Learn about the special soil you need for growing bonsai trees, in this free video. Expert: Mike Hansen Bio: Mike Hansen, owner of Midwest Bonsai, has been growing, caring, selling, and instructing others in bonsai care for years. Mike is an expert bonsai master.
How to Grow Bonsai Trees : What Type of Soil is Necessary for Bonsai Trees
Posted by admin on April 6th, 2011
Posted in Inside Ideas 
Tags: Bonsai, Bonsai Care, Bonsai Soil, Bonsai Trees, Grow, Growing Bonsai, Growing Trees, Midwest, Mike Hansen, Necessary, soil, trees, type, Type Of Soil, Video Expert
What soil was that you used?
so what’s the best type of soil?
@SanRafaelSwell the drainage is fairly good in this compost. I have moss in there too, and I use the moss to tell me when to water it.
@zanychimp
Technically the sand and gravel that I use (sifted to size) isn’t granite, it is quartz monzonite. It is readily available for free where I live. It has an okay porosity but it is very tough and holds up really well. I actually reuse it, sifting it out of the “waste soil” produced from repotting. Horticultural grit is sold at most good garden centers and isn’t all that expensive most of the time.
@zanychimp
If the compost isn’t both “well done”, sterilized and sifted, it could cause root rot. Bonsai soil requires good to excellent drainage. When you water the tree, the water should flow through the pot rather quickly (with in 5 seconds for a larger pot, even sooner in a small pot). Add some sort of “stony” material that is good at retaining moisture without breaking down quickly. Decomposed granite is by far my favorite choice. (cont.)
I’m growing my li’l oakie in compost. Seems like it’s doing well, but could this hurt it?
@eriklares90
To continue, I will change this recipe up a bit depending on the species. For junipers I add a little home made charcoal and for pines I use about .25 parts “plant matter” or even less.
@eriklares90
I wouldn’t recommend it because sphagnum will retain too much water and could cause root rot. A cheap substitute that seems to be gaining popularity is cat litter or oil dry (sp?). I haven’t tried either but I’ve heard good things about them. They are both forms of fired clay, something that is very similar to akadama clay. My soil mix is generally 1 part decomposed granite, 1 part horticultural grit and .5 part “plant matter” from my compost that has been sifted and boiled.
@HermodTuft
Ficus benjamina is probably the worst Ficus species for bonsai. Back budding is difficult and it is extremely apically dominant. All this adds up to difficulty when it comes to keeping foliage near the trunk. Defoliating a branch can kill the whole branch if you don’t keep a leaf or bud on the tip to draw sap. There are MUCH better species of fig to use, microcarpa being one of the best. F. benjamina is often used simply because it is easy to find.
@GraMar89
Do not continue to prune if the tree is unhealthy! I suggest buying a book for tips on care…if it looks unhealthy it could be because of it not having enough water, sunlight, watering at the wrong time a day, roots have ovrgrown, roots are rotting, fungus, instects,etc..
I’ve just started out with Bonsai Trees and it isn’t looking too healthy at the moment. Is there any kind of emergency plan, any techniques you use to reinvigorate a poorly looking tree?
Do I continue to prune or let it grow a little rough first to build itself up again.
I can’t seem to find any advice on this anywhere.
ficus benjamina is great for indoor’s bonsai, so is ficus microcarpa ginseng
i keep hearing that for a clean soil substitute you can use long strand sphagnum moss.
You can get anything tropical; Ficus is the most popular and easiest to grow, just remember that whatever plant you get indoors that it needs humidity and sunlight. If you have a green thumb go for a plant/tree with flowers for these are a little more challenging to cultivate because of humidity requirements but they’re stunning, hope this help.
ok i would like that ty
I’m British and im not hateful You will always get people of diffrent nationalities being hateful You are making out as if every ‘Brit’ is hateful how narrow minded are you…. Hateful Humans need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Just because one or two ‘Brits’ are hateful don’t mean ALL of them are.. And what do you expect anyway your comment is offensive of course you are going to get hateful remarks.
Conifer. I got one, PM, Ill Show you, I got a myspace I could show you some cool tips!
knows anyone a spiccie that i can use as a indoor bonsai tree??
bonsai bonsai bonsai
huh brits arnt hateful?
What’s funny is flowerereachnutz are both hateful BRITS. I’ve noticed most brits are.
the best to use is napa auto parts floor dry it comes in 25 pound bags an it costs 6-8 bucks a bag an its 100% diatomite an it works very good
seriously, like little children fighting.and over what?
Strangely I dont feel remotely embarrassed – - – - – lighten-up !!
@Flowreach, and werenutz:
Stop embarrassing yourselves.