Ready to use soil mix.

It arrived today and I checked it out. Based on my 35 years of bonsai enthusiast experience, I’d say it deserves 5 stars as a very good professional mix. I usually make my own soil for cost reasons, but I’m glad I bought this. If you are new to Bonsai, here is some advice regarding this soil. You already know that really can’t put bonsai trees into bonsai pots using 100% potting soil - (the typical retail store potting soil that you buy for houseplants). In general, 100% potting soil will eventually kill most bonsai trees in bonsai pots due to drainage issues. (Big pots, used for more rapid growth as training pots are a different subject, but generally speaking most types of potting soil for houseplants are nit suitable for bonsai trees in smaller pots - unless used in small amounts). This soil is vastly different than typical potting soil. It’s a combination of chunky materials, about a quarter inch or less in size, and if you use it as 100% of your soil, your trees, generally speaking, will be very happy — PROVIDED YOU ADOPT the highly attentive tree care attitude of a bonsai enthusiast. This is excellent soil for the tree - and it puts the burden on the user to properly care for the tree. That last sentence, in my opinion, is the right way to begin creating Bonsai as a hobby. Please read on... I have some tips below. If you tend to kill your houseplants through lack of knowledge and attention, this bonsai soil will not change that outcome for your bonsai. If however, you can develop a greater awareness of your trees’ needs, you can be successful and this soil will be a big help in growing trees you can be proud of. The words “greater awareness of your tree’s needs” means, on a daily basis wondering - 1) Is it too dry or too wet, and 2) on a weekly basis, does it have the nutrients it needs. — (other awareness issues like temperature, sunlight, rootbound, insects, are secondary issues to the matter at hand, as we’re talking only about the bonsai soil.) This soil drains very well and will dry out fast because (by design) it’s without much organic material to soak up water. It will strongly resist the development of a very serious common problem called root rot caused by drowning the roots in poorly draining soil. Separately, this soil, when compared to potting soil, is by design, lacking in the many nutrients bonsai need. Bonsai need added nutrients. So, to make up for what the soil does not provide, high quality slow release granules can be added periodically or high quality, heavily diluted liquid fertilizer can be used daily or weekly depending on the dilution level and instructions. If you are inexperienced, seriously consider mixing this soil with more organic material, especially if your tree is outside, out of your view, and it doesn’t rain every day. Adding more organics will help hold water and will reduce the frequency of watering and the amount of fertilizing. If you forget about watering on a sunny, hot day, it may save the tree. When adding organics, its best not to add a lot of finely powdered material like dusty peat moss. Too much water retention is unhealthy. Try to use materials that will tend to be chunky or gritty and drain, like slivers of pine bark/mulch, dried compost, dried earthworm castings, potting soil that’s not mostly peat dust or loam muck. Consider adding organics so that by volume, your additions make up to 10, 20, but not more than 30% of the final mixture. Stay away from adding 20% or 30% organics if what your adding is going to be wet muck once its in the pot. To sum it up. In my opinion, this will be a very good bonsai soil when used skillfully. If you’re new to bonsai, I think it is a well designed, robust soil to start with as your basic foundation. I suggest experimenting with this foundation by adding other materials, organic, depending upon the care requirements of the tree species, the pot, and the environment that your trees will live in. Please keep in mind that I’m not a professional, and I don’t own or work for a bonsai nursery. I’m just an enthusiast, who despite many bonsai training classes at an awesome bonsai nursery, has learned to create Bonsai the hard way.

Good stuff! My jades love it. Trying some others in it now. Its a very clean, and well ratioed mix. Be aware this isnt conventional soil, its rocks, and perlite and stuff like that. 10/10 would recommend

I am beginner bonsai plant person. I noticed my plant was getting yellow leaves. I felt the pot was a little small so after much research I decided to replant it. I watched the video with the product description and decided to order this product. My plant is so happy and it looks so healthy. I only have 2 yellow leaves and no others are turning. It has been a week and it just looks healthier. I will buy this product going forward. I have had a wonderful experience.

I read some good reviews for this product and purchased for a bonsai I am trying to grow. It takes a little while to get used to as it is not soil and the water runs right through, however the small stones and minerals hold water and the plant appears to be flourishing so I am very happy with it!

Great for plants that require good drainage. Over priced, , but what isn't ?

Nice quality

I’m really happy with this bonsai soil mix. The texture is exactly what you want for bonsai — chunky and well-aerated, not muddy or compact. Water drains through quickly but still leaves enough moisture for the roots to absorb what they need. I noticed my tree stopped staying soggy after watering, which makes me feel a lot better about preventing root rot. The mix looks clean and consistent, with good particle size (no huge sticks or dust). It’s ready to use straight out of the bag, which saves time. Definitely a solid all-purpose option whether you’re repotting or starting new bonsai projects. I would buy it again.

I too spent a year pondering what good bonsai soil is. Which mix to use. What degree of chunkiness. I'm the kind of guy who would want to mix this myself. It's not hard. But before I do, I need to recognize what good bonsai soil is. After using up eight quarts and a year of good growth with this mix, I can declare that this is "Good" bonsai soil. I'm from Houston and I mainly grow tropicals. Portulacaria Afra, Ginseng Ficus, Fukien Tea, Adeniums, Schefflera, and even a money tree. These things grow well in my neck of the woods. This soil works well with my pre-bonsais. The only thing that has died so far is a danged procumbens nana juniper but it's probably not because of the soil. I used to think it was expensive until I tried to make this by myself. This stuff is actually cheap! I thought I would save some coin making my own. It's just pine bark, turface, black lava, and pumice, the same stuff that's in this bag. How hard can it be? It's not hard at all but it takes a lot of time. It's much cheaper in regards to the materials and you can make a huge tub of this with just forty dollars, but your time may be worth more. I spent hours sifting the turface to eliminate everything that's less than 1/8". Then I spent an hour and a half sifting landscapers mix not once, but twice, to extract the right size pine bark. I can't find pumice in my area, so I'm using expanded shale instead. Home depot has red lava rock, not black lava. Red lava should be good enough except I have to take a hammer and pound it down to the right size. I have to sift it too. What the hell, it's too much work. Just buy this stuff and stop complaining about the price.

The only thing I did not like about this product is the price. Great product. I bought various different brands that are similar but this one had less dust or breakage.

Très satisfait

The product I used for two pine bonsai trees starting and it seems to be working

soil was exactly as described. Wonderful for bonsai.

It's great, I use it to make my succulent soil