering aspects involved! Maybe a subject for another video!
Thank you. I considered the additional information you mention but wanted to be careful about how technical it got to avoid turning viewers off,but yes, certainly an option for another video 👍
At last an easy to understand but detailed explanation of soils.. some great footage also.
Thanks for your kind comments.
The best bonsai soil video I’ve seen. Thank you!
Thank you 🙏
Very detailed explanation about soil, shrinked in a not so long video, using simple words. You are great! Bravo
Very kind of you 🙏
Allways good to remember the basics!
Grts
Kennet
Thank you Kenent 🙏
The facts have been spoken! There is not just 1 type of soil for all trees!
Ha ha, thanks Matt 👍
ive been , searching around for ages looking for a simple explanation of the different qualities of all the soil components , this video is everything i needed , thank you
Glad this was helpful.
Very useful video, thank you! Information about internal structure of akadama and diatomite is especially interesting.
Glad this was helpful and informative
Thank your the great content. I'm a newbie so the science and white board diagrams are super helpful. 👍
Glad these are helpful to you 👍🌟
Very clear and very well explained. Entertaining as well. Worth waiting for Jason :)
Thanks. Hope you enjoyed the sloppy poppy “commercial bonsai soil” 😁
I had too much fun throwing that slop on the mixing tray…
Without a doubt the best and easy to understand video on this subject.
Thank you 🙏
Superb explanation of this much-discussed topic. Thank you for this well-researched video Jason.
And thank you for your kind comment Martin
Sphagnum moss is also common. I add a small amount to all my mixes, to prevent complete drying out of the soil. Really helpful for any trees I plan to transfer indoors or the greenhouse.
Yes that is quite popular, particularly for sick trees.
Bravo! A very exhaustive video
Thank you 🙏
Good content 👍🏻
Thanks 🙏
Very well done and beautiful video. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind comment Jeffrey, it is greatly appreciated. 👍
A complete study on bonsai soil. Excellent. Fortunately our bonsai club sells quality mixes, acadama, and pumice.
That’s good news 👍
Great, comprehensive look at bonsai soil. Well done!
Thank you! 🙏
Enjoyed the video Jason very informative
Glad you enjoyed it Steve 😆
The best soil is whatever works for your local climate.
👍
Outstanding video. Very educational. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it Michael. Thank you for your kind words 👍
Thanks for the information-rich video! Ton of knowledge shrinked in short video - all you need to know about different soils to make your own mixtures. Excellent work!
🙏
One of the best videos on soil, thank you!
Thanks 🙏
Good one.
Thank you Roger 👍
Hi Jason, thank you so much for this informative video. I learned so much and I'm more confident now what I should use as soilmix for my indoor bonsai.
Thank you for your kind comment, and I am glad this was helpful. 🙏
Great video Jason 🙏👍👍
Thank you Andy. This one took forever to put together.
@@TheBonsaiGarden 😂
Awesome and comprehensive video Jason! This is the bonsai soil bible
Thank you Joe 👍
Excellent. excellent content, Jason...far beyond the soil needs to be free draining. I grow succulents of which many make excellent bonsai subjects, which is why this is so helpful. This is a video that I will be revisiting. Even experienced growers can benefit from this basic knowledge that has been exploded in a way that makes it useful and memorable.
Very kind of you Terry. Thank you 🙏
Best resource I have seen on this topic. Well done
Thank you for your kind comment. 🙏
If you use a mostly inorganic mix, are you concerned about potential lack of mycorrhizae in the soil?@@TheBonsaiGarden
@@whatitdo343yes, that is a concern. For pines I would definitely suggest adding some pine bark to the mix.
thank you for the education
Happy if this has been helpful 👍
Very informative.
Thanks 🙏
Great video on bonsai soil. You covered alot of ground 👌👍
Thank you 🙏
It looked very nice. Thanks for ur answer. I will seach the net and maybe i‘ll find one.
You are welcome
Nice Show Jason!
Thank you kindly Patricia 🙏
Jason...Hi. You make amazing contents on Bonsai❤.
Could you be kind enough to make a video on bonsai fertilisation please?
Thank you for your kind comment. This might be just what you are looking for:
th-cam.com/video/yPwiq71UT7k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=csJx5CaPjPVWscVe
Thanks Jason. Nice to the point.
Cheers
A very good explanation.
Thank you Dennis 🙏
Thank you 💚
You are so welcome
Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it 👍
This is a very informative video! Best video I've seen on how to build your own bonsai soil.
