Hello everyone
I just bought a beautiful juniper but after checking it , I realize that it has been planted with only dirt .
There is no Soil mix like Pumice,Akadama,Black Lava .... Only regular dirt.
Is that ok if take half of the dirt off and replace it with soil mix along with the component I described above.
What should I do ?
Thanks for your help

How is the tree doing? Pictures would be nice. You is keeping it outside, right? Junipers dont do good indoors.

In contrast to what many people think.. PLants typially cangrow in dirt. You just have to ensure your watering is adjusted. Then wait till the right season to repot, if it needs repotting.

A picture would help to give a more detailed response.

leatherback wrote:

In contrast to what many people think.. Plants typically can grow in dirt.

True fact.
After all this is what all nurseries use to...
Grow plants in it?
BUT!...
Watering organic soil (dirt) is really difficult. To keep it moist, never wet, never dry, one needs to be taking care of the plants all the time.
Like the nursery employees do every day.

Clicio wrote:

leatherback wrote:

In contrast to what many people think.. Plants typically can grow in dirt.

True fact.
After all this is what all nurseries use to...
Grow plants in it?

Or.. you know... nature?!?

Clicio wrote:

Watering organic soil (dirt) is really difficult. To keep it moist, never wet, never dry, one needs to be taking care of the plants all the time.
Like the nursery employees do every day.

Hmm, I grow in dirt because I know how to do that, been doing it for 20 years. Water one or two Times a week as needed and repot when it takes more watering. When the soil lost its water holding capacity.

I'm a little scared to shange to inorganic, because I have been told that it needs water every day (when it is not raining). And now you claim the opposite. Made me confused and curious. How often do you water?

Br
Magnus

I have pretty much stopped watering for the year. By now water needs are reduced and we get plenty of rain now. Trees are starting their prep for winter and i try to not get them wetter than needed.

But between early april and early october watering all trees effectively at least once a day. Peak summer means watering most twice a day. Exception junipers, olives, punica. They get once a day in summer.

A year ago we had this debate about soil and I switched from dirt out of the woods to akadama mix. Everything grew just fine and I have lost no trees, during a summer where we got 95-100F/35-38C from June to October and it rained twice. The big drawback is that I have to order everything and can't just grab the shovel and dig up some dirt.

During the debate most people mentioned mixing some organics in, and I did with most of the trees. Anyhow, it all worked.

In the past I have lost trees from time to time and I think root rot during winter may be a culprit and excessive soil compaction may be a culprit during the summer.

The weather just broke. Wednesday it was 95. The high today is 68F/20C and it may even rain next week.

leatherback wrote:

I have pretty much stopped watering for the year..

So you see how location is important for soil and watering; I could NEVER ever let my plants in winter go with no watering for more than two days; it's certain death around here. Even in organic soil.
As UNDER watering in the tropics is what kills most bonsai, I went the hard way and use fast draining soil, but water every day, sometimes twice a day in the spring and fall, and three times a day in the summer.
But they like it.