What soil type for growing in ground?

[Brockstarbonsai]

I hear it a lot, put the tree in the ground to let it grow and thinken the truck. But I have yet to find out what soil this should be done in? Typical bonsai free draining soil or native or organic soil?

 

[HorseloverFat]

I hear it a lot, put the tree in the ground to let it grow and thinken the truck. But I have yet to find out what soil this should be done in? Typical bonsai free draining soil or native or organic soil?

Pretty much anything EXCEPT bonsai soil!



I'm using re-hydrated then pulverized beet root fiber horse feed pellets and compost in one of my beds this year..

My beds have worked GREAT with garden/native soil with perlite or sand mixed on as an amendment.

Also PURE native collected soils seem to work just fine, as well...

So does "cheap potting soil/recycled soil"

 

[mrcasey]

Brent Walston had an interesting experience with soilless ground growing. Cost would be prohibitive, and some species may not like it: https://www.evergreengardenworks.com/growfast.htm

 

[Underdog]

I have a lot of clay so I amend with old mulch and used potting/bonsai soil.

 

[Cajunrider]

Pretty much anything EXCEPT bonsai soil!



I'm using re-hydrated then pulverized beet root fiber horse feed pellets and compost in one of my beds this year..

My beds have worked GREAT with garden/native soil with perlite or sand mixed on as an amendment.

Also PURE native collected soils seem to work just fine, as well...

So does "cheap potting soil/recycled soil"

May I add “Anything but pure clay!”

 

[LuZiKui]

I have a lot of clay so I amend with old mulch and used potting/bonsai soil.

This is the same for me. I basically dump all of my old soil from my potted plants and bonsai in one are of the yard and use that area for ground growing. Doesn't hurt to have some pumice/perlite/lava rock in there to help aerate the soil but other than that plants are pretty dang good at growing in the ground as long as the soil isn't terrible.

 

[BobbyLane]

Field soil/compost, I sometimes throw some old bonsai soil into the top of the planting hole.

 

[Dave704]

I hear it a lot, put the tree in the ground to let it grow and thinken the truck. But I have yet to find out what soil this should be done in? Typical bonsai free draining soil or native or organic soil?

I use equal parts native garden soil, cheap potting soil and Stalite ( because it is made 40 miles from me) or any coarse drainage. I also use large shallow grow bags for some containment of the roots.

 

[Tieball]

I use the natural soil of my land. My soil is very sandy. I can dig down 6-8 inches and it’s like pure beach sand. Most of the topmost layer is composed of years of fallen oak leaves.

 

[penumbra]

This is the same for me. I basically dump all of my old soil from my potted plants and bonsai in one are of the yard and use that area for ground growing. Doesn't hurt to have some pumice/perlite/lava rock in there to help aerate the soil but other than that plants are pretty dang good at growing in the ground as long as the soil isn't terrible.

This is what I have done for many years as well.

 

[yashu]

I use the natural soil of my land. My soil is very sandy. I can dig down 6-8 inches and it’s like pure beach sand. Most of the topmost layer is composed of years of fallen oak leaves.

Same here, I’m in the bottom of an old glacial valley.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I use the natural soil of my land. My soil is very sandy. I can dig down 6-8 inches and it’s like pure beach sand. Most of the topmost layer is composed of years of fallen oak leaves.

Ditto (but not oaks).. I feel my dirt is also "good", It has never disappointed me.

 

[Katie0317]

I planted a pre-bonsai elm and a water jasmine 'stick' on the edge of my rose garden and ignored them. They get full sun and whatever water falls from the sky. Not only have they grown but @Carol the water jasmine is already blooming! It was just stuck there after pruning the water jasmine. The water jasmine I've kept pruned and fertilized has never bloomed so this is interesting. The trunks on both have grown as if it were put on fast forward.

The elm is there only because it's a classic S shaped Chinese import. When I chose my first trees I thought that style of tree was something I should try. When I realized it was wired and shaped for import I no longer wanted it. I decided to just let it grow and will chop it when the trunk had grown out straight enough.

 

[Carol 83]

I planted a pre-bonsai elm and a water jasmine 'stick' on the edge of my rose garden and ignored them. They get full sun and whatever water falls from the sky. Not only have they grown but @Carol the water jasmine is already blooming! It was just stuck there after pruning the water jasmine. The water jasmine I've kept pruned and fertilized has never bloomed so this is interesting. The trunks on both have grown as if it were put on fast forward.

The elm is there only because it's a classic S shaped Chinese import. When I chose my first trees I thought that style of tree was something I should try. When I realized it was wired and shaped for import I no longer wanted it. I decided to just let it grow and will chop it when the trunk had grown out straight enough.

Glad it is blooming for you! A Water Jasmine in the ground here would never survive our winters.

 

[Katie0317]

Glad it is blooming for you! A Water Jasmine in the ground here would never survive our winters.

I know Carol but I'm glad you have one. Mine hasn't shown any signs of blooming but I've kept it pruned pretty tight. My husband once said, 'It looks like a topiary', and after that I stopped just pinching the big leaves and started removing the branches I won't keep removed sooner than later.

Just thought it's odd that one growing with no attention whatsoever is blooming. I hadn't even noticed it but my husband brought it to my attention. I thought it would be a 'throwaway' when I planted it there.

 

[Goodroot]

Crazy question maybe for y’all. I’m serious, though. I have LOTS of pine bark that I want to chop up for potting. I tried an old blender. It just pulverized. No matter how attentive I was. I don’t want to sit there for a week with a machete. I wouldn’t have an elbow after that. Any ideas on chopping up pine bark for soil?

 

[Glaucus]

One of the big reasons to put something in the ground is that you don't need to buy soil.
Granted, that doesn't always work out and sometimes people do make grow beds of say substrate or improved soil.
Amending bad soil may be an option. Improving soils is an entire thing.
If you have clay, you need to add larger particles to improve the structure.
If you have sand, you may want to add organic matter.
You could do a soil deposition test to see your ratio of sand, loam, and clay, and see where in the soil triangle you are.

 

[blackadam]

Crazy question maybe for y’all. I’m serious, though. I have LOTS of pine bark that I want to chop up for potting. I tried an old blender. It just pulverized. No matter how attentive I was. I don’t want to sit there for a week with a machete. I wouldn’t have an elbow after that. Any ideas on chopping up pine bark for soil?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaff_cutter maybe something like this?