Soil mix help

[Ben Thomas]

Am keen to try and make my own soil mix. Have looked online and there is just so much info, where do I start??
Thought I'd try here first.
I'm living Lane Cove area Sydney.
Any recipes or pointers out there??

[Ent]

Hi Ben,

This question is asked often so you may get few responses as people will be repeating themselves. I suggest you use the search function on this forum and you find the answers you seek. Visit a Bonsai Nursery nearby and as all newcomers are advised, join a Club in your area. Happy bonsai.

Ent

[Rory]

Am keen to try and make my own soil mix. Have looked online and there is just so much info, where do I start??
Thought I'd try here first.
I'm living Lane Cove area Sydney.
Any recipes or pointers out there??

I highly recommend the soil mix from Bonsai Art in Terry Hills, Megumi Bennet soil mix. It is far easier than making your own in my opinion, unless you have 100's of huge bonsai.

[wattynine]

Just from a successful experience tested over more than two years and 100's of bonsai.
The ingredients are the most difficult bit but if you're keen, you're keen.
5mm scoria (volcanic rock) generally can be obtained as orchid mix and usually of a larger size but the same quarry I obtain it from grinds to all sizes. The quarry I use is Yungaburra Quincan Quarry. But I would imagine there are other quarries.
Mt Sylvia diatomite (used to be able to get Maidenwell but that is now closed) obtain this from either nurseries or believe it or not chemical and paint places as it is also used an an absorbent. It is sold under the common name of Kleensorb.
And lastly pine bark, but you want old pine bark, I can only get red stuff from my local landscape places, normally called softfall coz' it's used in playgrounds. Careful, some of it is mixed with rubber bits, you don't want that. Anyway I keep mine wet and under cover in garbage bins for around 6 maths or more. I have approx 3-4 60ltr bins going at anyone time.
Then I put the whole lot together in around a 30/30/40 ratio and keep it wet with season in garbage bins for around another 3 months. During this time I am checking PH and deterioration of the pine bark, the scoria and diatomite do not break down so old potting mix can be sieved and refreshed when repotting time comes.
Others have now used my mix and have used my "recipe" to do their own, I love it, they love it.
Scoria has a water absorbency of around 85%, diatomite is around 110% believe it or not but at the same time it creates are very good free draining mix with good water retention properties.
I am in North Queensland so heat is an issue an drying of the pots was my main concern when trying to come up with a mix, dependent on where you are will decide on your watering schedule.
As I said if you're keen, you're keen.
Good luck

[bonborn]

I highly recommend the soil mix from Bonsai Art in Terry Hills, Megumi Bennet soil mix.

Thanks for this info. I am heading there tomorrow.

[kcpoole]

2/3 Diatomite ( Enfieled Produce)
1/3 Zeolite ( Ray Nesci)

Essentially 2 bags diatomite and 1 bag of Zeolite, Mix them all up and that is what I use. Cost about $80 for 100L and as I reuse it 100% lasts forever adn costs very little. I keep it as simple as possible.

Others I know add 20% coco peat, and or some pumice.

Ken

[Boics]

I do..

1/4 diatomite.
1/4 zeolite.
1/4 pine bark.
1/4 pumice.
Trace of osmocote.

Knowing what I know I reckon that my mix is probably more complicated than it needs to be.
I could probably use either pumice OR zeolite - rather than both.

Each to their own.
I think it's very very hard to compare and "bake off" soil mixes.
Environmental, plant variations, location, fertilisers will all effect individual results.

One thing I will say is that without doubt the mix above retains more moisture over hotter periods than alternatives.

[rudy]

Interesting as i had been wondering the same thing. I had done many searches thru here and always went away confused.
I have always used commercial bonsai mix and have at times added some diatomite. My soil was always mostly dirt and haven't had a problem.
Of late i have actually looked at some mixes and totally look different to the dirt most of my tress are in, so i bit the bullet and made my very first mix out of stuff conveniently available.

Equal parts of the following.

Scoria, sifted with the big stuff taken out (well most of it) I'd say up to eight mm some but most less than 5mm
Orchid Mix (Some of the big stuff removed)
Cactus Mix (Some of the big stuff removed)
Premium potting mix
Course ragged stones less than 5 mm (don't know what it is called, could be granite?)
Bought stuff (got it last year from Geelong Bonsai show) has bark chips (quite course i removed all, well some of the bigger chippies) and blue metal, can't remember if anything else in it
Diatomite

To complicated i know but made up of stuff easily bought, i like a lot of compost stuff in it as i still have to get used to mixes with no dirt in it out of my comfort zone and would love reassurance.

Have to say since mixing it I've been "thinking what the heck is all the fuss about just needs something that holds sufficient water without clogging
I can imagine that in some climates it you would need be thought full though but me i'm still learning just how technical i need to get
Well that's my experience with my first mix.
Regards

[Ben Thomas]

Am keen to try and make my own soil mix. Have looked online and there is just so much info, where do I start??
Thought I'd try here first.
I'm living Lane Cove area Sydney.
Any recipes or pointers out there??

I highly recommend the soil mix from Bonsai Art in Terry Hills, Megumi Bennet soil mix. It is far easier than making your own in my opinion, unless you have 100's of huge bonsai.

Thanks for your recommendation. Is just what have been using! Seems good. Cheers

[JaseH]

I'm not game enough yet to go much lower than 40% pine bark nuggets in my mix, until I see how often I need to water through summer, as it will be my first summer using my own free draining mix. (I'm still experimenting but mine is usually 40-50% pine bark/25-30%% diatomite with the rest zeolite/growstone). But I will add that the pine bark nuggets I get from Damien @ Ology are ideal for those that wanting some organic material in their mix but still have it very open. The nuggets I've gotten off him so far are well aged, very uniform in size with next to no fines. I tried sifting a few different commercial mixes myself to get the pine bark component for my soil but gave up, was cheaper and better quality from Damien. Probably doesn't help those not in Melbourne though.

[Josh]

50% diatomite, 50% pine nuggets, that's it nothing else. ALL my trees grow in it from Juni's, deciduous, natives, the lot. Liquid feed and top dressing with osmocote, chook poo, whatever depending on tree. Never had any issues so far and don't seem to get curl grubs either. I sift to 3 sizes. Small for small-medium bonsai, medium for larger bonsai and the rest goes to my growing on boxes. I have my grow on trees in it so when it's time to put into a bonsai put I'm not changing soil structure much. Just particle size. If I don't get all the growing on mix of the roots, not a probablem as it is going into similar mix. Works for me, is simple, easy to get and trees Are healthy. When I'm showing a tree I scrape of the top layer and redress with small graded mix to tidy it up. Moss loves it to so easy to dress trees for show and have moss alive at the end.

Josh.

[Beano]

I'm trialling 5mm scoria 50% and regular potting mix 50%. A lot of my trees have just been repotted and most seem to be doing well. The ones that aren't weren't great before the repot.

[Boics]

Beano that will be fine but you will note that the regular potting mix can sometimes tend to clog your pots up in time.
You could try sifting and washing it first to assist.

[Beano]

I shall keep an eye out for problems. I ran out of scoria and put one in that potting mix alone and it doesn't drain that well. Fingers crossed I'll get away with it another year

[kcpoole]

As everyone shodu know by now, mine is 2/3 Diatomite, 1/3 Zeolite
Simple as

@ josh yours will be excellent for anyone not game to try without organics in it.

The only thing i will add to any mix is Pumice, but i have to drive over the other side of sydney to get that . Scoria is similar but far heavier.

Ken