AusBonsai

Hey Everyone,
Just a quick question on sifting fines? What do you use I used to use an old strainer from the kitchen but that had now died and it took forever so what does everyone else use to sift there mixes ?

metal flyscreen in a wooden frame ???

Cheers

Archie

I used a very big plastic colinder that I found
in a hydroponic shop in Blacktown. It cost $5.

This shop would seem to specialise in a certain type of plant that I wont mention.
They have the most amazing array of fertillers that I have ever seen. Never heard of most of them.
A lot of them have parts A and B and they are expensive. I often wonder how bonsai plants would go on these super ferts.

There must be a lot of people who specialise in this type of plant around this area.

Cheers

Gumnuts wrote: They have the most amazing array of fertillers that I have ever seen. Never heard of most of them.
A lot of them have parts A and B and they are expensive. I often wonder how bonsai plants would go on these super ferts.

not well I wouldn't think, after all they are focused on hydro growth not soil growth.

Try a shop which carries gold mining equipment. I got mine in one years ago its great big and very strong. Don't get one thats too small they are a pain.
As to the hydro ferts I think they may be more suitable for growing plants which can be rolled in cigarette papers and are all chemical based. I reckon organic ferts are more suitable for bonsai
Craig

Hi Archie , i use a large piece of shade cloth in varying percentages eg 30 % ,60 % , 90 % . The 90 % is used for washing materials 60 % for removing fines and 30 %for removing 2-3mm minus The collect minus material is used for seed raising mix . I do have and 8mm metal sieve from a mining shop as Craig has suggested which i use to size the mix then wash through 30%shade cloth to remove the fines .Cheers

Thanks for the info everyone,
I remember when I was a child going gold fossiking with Dad, I wonder where he got his sieve from

haha

Or you could buy a nice Japanese made soil sieve from Ray Nesci's since you are in sydney. It comes with 3 grades of mesh. I think it was under 30 dollars.

Joel

Joel wrote:Or you could buy a nice Japanese made soil sieve from Ray Nesci's since you are in sydney. It comes with 3 grades of mesh. I think it was under 30 dollars.

Joel

Really? I really need to spend more time in the shop... Too much with the plants... I'm going to go grab one tomorrow. Thanks

I've used the flyscreen method before with some success, only gets out the really small bits but they're the ones you really need to get rid of.
And you can do a lot of dirt in a shorter time on a large flyscreen attached to a frame as opposed to a sieve.

Gumnuts wrote:They have the most amazing array of fertillers that I have ever seen. Never heard of most of them.
A lot of them have parts A and B and they are expensive. I often wonder how bonsai plants would go on these super ferts.

They are excellent, there is no real difference between fertigation hydroponics and growing bonsai in inert media. These 2 part nutrient solutions are the only fertilizers that are complete and balanced, they have to be made up to a specific EC though. Also have to watch for pH changes in the media.

Just my opinion, I've not used them; I mix my own formula based on hydroponic feed ratios.

As for sieving, make a frame and attached the same size gauze you use for covering pot holes.

Paul

I have a set of sieves from Ray and will vouch for them too. Great stuff
But I also have an old Aluminium screen door, cut down about 1/3 size. The flyscreen mesh will catch everything bigger than about 1mm.

I spread the soil on it, and then hose all the fines out.

Works good and somewhere I have fotos of it, and have posted here before. I will see if I can find it

Ken

Just found the original post
viewtopic.php?f=103&t=2039&p=19897&hili ... ium#p19920

I have a big timber frame with a couple of layers of chicken mesh , with the layers offset so they create a smaller gap. It is set on an angle of about 45% is is great for sifting bulk loads of potting mix, compost & soil in general. Then to sift out the fines I have a large plastic seive of the kind mentioned available at the hydro shop.

With regards 2 part hydro ferts, I was given a load a few years ago and used them on the vege patch as a booster every 2wks with fantastic results. On a couple of trainer trees in pots the result was not so good, the salts built up very quickly until they killed the trees. They might work if you were using a totally inert medium diatomite etc & then I would think that half strength would be best.

Matt