Our Bonsai soil movie, a short movie with the basic information about soil mixtures for Bonsai. Feel free to leave your comment at TH-cam (thanks!) #bonsai
Michael Hagedorn in his book Bonsai Heresy says that the Japanese typically refrain from repotting for decades, yes decades, because the tight root ball formed from akadama breaking down promotes fine internodal growth in the roots which translates to the top, all the while without sacrificing aeration if lightly mixed with Pumice and lava rock
How about a good draining soil? could you me some pointers on how to mix those type of soil? ....thank you in advance..by the way, it really is good video,.. I love it when it comes to the mix ratios keep it up..more power Bonsai Empire!
Do you think it would be fine to move from an organic soil to the soil you show on the video, even if it's an established bonsai? I have a 36 year old juniper and live in Houston, Texas. Thank you for all the information you give in your videos.
Drainage is key and you're defeating the purpose by using organic soil in the mix. It will in time break down and block the drain holes in months, long before you're ready to repot.
Use straight lava or pumise. Just fertilize every two weeks with a balanced mix. Water soluble seems to work best for me. Use a few pellets of time release on the surface to ensure that the plant always has some nutrients in between feedings. If you use clean lava or pumice, you'll have to water more, but don't worry, you won't overwater. Walter Pall has a video on you tube talking about inorganic substrate. It's worth watching, and he is well respected artist, with some amazing material.
Hi I want to create my own bonsai soil with you're tips I have a inside bonsai tree with leaves a ficus. But which kind of organic soil should I use ? And I prefer that I can buy it in you're webshop thnx for you're help !
HI dear thank you for the great video i want to ask you about the gravel is the marble or granite gravel is fine for my ficus bonsai? can i find a good akadama from the internet best regards
Hi! ^_^I have a question! I needed to repot my Bonsai last week, because the soil wasn't good, and the tree was very bald.. and didn't grow leaves very well, now the shop owner told me to use a 50/50 mix -> 50 akadama and 50 potting compost. She told me that the tree will go better after a while, is this true? I'm affraid I didn't use enough akadama, though it looks nice, but I'm affraid that the potting ground still holds too much water.. Because Now it's day 4 and the akadama is still moist/dark brown? Is this normal, because on a website I read that the akadama will be dry after 2 days, and that you need to water again :/ That's why I'm worried (but the tree lives indoors!)What should I do? is the 50/50 mix ok? or shall I remix the ground? to a better 50/50 solution, or use fine gravel too? But potting again for the 2 time in 2 weeks, won't it make the tree upset? because it has to adjust again afterwards? Anyways, since the lady told me that a 50/50 mix should do very well, I feel a bit nervous that I did not use enough akadama ^^" (Oh, my tree is a Chinese Elm/ulmus?) Thanks in advance!
+Mana667 Zelkovo / Ulmus? A 50/50 should work fine, it's a very hardy tree, though 70/30 is a finer mix (of compost, you will want some drain elements), especially if it's a young tree (as I assume it is, 'adult' bonsai are very rarely a first time buy for amateurs which I also assume). Elms should be aired, or put in a ventilated area which is sunlit but avoid direct sun contact for too many hours a day (2-4 in mid-temp areas is fine for a young tree). Check your tree for scars that should have been looking better. As to why you have problems, it's impossible to say why you're struggling. What pot do you use? Do you have nutrients? When you say 50/50, is it free of gravel/fine sand? The reason for this is (to put it roughly at least) to drain water faster, if you (as many first time buyers) use pure compost, and nutrients, you might be poisoning your tree, and if it's indoors with little to no sunlight, this also contributes to needing a soil that drains. If you have a nice and leafy tree, remember occasionally you will want to water the tree as well as the soil (with a noose, not from say a glass!) I see this was 5 months ago but I felt like repling regardless. Did the tree work out?
New and updated video now available at: th-cam.com/video/OOWgpNsxJXU/w-d-xo.html
Our Bonsai soil movie, a short movie with the basic information about soil mixtures for Bonsai.
Feel free to leave your comment at TH-cam (thanks!)
#bonsai
So relaxing and very informative! Thanks for helping with my new hobby!
