AusBonsai

kcpoole wrote:

It may dry out fast for you

Thats what I said

but from my own testing here, any soil component compared to diatomite will dry out faster

.
Well you must not have been very exhaustive in your testing?
Diatomite has an extremely efficient wicking action and will draw water out of the pot (if contected all the way to the surface) faster than anything I have seen. Don't get me wrong though, I love the stuff.

Some links to my old testing threads here.
these are links to the only ones I have done so far, and specifically were reported on growth rates as I have another thread somewhere on the water retention and the performance but i cannot find that one
Suffice to say they I have tried and tested heat stress on these test subjects below As well as Casuarina, Privet, Callistemon, Melaleuca etc

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2569&hilit=+test
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=40&hilit=+test
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=8719&hilit=test&start=15

I have done A, B and C Side by side testing using Ray Nescis commercial bonsai mix as the test in all cases and in all cases the trees in Diatomite showed heat stress later than any other mix I have tried.
Growth rates in Rays mix may be slightly better, but the issues with Curl grub in it preclude me from using it. The fact that Diaomite / Zeolite mix works out a fraction of the cost helps too .

As I always say when the subject comes up. other people may have differing performance than what I have, and that is great if it works for them.. but I will never tell anyone they are wrong:-)

Ken

Have you tried Perlite? If you live in a Mediteranean climate? I lived in Cyprus, and usually it never rains between April until September. And bleedin' hot too. I kid you not, friends. If you are driving in the bush or along roads, you never turn on the cooling fan, and you wind up the windows to avoid wind burn. That was before air conditioning in cars. The Troodos mountains though are cool. Skiing there in winter.

I have had a few problems with my soil mixes. I used some kitty litter at the bottom of a pot, and - it set like soft concrete. So I had to remove the Juniper and add a better mix. I use the commercial bonsai mix, mix in some course grit or perlite, And some spags and peat moss. Usually that does the trick here in Armidale micro-climates. I also put in or scatter some charcoal and ash from my friend's fire on the surface. I only use rainwater not our hardish, alkaline tap water.

But I am an organic gal, (no jokes guys, LOL) I find it works well with my trees. With Seasol the two types, and the occasional DL pellet on the surface. And vermicompost on the surface of the soil. (I remove any worms or critters) A bit of moss, etc. (so long as the birds don't pinch it).

I heard or rather read, you can place the pot in water, over the rim, and let the air bubbles stop, then drain. I haven't done that myself.

Good nite

Pat

Pat

40C that is hot. Usually they take temps in the shade! Take heart, it rarely gets over 32 C here, but one of our more experienced bonsai person, his automatic watering system using tap water only, didn't work. I nearly lost a few of mine too, during a heat wave. I thought they had received some rain, but the bench they were on didn't get any. But I saved them, just in time. But for some bamboo. The person who was supposed to look after them, obviously didn't do it properly. He lost 50 specimens. Some of his trees were over fifty years old and lovely. What a terrible loss. I'd kill that person supposed to be caring for them.

Bit of a communications breakdown. Just a query, being an organic gal. Pumice is organic I thought? A natural product from a volcano. What I would think is inorganic, is concrete. Charcoal is organic too, in as much it is a bi-product of burnt wood. Well maybe I am wrong.
A diploma in organic agricultural production hasn't helped me you may say.

Bush bunny wrote:Bit of a communications breakdown. Just a query, being an organic gal. Pumice is organic I thought? A natural product from a volcano. What I would think is inorganic, is concrete. Charcoal is organic too, in as much it is a bi-product of burnt wood. Well maybe I am wrong.
A diploma in organic agricultural production hasn't helped me you may say.

Organic soil components are stuff that grows, Eg Pine bark, Peat, Moss etc
Inorganics are Rocks and other hard things. Diatomite, Zeolite, Crushed Granite, Scoria, Sand, Glass, Pumice is an ingneous volcanic rock http://geology.com/rocks/pumice.shtml

They all may or may not be porous and water retentive, have varying Cation Ratios ( ability to hold and release nutrients), and differing weight and hardness.

Ken

Thanks Ken for that.

Bush bunny wrote:Thanks Ken for that.

Yep it sure is confusing
That is why i keep mine really simple so i can understand

Ken

Any suppliers of pine bark nuggets 5-7mm and rough gravel 5-7mm in Northern Sydney? Would appreciate any help to locate these.

bonborn wrote:Any suppliers of pine bark nuggets 5-7mm and rough gravel 5-7mm in Northern Sydney? Would appreciate any help to locate these.

I think Garden City Plastics are up there. If so, you can get 5 grades of orchiata from them. Good stuff!

treeman wrote:

bonborn wrote:Any suppliers of pine bark nuggets 5-7mm and rough gravel 5-7mm in Northern Sydney? Would appreciate any help to locate these.

I think Garden City Plastics are up there. If so, you can get 5 grades of orchiata from them. Good stuff!

Yup managed to locate them down. About to place an order with them. Any suppliers for scoria as fine as possible. I know the bonsai shop in Caringbah sell them but is a bit out of my way. ANL is very close to me but only sell 10mm.

Ken the reason why I got confused, is that in organic agriculture, some fertilizers are considered organically OK. Such as rock phosphate, as against super phosphate (a band aid on fertility on pastures, and sometimes only delivered by air craft) and has to be repeated, and it kills microorganisms that aid fertility in a plant.

ok so ended up getting diatomite from enfield produce. Mini bine bark from Garden City plastics and finally went and picked up scoria 10mm from ANL. Now sitting with a hammer trying to break it down and sieve it . I got a brilliant idea. How about if i use the chopper function of my so far useless food processor Reckon it will work?

bonborn wrote:ok so ended up getting diatomite from enfield produce. Mini bine bark from Garden City plastics and finally went and picked up scoria 10mm from ANL. Now sitting with a hammer trying to break it down and sieve it . I got a brilliant idea. How about if i use the chopper function of my so far useless food processor Reckon it will work?

Good Luck

Scoria is hard as a rock and is really hard to break
Spread some on th ground and put a plank over it and drive over it might be faster.

Whatever you do, Video it so we can all enjoy it

Ken

kcpoole wrote:

bonborn wrote:ok so ended up getting diatomite from enfield produce. Mini bine bark from Garden City plastics and finally went and picked up scoria 10mm from ANL. Now sitting with a hammer trying to break it down and sieve it . I got a brilliant idea. How about if i use the chopper function of my so far useless food processor Reckon it will work?

Good Luck

Scoria is hard as a rock and is really hard to break
Spread some on th ground and put a plank over it and drive over it might be faster.

Whatever you do, Video it so we can all enjoy it

Ken

I've tried a hammer and it does break but you end up with half decent size and other half as fine powder. I might have to re-sieve and maybe use the finer stuff for little plants and the good size for the good plants.