Soil Selection Question

[smc]

Hi all,

I purchased three 1-gallon trees from Evergreen Gardenworks. 1 trident maple and 2 elms. Following Brent's advice, I would now like to move them from the 1 gallon containers to larger grow boxes.

Does anyone have recommendations on a pre-mixed soil that is good but also affordable? After reading other posts on this forum, it looks like two options are the organic soil mix from Bonsai Jack and soil from the Bonsai Supply.

2 Dry Quarts BonsaiJack Organic Bonsai Soil Mix 221 – Bonsai Jack ©

www.bonsaijack.com

Universal Bonsai Soil Mix

Universal Bonsai Soil Mix is our number one seller for all types of Bonsai trees! One of the key ingredients to a good soil mix for your bonsai is drainage.

thebonsaisupply.com

I am trying to walk the line of buying good bonsai soil while also keeping it affordable - given soil will be expensive for three grow boxes. Since I live in an apartment with a balcony, ground growing is not an option and it would be cleaner to buy pre-mixed soil than make my own. I am also looking for a soil that retains moisture. With my work hours, I will only be able to water 1x per day during the summer.

Will likely buy the grow containers from American Bonsai Supply (https://www.americanbonsai.com/American-Bonsai-Grow-Container-p/ab570.htm), which look to be a good size and are affordable. I plan to post photos of the trees soon to ask for advice on next steps.

Thanks!!

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Those soils both look decent.
I'm not into inches so I can't convert particle sizes, but their composition seems alright for your trees.

As for afforable.. Bonsai soils are expensive. But they pay themselves back threefold if you invest in the right specifications. I've been growing pines in kitty litter, but they get a real boost in pumice:granite:lavarock (1:1:1) that works just so much better.

 

[A. Gorilla]

I like to make it as complicated as possible.

Just go to your local cinder block factory and get haydite...

Then get ROUGH peat from your local turf harvester....

Then go to your local pool company and get COARSE pool sand that nobody has ever heard of...

Then go to your local horse stuff store and get dri stall...

Then get chicken grit w/o oyster shell from your feed store...

Then get decomposed granite from your local...

My bigger question to soil-advice-givers, over the 20 years viewing online bonsai stuff is this:

Where the motherf*%% do you people live ??

I am in THEE transportation hub of the continent and I can't find any of that stuff within 50 miles of me.

It wasnt until recently we got a good and proper bonsai nursery.

Just hadda get that off my chest.

Goddamn online soil advice givers.

 

[QuantumSparky]

I'd add my recommendation for BonsaiJack organic mix. I buy the 7gallon bags and use it for almost everything!

 

[Wulfskaar]

I've got several small trees growing in the bonsai jack soil you linked. I think it's pretty good so far.

 

[Katie0317]

A lot of bonsai shops mix their own blend and sell it in gallon bags. Some don't do mail order but you might want to see what some of the shops that grow bonsai are selling. Lots cheaper. D&L in Fl sells a gallon bag for 9.00 and he uses a shale or something mined in Alabama. I need to get the name of it. (He does NOT do mail order.) Anyway, you might want to check around. Wigert's is highly reputable and they sell a mix of classic soil with akadama for 15.00. Lots!!! less expensive. They do lots of mail order.

HALF the price of what you're looking at and it has akadama.

 

[A. Gorilla]

A lot of bonsai shops mix their own blend and sell it in gallon bags. Some don't do mail order but you might want to see what some of the shops that grow bonsai are selling. Lots cheaper. D&L in Fl sells a gallon bag for 9.00 and he uses a shale or something mined in Alabama. I need to get the name of it. (He does NOT do mail order.) Anyway, you might want to check around. Wigert's is highly reputable and they sell a mix of classic soil with akadama for 15.00. Lots!!! less expensive. They do lots of mail order.

HALF the price of what you're looking at and it has akadama.

You, yes YOU, are part of the problem.

 

[Katie0317]

You, yes YOU, are part of the problem.

Why's that?

 

[A. Gorilla]

Why would someone in NYC care about bonsai soil in central florida and mined in alabama?

You don't know anything about shale, neither does he, and neither do I.

