AusBonsai

I've used fly wire before. It's great under the condition that your mix does not have any fine particles. If you're using diatomite, zeolite, gravel, etc and the fines have been removed you're not going to have a problem. Any fine organics would be risky though.

I have also used fly wire for many years with no problems. Now using plastering mesh tape and have no problems with it either.
When i re-pot whatever mesh I have used is completely overgrown with roots and has been lifted away from the drainage holes so its not actually doing anything by then. I think the mesh is only a temporary measure to hold the mix in the pot while the roots grow. I actually doubt that the type of mesh really has much influence on drainage.

In the mix that i put together I put about a third peat. I think this could clog up finer mesh.

I'm joining a club soon, so will have a better idea around mixes and have better access to products (before you guys get stuck into me for using peat)

cheers

Sphagnum peat? Or that composted really fine stuff? Sphagnum is pretty good.

When I started Bonsai I read in my books that a good mix is: 1/3 garden dirt, 1/3 fine peat, 1/3 sand. So I did it. Didn't realise I needed to sift the sand either. A couple of dead trees later (a juni was one of them) and decided to learn about better mixes online - that's when i discovered ausbonsai .

Hey Dusty It was the fine stuff. I planted an orange jasmine bush that was out the front. These plants are pretty hardy so I hope it will be ok. I did chop a lot of roots off though!


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