Bonsai Empire I just got some bonsai tree seeds and I am going to try to grow them how do I start them out
Michael Hagedorn in his book Bonsai Heresy says that the Japanese typically refrain from repotting for decades, yes decades, because the tight root ball formed from akadama breaking down promotes fine internodal growth in the roots which translates to the top, all the while without sacrificing aeration if lightly mixed with Pumice and lava rock
How about a good draining soil? could you me some pointers on how to mix those type of soil? ....thank you in advance..by the way, it really is good video,.. I love it when it comes to the mix ratios keep it up..more power Bonsai Empire!
Do you think it would be fine to move from an organic soil to the soil you show on the video, even if it's an established bonsai? I have a 36 year old juniper and live in Houston, Texas. Thank you for all the information you give in your videos.
Absolutely. Read our articles on repotting and soil - early spring is the time.
Drainage is key and you're defeating the purpose by using organic soil in the mix. It will in time break down and block the drain holes in months, long before you're ready to repot.
What kind of soil should be used then?
Use straight lava or pumise. Just fertilize every two weeks with a balanced mix. Water soluble seems to work best for me. Use a few pellets of time release on the surface to ensure that the plant always has some nutrients in between feedings. If you use clean lava or pumice, you'll have to water more, but don't worry, you won't overwater. Walter Pall has a video on you tube talking about inorganic substrate. It's worth watching, and he is well respected artist, with some amazing material.
Hi I want to create my own bonsai soil with you're tips I have a inside bonsai tree with leaves a ficus. But which kind of organic soil should I use ? And I prefer that I can buy it in you're webshop
thnx for you're help !
HI dear thank you for the great video
i want to ask you about the gravel is the marble or granite gravel is fine for my ficus
bonsai?
can i find a good akadama from the internet
best regards
Thanks for information
how about hokkien tea? what is the mixture ratio?
hi, akadama and hydroton that same? hydroton is baked clay to
+Rahadian Harda K I dont know hydroton, but Im guessing its not the same as akadama is a pretty unique japanese soil
Hi! ^_^I have a question! I needed to repot my Bonsai last week, because the soil wasn't good, and the tree was very bald.. and didn't grow leaves very well, now the shop owner told me to use a 50/50 mix -> 50 akadama and 50 potting compost. She told me that the tree will go better after a while, is this true? I'm affraid I didn't use enough akadama, though it looks nice, but I'm affraid that the potting ground still holds too much water.. Because Now it's day 4 and the akadama is still moist/dark brown? Is this normal, because on a website I read that the akadama will be dry after 2 days, and that you need to water again :/ That's why I'm worried (but the tree lives indoors!)What should I do? is the 50/50 mix ok? or shall I remix the ground? to a better 50/50 solution, or use fine gravel too? But potting again for the 2 time in 2 weeks, won't it make the tree upset? because it has to adjust again afterwards? Anyways, since the lady told me that a 50/50 mix should do very well, I feel a bit nervous that I did not use enough akadama ^^" (Oh, my tree is a Chinese Elm/ulmus?) Thanks in advance!
+Mana667 Zelkovo / Ulmus? A 50/50 should work fine, it's a very hardy tree, though 70/30 is a finer mix (of compost, you will want some drain elements), especially if it's a young tree (as I assume it is, 'adult' bonsai are very rarely a first time buy for amateurs which I also assume). Elms should be aired, or put in a ventilated area which is sunlit but avoid direct sun contact for too many hours a day (2-4 in mid-temp areas is fine for a young tree).
Check your tree for scars that should have been looking better. As to why you have problems, it's impossible to say why you're struggling. What pot do you use? Do you have nutrients? When you say 50/50, is it free of gravel/fine sand? The reason for this is (to put it roughly at least) to drain water faster, if you (as many first time buyers) use pure compost, and nutrients, you might be poisoning your tree, and if it's indoors with little to no sunlight, this also contributes to needing a soil that drains. If you have a nice and leafy tree, remember occasionally you will want to water the tree as well as the soil (with a noose, not from say a glass!)
I see this was 5 months ago but I felt like repling regardless. Did the tree work out?
Great video! You