River sand soil

[Ilithya]

Hello Everyone. Can i please ask for a suggestion from you guys? Can i use River Sand for my Bonsai? What's the advantages and disadvantages of using it. I read one article in a forum about using River Sand that it would be beneficial for the Bonsai to use it. Does anyone here tried and used River Sand?

Thank you in advace for everyone who will answer my post.

Thank you
Eddy

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[Kevin]

Hello Eddy,

River sand is a coarse sand and used extensively in plant propagations as a percentage of the total medium.
I would not recommend using it as 100% of the medium due to many factors including extremely poor water and nutrient holding capacity also it's heavy.
However i do recommend and use it myself up to 5% - 30% of my potting mixes. 5% for Bonsai and up to 30% for propagating cuttings and seeds.
I hope this helps somewhat.

Kevin

[shibui]

Just be aware that river sand is not the same all over. River sand can be fine or coarse, smooth or rough edges and formed from different minerals. Some sand has a high proportion of really fine particles, some has mostly larger pieces with few small particles. You need to check and feel what the sand is like.
Sand is an important part of a bonsai mix that provides a part of the mix that does not break down over time. It gives spaces for air and water to get into the mix and spaces for roots to grow.
What sort of river sand you use will depend on what your mix needs. I use a coarse, free draining mix which includes 3-6 mm sand. I prefer rough, angular sand but rounded grains are better than nothing. Other bonsai mixes are a little finer so less watering is needed. Sand grains in a finer mix might be -3mm diameter but I would prefer that most of the really fine particles were sifted out. Flywire is a good mesh size to sift out finer particles.

[Ilithya]

Hello Eddy,

River sand is a coarse sand and used extensively in plant propagations as a percentage of the total medium.
I would not recommend using it as 100% of the medium due to many factors including extremely poor water and nutrient holding capacity also it's heavy.
However i do recommend and use it myself up to 5% - 30% of my potting mixes. 5% for Bonsai and up to 30% for propagating cuttings and seeds.
I hope this helps somewhat.

Kevin

Thank you so much for your reply

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[kcpoole]

Its heavy.
That may be a good or bad thing depending on your mix and size of trees.
I used to use before I found Diatomite

Ken

[Ilithya]

Just be aware that river sand is not the same all over. River sand can be fine or coarse, smooth or rough edges and formed from different minerals. Some sand has a high proportion of really fine particles, some has mostly larger pieces with few small particles. You need to check and feel what the sand is like.
Sand is an important part of a bonsai mix that provides a part of the mix that does not break down over time. It gives spaces for air and water to get into the mix and spaces for roots to grow.
What sort of river sand you use will depend on what your mix needs. I use a coarse, free draining mix which includes 3-6 mm sand. I prefer rough, angular sand but rounded grains are better than nothing. Other bonsai mixes are a little finer so less watering is needed. Sand grains in a finer mix might be -3mm diameter but I would prefer that most of the really fine particles were sifted out. Flywire is a good mesh size to sift out finer particles.

Thank you shibui.

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[Ilithya]

Its heavy.
That may be a good or bad thing depending on your mix and size of trees.
I used to use before I found Diatomite

Ken

Thank you Kcpoole?

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[Piscineidiot]

I was using it in an 'old school' mix (40% sand, 30% each peat/compost) for a few species, but have gone off it in favour of a coarser mix (60% x 40% mix of scoria and coconut coir).

I didn't like the way the sand compacted over time, which made watering difficult for some trees, and created anoxic spots (apparent by black spots that smelled of sulphur upon repotting). Root growth also suffered a touch, though to be frank, I found the leptos I had actually seemed to appreciate the dense mixture. I think it might have had something to do with the water holding capacity of the mix. I haven't potted a Lepto up in the new mix yet, so time will tell if I see any difference between the two there.

I like that the new mix makes watering easier - water poured over it seeps in evenly and instantly, and drains quickly. I added the coconut coir component because I'm time poor, and don't get to check my trees multiple times every day to make sure they're not completely dry. That way, I have a relatively free draining mix that has some water holding capacity, but cannot get water-logged. Time will tell how well this works out, but I have found the conifers seem to like the new mix.

I hope this is helpful in some small way.

Owen

[dennismc]

Hi

I have been using a personal bonsai mix for more than 30 years. It consists of 50% good quality potting soil and 50% river sand. To this at potting time I add some blood and bone (to assist the micro fauna and flora in the mix) and a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote. I use it for all bonsai including the natives. Note I never recommend native fertilizer at all.

This mix is not overly heavy, drains perfectly and provides, most important of all a suitable substrate for the micro-flora and fauna, ensuring the soil performs like natural soils. In all those years I have never had a problem associated with soil.

If there is a problem it is that with this mix the bonsai must be re-potted at least every second year.

Indeed as stated earlier river sand as a natural product does vary from lot to lot. The river sand always contain a mixture of round and rough particles and this is most beneficial to good root production.

Dennis Mc

[Ilithya]

Thank you everyone for your response.

Eddy

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[Ilithya]

Im new and still learning about the bonsai. I bought this mulberry at bunnings a month ago almost dry and dying already the original price was $30 but they told me if i really like it i can have it for $10 because its dying. I try to used pure river sand and after a month this is what happen. Happy tree already.

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[Beano]

I've used it in the past and what I especially didn't like about it was poor water retention, especially once completely dried out, it is very hard to wet again. Water just takes the path of least resistance through it after that and then only part of the root ball gets wet with each watering.

[Tambrand]

Using a combination of 5 mm silica based builder's gravel , 5 mm crushed red earthenware brick and aged compost [ if needed a little peat moss ]

By volume, it can look like this - 1 silica, 1 red and 1 organic.

For some trees it is 2 silica and 1 organic.

No problems. About 35 years or so. Our climate - Christmas to June - no rain,
July to November average of 15 cm or so of rain.

The J.B.pines seem to love a base of 7 to 9 silica, 3 to 1 organic and earthenware or concrete pots.
Laters.
Tambrand