Organic soil

[Stéphane Costerg]

Bonjour à tous,

je me demandais après avoir vu plusieurs fois les vidéos dédiées au rempotage quel substrat organique utiliser ?

En effet les différents types de substrats organiques que l’ on peut trouver en jardinerie ne sont pas de bonne qualité la plupart du temps.

Auriez vous un conseil  à me donner, une marque, un type de terreau ou encore les composants indispensables d’ un substrat organique de qualité ?

Merci à tous .

[Geoff Hobson]

I am using Akadama/pumice 60/40 this year, there is no organic material in it and I have never added organic. For young plants I sometimes use an ordinary potting compost but only for young trees that are being grown on.

[Stéphane Costerg]

Thank you fror your answer Geoff.

I use pomice and akadama too, with my regular bonsaï , but i asked myself if it was enough for shohin because summer are really hot in Paris and i think a bit of organic soil could help.

[Geoff Hobson]

I know that Morten uses some, but I don’t even for my mame and shohin.

[albek]

A bit of organic soil of good quality will help keep the moisture up during hot summer days. It will lower the oxygen and drainage so it is a little give and take. You win some and you lose some.

If you do not want to use organic soil, instead place the trees on a tray with gravel or a mat at the bottom. Have some water in it just reaching the bottom of the pots at hot days. Roots are able to grow out of the drainage holes and reach the water too. Used in Japan for that purpose. Placed on artificial grass mats for example. Watering from above as you do normally, and the rest is taken up from beneath. Shouldn’t be wet at all times but adds a better environment and water lasts longer.

 

 

[Stéphane Costerg]

Thank you very much Mr Albek,

it is a good idea to use a carpet to keep the ambient humidity.

And if, despite everything, I decided to use an organic substrate, would you have any advice on the choice of this one ?

Thanks .

 

 

 

[Geoff Hobson]

I meant to add that I put my small trees in a tray with gravel and water in the summer, makes a big difference with moisture levels.

[albek]

The organic soil I use is regular soil for potted outdoor plants. A little rough in structure and not compact. Every country has different brands so I can’t put a name tag on it. Just be sure it isn’t for Rhododendron (unless it is for Azaleas or Rhododendron) but a neutral soil (PH soils can be classified with PH value: 6.5 to 7.5—neutral. over 7.5—alkaline. Less than 6.5—acidic, and soils with pH less than 5.5 are considered strongly acidic. 🙂

• This reply was modified 2 years, 6 months ago by albek.

[Stéphane Costerg]

Thank you very much for your answer and all these details, it helps me a lot.

[Jakob Clark]

Morton, do you ever use all organic, or are you just putting a little in your bonsai mix?

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Jakob Clark.

[albek]

Hi Jacob

I stopped using organic soil for my established bonsai some time ago now as I didn’t find a positive effect adding it.

If you watch the last Live Q&A recorded we deal with it.

Shortly here: Organic soil is cheap and great for growing young material and plants fast where it isn’t an issue that roots grow long. It is actually a good thing that roots grow long and strong because it speeds up growth, and thickens branches and trunks.

Using harder soil types (like Akadama) is great for trees we want to have a dense ramification and slow and compact growth. Akadama divides the roots when they grow into the soil and split. That slows down growth, giving a dense root ball, leading to shorter branches and ramifikation.

Adding a bit of organic soil to the free draining Akadama soil in theory will hold water a bit better. But I have so far not noticed any difference, so I simply stopped doing it anymore.

A bit of moss at the surface during mid-summer to prevent humidity to evaporate too fast, and placing small trees in a shallow water basin does the trick in very hot weather.

Best regards

Morten

[Author]

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