soil componant

[Kfh]

So I'm pretty new to bonsai. I have a few trees that are bonsais in the making and I'm just starting to get a little more experimental. This is something I was going to try as a soil component. It's stoneware clay fired to bisque temperature so it will absorb water. Any thoughts on what else to add to it to make a soil worth trying?

 

[penumbra]

As a potter with a lot of clay to reclaim, I am intrigued by this.

 

[Novablackdog]

As a potter with a lot of clay to reclaim, I am intrigued by this.

Same… I’m more of a hobbyist but yeah, I wonder if it would act like Leca?

 

[Kfh]

Still experimenting with this but it seems to work fine. I'm very far from an expert or experienced with different soils though. I used some poultry grit, some lava rock and some fir bark with it. I'm making more of the clay fragments. I thought I might wedge some fine sawdust or coffee grounds in to make voids when they burn out. I suppose this is not something people are using because clay can be expensive, plus the hassle to make and fire it, but a lot of potters don't bother recycling their clay as it takes up a lot of time that is better spent producing, so sometimes people give it away. Digging wild clay could be a possibility too.

 

[pandacular]

When did you first plant a tree with if? If it was just this June, I don't think there's much conclusive you can draw from it.

 

[Kfh]

No, definitely too early to draw any conclusions but I will continue to experiment.

 

[thatdirtykid]

I believe pandacular was suggesting even if it dies, a transplant in June has a lower survival chance and may not be an indicator that the soil medium was the issue.

I am also curious to how bisqueware would work. Could be a pumice alternative though likely holds water better than pumice. Once I get firing again I may experiment as well. Keep us updated