I'm curious why nobody ever mentions bio-char? It has great moisture and nutrient retention and nutrient availability properties. It's also good at maintaining healthy microbial environment for the tree roots. It's also very durable and takes years to break down. Maybe it promotes too much root growth or something? The roots loves the stuff and seek it out.
Thank you 🙏
Truth be told, I am extremely lucky with materials to create ideal substrate for each tree. I can easily access free (collect the stuff) volcanic grit (1/2 hour away), granite (2 hours away) and get the rest of the materials I use locally and priced reasonably. There is a pumice mine 3 hours away that delivers to my door. I can get Turface (a molar clay) at a warehouse, perlite, vermiculite and fir bark at local big box stores. I use tiny amounts of worm castings (yup!) and have composted leaves and pine needles from the yard. I don't like akadama as it breaks down within 2 years here and is terribly expensive. I start with the inorganic and depending on the tree, add the other components. I live in an area with wet winters and brutally hot dry summers. My bonsai substrate has to be able to support my trees in these mutually exclusive weather patterns. As you so eloquently explain, it all depends! Thank you so very much!
You are lucky to have such resources close by Susan 👍
Thanks
You are welcome 🤗
Thanks very much for this video. I have saved it for further viewing next spring when it is time to a long overdue root prune and repot. To date I have been adding ' Leca '... lightweight clay balls (aka hortag) to aid drainage & aeration to soil or peat free. I am conscious of the importance of mycorrhizal fungi activity in soil for soil health... Where / how does that happen in bonsai substrate?
Some organic matter in the soil will assist - perhaps a small amount of composted pine bark - since mycorrhizae is of greater importance to pine trees.
Thank you, I used 'cat litter' a couple of years ago. luckily it just caused the tree to stall but could have been worse. I have never seen, in spite of trying to find it, turface / molar clay for sale in Ireland. If you ever come see some that ship here I would love to know.
Glad your trees were ok 👍
Look for a company that provides baseball field stuff. It is primarily used for baseball and other fields that require a quick draining and non-slick running area.
Amazon!
Nice, thanks for sharing. Is Moler Clay like Seramis?
It looks very similar 👍
Excellent guide to soils Jason.❤
@ElizabethCruttenden thank you Elizabeth. 🙏
Thankyou for this informative video Jason. Question, where can I get a bag of that fine grade pumice you use in that blue bag with Japanese writing on it? Thank you!
I bought my pumice, lava and Akadama from Amazon, though there may be a nearby bonsai nursery who can supply.
@TheBonsaiGarden ahh ok, what did you type in? I've checked on amazon and can't seem to find that product. Maybe I'm typing something wrong! Thankyou for the quick response
Try pumice bonsai soil and scroll through the results.
@@TheBonsaiGarden thankyou!
👍👌🙂
🙏
Great content. I’ve recently purchased a banyan fig bonsai and it’s in desperate need of repotting. Can you please recommend the soil I should use. Many thanks.
For a banyan fig bonsai tree, you'll want a well-draining soil mix that retains some moisture but doesn't become waterlogged. A mix of bonsai soil, perlite, and organic matter like pine bark or coconut coir is often recommended. This combination provides good aeration and drainage while retaining enough moisture for the tree's roots
Would I use the same amounts of each of the soils for me tree? Who would you recommend me buying this from. Thank you. Subscribed and liked.
Great Video. Which tree is it @4:07 min.
Greetz
Thanks Christian. I think that tree is some kind of Thuja. I no longer own it - I gave it away to a subscriber about a year ago.
The Bonsai supply sells a mixture and I'm wondering if its a good choice for my Fukien Tea. Im currently testing it in my Ficus Bonsai. Its called Bonsai Soil by The Bonsai Supply, can you advise?
It’s a good mix made with free draining components, unlike some other commercial mixes which are garbage.
What are your thoughts on Vermiculite? It seems like it’s not talked about very much in bonsai. Does it break down quickly?
No, it’s fairly stable. It can be mixed in your soil like perlite but it’s a bit fragile be and powdery and prone to blowing away. It does have great water holding capacity. I might use it for seedlings and cuttings to get them started.
@@TheBonsaiGarden thanks!
It seems like vermiculite has many of the desirable properties akadama / muller clay offer… water retention, cec, retention, airation / drainage. Any idea why it’s not used as a substitute for akadama or muller clay?
this reminds me of junkyard wars 😂
😂
@@TheBonsaiGarden also great videos man lol
I actually use seramis instead of akadama, it is also a clay. Not sure how much different from moler clay, if someone knows, let me.know
I believe it’s a fired clay so similar to moler clay and less prone to break down than Akadama which is not.
@@TheBonsaiGarden thanks for the information! Much appreciated.