zeolite

[chiah]

hi all

if you are interested and live in melbourne bulleen art and garden are selling 25kilo bags of zeolite for $14.95... i picked up 2 this morning

[nick-laing]

Hi Chiah, What ratios are you using it in your mix?

[chiah]

Depends on the tree.

I mix for my trees depending on there needs, I also have extremely flowing mix so its impossible to overwater my trees.

To answer your question is hard therefore but as a guide:

3 parts equal coarse sand and organic mix....
1 part zeolite
1 part perlite
0.25 fertiliser

water hungry trees such as wisteria I thicken it up

Pines get alot more perlite and zeolite. and so on.

[siddhar]

hi all

if you are interested and live in melbourne bulleen art and garden are selling 25kilo bags of zeolite for $14.95... i picked up 2 this morning

Thanks Chiah, I drove there this afternoon and picked up 2 bags myself, pretty good value I think

[nickkesa]

hi all

if you are interested and live in melbourne bulleen art and garden are selling 25kilo bags of zeolite for $14.95... i picked up 2 this morning

Any idea if there are any other suppliers of Zeolite? Anything in the SE area of Melb?

[Dario]

Hi Chia,
I have heard that one of the benifits of using zeolite is that it assists in the plant taking in the nutrients in the soil mix. Do you know if this is true , or is it misinformation?
Thanks, Dario.

[chiah]

I can only speak from an end user

but since using perlite and zeolite there has been a remarkable difference in the growth of my trees. It is also important to have as I am a heavy feeder and heavy water (I know goes against what everyone follows) so my mix needs to be able to cope with that while at the same time provide the best possible conditions for my trees.

The only problem I have with growth is that they grow too well

[Dario]

Thanks for the reply Chia.
As I am new to bonsai I have recently been doing some research into soil mix variations.
As I am sure you will know, the inorganic/modern substrate mix requires a combination of heavy feeding and watering, and appeals to me as it
simplifies things...as long as one stays on top of/up to date with feeding and watering that is.
How regularly are you feeding when you say "heavy feeding" Chia?
And when do you use organic versus inorganic fertilizers within your feeding regime?
Cheers, Dario.

[chiah]

the inorganic mix has been around for awhile but as you say you have to stay on top of it and that can be difficult and varies depending the conditions you are in. I used to have that but found at my new environment it was completely unsuitable as now I have full sun all day and seeing that I work I cannot look after them properly.

So I have gone back to a mix including organic and have found it great, except my pines don't have much organic apart from what I give them, during growing season liquid organic weekly sometimes twice a week, long life fertilisers as well as well as in my mix. Once again I emphasise that I mix to the tree and for me it is important to know the characteristics of the tree and how it will react, then with the mix right and can water and feed all the same.

Please remember I am not an expert though so take this advice how you want....

Most of what I have learnt is by studying methods used by Walter Pall....

Hope this helps

[kcpoole]

I have been using inorganic mixes exclusively now for 4 years and water twice daily in Summer, and every 2 days in winter.

Ferts I apply Liquid Ferts every 2 weeks or so in summer and sprinkle a handful of Neutrog on the top of each pot.

I guess I will not be called a "Heavy Ferter", but they get it regular and have not suffered. I prefer to under fert rather than over

ps most of My trees are in Full sun most days thru the summer and no ill effects yet.

Ken