Leave the poor man alone with what's not available to him.

 

[Katie0317]

Why would someone in NYC care about bonsai soil in central florida and mined in alabama?

You don't know anything about shale, neither does he, and neither do I.

Leave the poor man alone with what's not available to him.

Did you not read what I wrote about Wigert's??? That's entirely available to him and anyone else for half the price of what he's looking at. How is that a problem for anyone?

 

[A. Gorilla]

If you have to ask, you wouldn't understand.

 

[atlarsenal]

For three of those containers you are going to need close to 5 gallons of soil. I would get this https://www.americanbonsai.com/American-Bonsai-Ultra-Mini-Mix-p/ab725-20-020.htm since you are already getting the containers from them. I have not used this particular mix but I have got a lot of substrate from them and make my own mix. Just starting out this should be fine. You should be happy with the trees from Evergreen Garden Works. I have got several from Brent and was always pleased.

 

[smc]

Thanks all for the responses! Very helpful.

 

[August44]

You, yes YOU, are part of the problem.

A. Gorilla, you need to take your meds!

 

[A. Gorilla]

A. Gorilla, you need to take your meds!

Or take fewer.

 

[August44]

Just so you all know...Bonsai Jacks soil is very good soil IMO. It has a lot more amendments than Wigert's soil, and also has free freight. When you tally things up, Wigerts soil with the freight is $13.40 gallon, BJ soil is only $9.80 gallon. No brainer to me.

 

[Maiden69]

Bonsai Jack soil is good. The one you linked was the first one I bought from them. For a trident and trees you can bare root is good, I moved to inorganic for my conifers. That way when I decide to move into a bonsai pot I don't have to worry about pie cutting, half bare rooting, etc... my trident from Brent is still on that mix, with monto clay and bonsai block added when I slip potted into the grow bag.

Trident in Bonsai Jack Organic mix March


Same trident in June (in the center)


That trident is double the size right now. I will try to post pics tonight.

I am using a mix of pumice, bonsai block, lava and monto clay on my trees in development. Once I move them into a bonsai pot I will move to akadama, pumice, lava.

 

[A. Gorilla]

Maiden rules!!

 

[AcerAddict]

I'll add another vote for Bonsai Jack's standard organic soil. Plus, they throw in an aluminum chopstick with every order. I'm always finding ways to use those things around the garden. This mix is also working well for my wife's standard jade plant and my mother-in-law's ponytail palm bonsai I put together for her as a gift.

I will say though, buy a bigger bag and save yourself some money. Two quarts won't take you very far. I most recently bought the 3.5 gallon bag, and I'm definitely going to have to order more by spring when I start putting the majority of my 20+ pots of material into bonsai soil after bare rooting and root trimming.

3 Gallons BonsaiJack Organic Bonsai Soil Mix 221 (12 Dry Quarts) – Bonsai Jack ©

www.bonsaijack.com

 

[smc]

Just so you all know...Bonsai Jacks soil is very good soil IMO. It has a lot more amendments than Wigert's soil, and also has free freight. When you tally things up, Wigerts soil with the freight is $13.40 gallon, BJ soil is only $9.80 gallon. No brai

I'll add another vote for Bonsai Jack's standard organic soil. Plus, they throw in an aluminum chopstick with every order. I'm always finding ways to use those things around the garden. This mix is also working well for my wife's standard jade plant and my mother-in-law's ponytail palm bonsai I put together for her as a gift.

I will say though, buy a bigger bag and save yourself some money. Two quarts won't take you very far. I most recently bought the 3.5 gallon bag, and I'm definitely going to have to order more by spring when I start putting the majority of my 20+ pots of material into bonsai soil after bare rooting and root trimming.

3 Gallons BonsaiJack Organic Bonsai Soil Mix 221 (12 Dry Quarts) – Bonsai Jack ©

www.bonsaijack.com

Yup - purchased the 7 gallon bag from Bonsai Jack. Only linked the two quart one as a reference to the specific soil. But plan was always to buy the larger size.

Really appreciate all the guidance. Very helpful to see multiple people recommending one of the options.