Perlite and Vermiculite?

[reefed419]

Hey growers, I am curious if any one uses a perlite and vermiculite mix for prebonsai trees?

The method I have used before with vegetables, is as follows. Mixing Perlite to Vermiculite 4:1 Ratio. I like a 2-3 qt bucket from your favorite box store, drill a 3/16 hole 1 1/2" from bottom on side of bucket. Fill bottom of bucket to the whole with straight perlite. Then insert roots/plant and fill with the mixture. Water thoroughly till water drain out the side whole. While yes it does leave water in the bottom of the pot, but the roots seem to drink enough of the water that it didn't hurt the roots. It is considered a passive hydroponic system, as the vermiculite pulls the water out of the reservoir up to the feeder roots though out the mix. What are your thoughts on using this type of set up while growing prebonsai stock from small cuttings and or seeds?

If you think the reservoir is a bad idea how about the mixing of the two medias with the drainage coming straight from the bottom.

Any and all comments are welcomed.

 

[Alain]

Hi there,
For my trees in training pots I use the mixture describe by Brent: 8 parts perlite, 8 parts pine bark, 1 part sphagnum moss (+ balanced osmocote fertilizer) .

He says that one could also add an optional 1/2 part vermiculite to the mixture but that vermiculite being a clay it could end up making a mess when it starts to decay with the watering. I didn't put it.

Your mix seems very high in vermiculite to me and also it seems to lack of nutriment (bring by the organics: pine or fir bark).
Also tree's roots aren't the same as vegetable's ones, a lot of trees don't like to have their roots ball soaking in water so a key point of the mix they are planted in is to ensure a good drainage.
Better to have to water more than to develop root's rot.

 

[tmmason10]

I saw others having success with collected trees in pure perlite, and I tried using it with some young pines this spring. They grew roots quick and all three thrived. I so believe they need to be repotted quicker than if they were in a different mix but I had great results.

 

[reefed419]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Hi there,
For my trees in training pots I use the mixture describe by Brent: 8 parts perlite, 8 parts pine bark, 1 part sphagnum moss (+ balanced osmocote fertilizer) .

He says that one could also add an optional 1/2 part vermiculite to the mixture but that vermiculite being a clay it could end up making a mess when it starts to decay with the watering. I didn't put it.

Your mix seems very high in vermiculite to me and also it seems to lack of nutriment (bring by the organics: pine or fir bark).
Also tree's roots aren't the same as vegetable's ones, a lot of trees don't like to have their roots ball soaking in water so a key point of the mix they are planted in is to ensure a good drainage.
Better to have to water more than to develop root's rot.

I guess I forgot the part where one would fertilize with waterings. My material I am wanting to grow in this mixture is bald cypress which love lots of water, so thats why my mix would contain so much vermiculite, however I am new to the tree scene and am open to suggestions, which is why I posted my question to better learn from the more experienced. Thanks for the reply and the sharing of knowledge.

I like my grow mediums to be of sterile nature and let me feed and flush as the tree/plant speaks to me.

 

[KennedyMarx]

I wouldn't use the combination perlite and vermiculite only mix based on how light the soil would be. Plus both those particles are relatively soft and like to float when watered and splash out of the pot. If they get dry I imagine a strong wind would blow the top layer of it out of the pot.

Like Alain said Brent at Evergreen Gardenworks suggests, Perlite and pine bark mixed would be my go to choice, or maybe nursery potting soil cut with perlite. The junipers and pines I've been learning with have been transitioned to largely, if not completely, inorganic mixes.