Path: bloom-beacon.mit.edu!senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv From: bartlone@zeke.med.ge.com (Michel Bartolone) Newsgroups: rec.arts.bonsai,alt.bonsai,news.answers,rec.answers,alt.answers Subject: The rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ: Part2 Supersedes: Followup-To: rec.arts.bonsai,alt.bonsai Date: 21 Mar 1994 10:52:09 GMT Organization: none Lines: 288 Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Expires: 18 Apr 1994 10:51:47 GMT Message-ID: References: Reply-To: bartlone@colossus.med.ge.com NNTP-Posting-Host: bloom-picayune.mit.edu Keywords: FAQ Bonsai X-Last-Updated: 11/6/93 Originator: faqserv@bloom-picayune.MIT.EDU Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu rec.arts.bonsai:3496 alt.bonsai:1487 news.answers:16645 rec.answers:4515 alt.answers:2161 Archive-name: bonsai-faq/part2 Name: Part2 Version: 2.2 LastUpdate: 11/6/93 13:37:19 Section 5 -- Soils Special thanks to Reji Martin for most of the following section on soils. There has been some discussion of whether one single type (or size?) of soil could actually be used from top to bottom in a pot, but I don't think there is a definite answer as of yet. So, as a general guideline, this info is widely accepted. BONSAI SOILS A good general rule of thumb for all trees is a uniform mix of loam, peat, & sand. A good mix (or compost) should be well-balanced. The proportions of each will change according to the species of tree. For instance, pines & junipers will prefer a mix which is principally sand; rhododendrons & azaleas like a peaty compost; while fruity & flowering trees like plenty of loam. A good suggestion is to try to match the original soil(s) the tree came with, if possible. If not, the following chart will help: NOTE: The sand should be a coarse, grit-like substance to promote good drainage! TYPE SPECIES SAND PEAT LOAM General mix Most varieties 2 1 1 Pine/Juniper 4 1 0 Conifer mix Cypress, & other conifers 3 1 1 General deciduous mix 2 1 1 Fruit/Flower mix 1 1 2 Lately I have been experimenting with soil mixtures, which seems to be the best way to understand them. It became quite obvious to me that some of my trees had been set back a year's growth because the soil wasn't right. There was very little new root growth. When I transplanted them into a good mix, the new root growth was triple the amount of old root! Good drainage is extremely important, as the roots require some air too! I have been covering the base of the pot with small gravel and then adding the proper mix for the particular tree; and, to top it off, I use a finely-sifted loam to promote moss growth. A proper soil mix will allow for drainage while holding enough moisture for the plant without causing root rot, etc. (Editor's note: The fine soil on the top should be a VERY thin layer and is only really there to allow moss a good footing.) \\ || // \\|||/ \|||| /-----------------------||||-----------------------------\ Fine |::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::| |--------------------------------------------------------| Mix |;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;| |;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;| |--------------------------------------------------------| Gravel |o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/| |o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/| | ---------------------------------------------- | | | | | |_____| |_____| Experimentation and observation is the best way to find the right soil mix for your tree(s). If you are in doubt use the above mentioned 'General mix'. Pines and junipers can be as much as 70-80% sand! Also, it has been noted that many (most?) Bonsai nurseries now carry prepackaged bonsai soil which can be used as is, or modified for your specific trees. Section 6 -- JUNIPERS The Juniper is one of the most recognized bonsai specimens and is frequently the first bonsai purchase many newcomers make. Junipers do make very fine bonsai. Although they are not 'difficult' bonsai to manage, they are frequently 'mistreated' and therefore do not last long. We have gotten LOTS of questions about "brown junipers" and what 'first aid' you might give them. Well, we hate to break the news to you, but, if you have a brown juniper, it is probably dead. Don't get too depressed; even the best have lost a tree...or 5...or 10. The most common mistakes made with junipers are over watering AND lack of sufficient sunlight. Junipers are outdoor trees. If you have no way to grow them outside, find some nice person who knows about bonsai and can give them a good home. If you want to try a juniper anyway, make sure it gets plenty of sun, don't over water it, and make sure it gets plenty of air. If you have an ailing juniper, and if you have managed to catch it early enough, you may want to remove the tree from its pot and bare-root it. Then repot it in pure sand. This is an extreme measure. Your best bet, if you do want to attempt to save your tree, is to take it to a bonsai club or reputable dealer/supplier. Section 7 -- Indoor bonsai Many people make the mistake of assuming that since bonsai is in a pot, it must be kept indoors. Some people get into bonsai just because they want to have a tree inside. Most of the trees you will see in the books and magazines, however, are actually kept outdoors most, if not all, of the year. Any tree you get which is native or "zone hardy" in your area should be kept outdoors. There are many trees which may be "outdoor" trees in tropical or semi-tropical places, but do well indoors given