Zeolite

Share your ideas on re-potting, potting mediums and fertilisers.
Post Reply
User avatar
Damian Bee
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1314
Joined: June 5th, 2009, 7:56 pm
Favorite Species: If it looks worthwhile I will give it a go.
Bonsai Age: 9
Bonsai Club: Bonsai Northwest
Location: Footscray
Been thanked: 1 time

Zeolite

Post by Damian Bee »

:wave:
There is alot of chatter about Zeolite on this forum.
Reading about it in text books tells you that it has a very high cation exchange which enables better uptake of minerals and trace elements from the potting medium :reading:
I am currently trialing it as a 1-2mm size particle at 5-7% in my potting mixes and using a fertiliser called Seamungus in conjunction with fish emulsion at a 1/3 strength (which I ran out of yesterday :( )
All potting work which I have carried out in the last 4 months is still alive and healthy :clap: but the roots will still be pushing into new soil I guess.
I would like to know if there have been any noticeable results for those of you who have been seriously employing zeolite?
User avatar
Ron
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 430
Joined: December 27th, 2009, 3:25 pm
Favorite Species: Natives & Various
Bonsai Age: 1
Bonsai Club: Nepean Bonsai Society
Location: Blue Mountains NSW
Contact:

Re: Zeolite

Post by Ron »

Damian Bee wrote:....using a fertiliser called Seamungus ...
Sorry I can't help on the Zeolite question but just had to mention how often people (not here on the forum, just in everyday life) have mentioned Seamungus in the past few weeks.

Ron ...
User avatar
Damian Bee
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1314
Joined: June 5th, 2009, 7:56 pm
Favorite Species: If it looks worthwhile I will give it a go.
Bonsai Age: 9
Bonsai Club: Bonsai Northwest
Location: Footscray
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Zeolite

Post by Damian Bee »

Morning Ron,

Well, while on that topic, I have had Seamungus down for about 5 weeks now and those plants which did not get a repot and have the pot mostly full of roots have gone solidly. Even those like Magnolia which were repotted in early spring are doing well.
User avatar
bodhidharma
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 5007
Joined: August 13th, 2009, 1:14 pm
Favorite Species: English Elm
Bonsai Age: 24
Bonsai Club: goldfields
Location: Daylesford, Victoria....Central Highlands
Been thanked: 11 times
Contact:

Re: Zeolite

Post by bodhidharma »

Hi Damien, i have been using Zeolite and also purlite in my mix for two years now. I have found that my trees definitely do better. It opens the mix but i have found that moisture is retained in the zeolite and purlite even when the soil is dry. If i reach in and grab a piece it is moist. It would mean that the soil never completely dries out which is what i am after. As for uptake of trace elements i do not know but, as i said, my trees look much healthier.
"Advice is rarely welcome, and the one's who need it the most welcome it the least"
User avatar
kcpoole
Perpetual Learner
Perpetual Learner
Posts: 12292
Joined: November 12th, 2008, 4:02 pm
Favorite Species: Maple
Bonsai Age: 15
Bonsai Club: the School Of Bonsai
Location: Western Sydney, NSW, Australia
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 96 times
Contact:

Re: Zeolite

Post by kcpoole »

Been using Diatomite(2/3) / Zeolite(1/3) mix almost exclusively for about 4 years now

will not use anything else

ken
Last edited by kcpoole on December 29th, 2010, 11:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Check out our Wiki for awesome bonsai information www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki
What is Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Bonsai
What should I do now? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index.php?title=Newbie
How do I grow a Bonsai? http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _a_Bonsai?
Visit a Bonsai nursery to see some real nice trees http://www.ausbonsai.com.au/wiki/index. ... _Nurseries
Post Reply

Return to “Repotting, Soil and Fertilisers”