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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: <bonsai-faq/part2_761584275@rtfm.mit.edu>
Followup-To: rec.arts.bonsai,alt.bonsai
Date: 21 Mar 1994 10:52:09 GMT
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Message-ID: <bonsai-faq/part2_764247107@rtfm.mit.edu>
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Keywords: FAQ Bonsai
X-Last-Updated: 11/6/93
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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