the proper care. Windows block a great deal of light...a great deal more than you would imagine. Also, unless you have an attached greenhouse, the sun will be getting blocked off for at least part of the day due to walls, the roof, etc. I would suggest getting some extra lights for your trees. I got an inexpensive "shop light" fixture, a timer, and two bulbs (one is warm spectrum, one is a "cool white"). Total cost was about 25 dollars. I leave the light on from 14 to 16 hours per day, and keep my plants as close as possible to the tubes. Indoor plants also need different watering schedules than outdoor trees. In the summer, when most outdoor trees are growing vigorously and have nice warm breezes and a nice bright sun, they will usually need to be watered everyday. Indoor bonsai are in very different conditions. A special thank you to Hud Nordin for the following list of indoor bonsai. In Dorothy Young's "Bonsai: the Art and Technique", for warm indoor temperatures (65-75 daytime), she suggests: Auraucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine) Bougainvillea glabra Brassaia actinophylla (Schefflera) Calliandra emaginate (powder-puff) Carissa grandiflora (Natal plum) Ceratonia Siliqua (Carob) Citrus Limon (lemon) Crassula argenta (jade tree) Cuphea hyssopifolia (elfin herb) Cycas revoluta (cycad) Ehretia microphylla (fukien tea) Ficus Aurea (strangler fig), F. benjamina, deltoidea, microcarpa, neriifolia, pumila, runignosa [big win in the fig family!] Grevillea robusta (silk oak) Hedera helix (ivy) Lagerstroemia indica (crape myrtle) Malpighia coccigera & glabra (miniature holly & Barbados cherry) Myrtus communis (Greek myrtle) Olea europaea (olive) Pithecellobeum flexicaule (Texas ebony) Punica granatum (pomegranate) Pyracantha coccinea, fortunaea, koidzumii (everlasting thorn, Chinese fire thorn, Formosa fire thorn) Sageretia thea (sageretia) Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian pepper) Serissa foetida (serissa) Severinia buxifolia (Chinese box orange) Syzygium paniculatum (brush cherry) 60 F - 65 F Daytime Temperatures Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island pine) Brassaia actinophylla (Schefflera) Calliandra emarginata (dwarf powder puff) Ceratonia siliqua (carob tree) Chamaecyparis pisifera, thyoides (Sawara cypress, dwarf white cedar) Cotoneaster microphyllus (Chinese cotoneaster) Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar) Cupressus arizonica, macrocarpa, sempervirens (Arizona, Monterey, Italian cypress) Cycas revoluta (cycad) Ficus benjamina, carica, deltoidea, microcarpa, nerrifolia, pumila, rubignosa (figs) Gardenia jasminoides (common gardenia) Hedera helix (English ivy) Ilex crenata, vomitoria (Japanese, Yaupon holly) Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens, squamata (procumbent, prostrate juniper) Ligustrum japonica (Japanese privet) Murraya paniculata (Orange jasmine) Myrtus communis (Greek myrtle) Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) Olea europea (European olive) Pithecellobium flexicaule (Texas ebony) Pittosporum tobira (Mock orange) Podocarpus macrophyllus (Buddhist pine) Polyscias balfouriana, fruticosa (Balfour, ming aralia) Punica granatum (pomegranate) Pyracantha coccinea, fortuneana, koidzumii (everlasting thorn, Chinese fire thorn, Formosa fire thorn) Rhododendron indicum, kiusianum (satsuki, kyushu azalea) Sageretia thea (sageretia) Serissa foetida (serissa) Severinia buxifolia (Chinese box orange) Ulmus parvifolia (Chinese elm, especially the Catlin) Cool (40 F - 60 F) Daytime Temperatures (Bring indoors in winter, and take them outdoors in the spring.) Buxus microphylla and sempervirens (boxwood) Chaenomeles japonica (Japanese flowering quince) Chamaecyparis obtusa, pisifera, thyoides (Hinoki, Sawara cypress, dwarf white cedar) Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cedar) Ilex crenata (Japanese holly) Juniperus chinensis var. procumbens, squamata (procumbent, prostrate juniper) Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) Pyracantha angustifolia, coccinea (fire thorn, everlasting thorn) Rhododendron indicum, kiusianum (satsuki, Kyushu azalea) Thuja occidentalis (American arborvitae) Ulmus parvifola (Chinese elm) Section 8 -- Clubs, Associations Clubs and Associations ------------------------- *Please have your club included here! It is NOT for vanity purposes, its for the new people to find your group!* Bonsai Institute of California PO Box 6268 Whittier, CA 90609 USA Bonsai - Zentrum Muenster Wolfgang Klemend Weselerstr. 57 D-4400 Muenster Germany (note: Club AND Nursery) Svenska Bonsais{llskapet c/o Margit K}berger Kornbodsg. 27 S-724 81 V{ster}s Sweden Milwaukee Bonsai Society P.O. Box 198 Brookfield WI 53008-0198 USA Meetings begin at 7:00pm the first Tuesday of each Month from Feb-Nov. McCarty Park Pavilion 2567 S. 79th St., West Allis, WI Midwest Bonsai Society P. O. Box 1373 Highland Park, IL 60035 Meets 1st Monday of the month at the Chicago Botanical Society Gardens in Glencoe, IL. Albuquerque Bonsai Club P.O. Box 6979 Albuquerque, NM 87197 Meets 1st Wednesday each month Connie Gardner, president (505) 268-6284 Prairie State Bonsai Society (formerly Morton Arboretum Bonsai Society) P. O. Box 2634 Glen Ellyn, IL 60138-2634 Meets 4th Monday of the month at College of DuPage. San Diego Bonsai Club, Inc. PO Box 40037 San Diego, CA 92164 (619) 231 - 9899 Meets 2nd Sunday each month in Rm 101, Casa del Prado, Balboa Park at 11am. End of Section 8 -- Clubs, Associations End of part 2 of 5 of the rec.arts.bonsai/alt.bonsai FAQ Continued in part 3