Hi, so a while ago I got a lot of advice for my new tree, I'm sure you guys remember You were all very helpful!
So I ordered ingredients for my tree to repot it, and I have builder's/course sand, forest compost potting mix, granite, and then I ordered pumice but the shipping place sent me perlite.
Is perlite an okay replacement? Also, what proportions of each do you reccomend I mix in?
Coarse sand... I am not quite sure with some of these components, i use a good mixture of akadama and crushed lava rock and i kno we have our different recipies, so i could just be to picky, i am sure these ingrediants may be fine but i am not so sure about much. It would be best to clarify. It would be best to get stuff that is porous insted of granite, like lava rock, that would be good (me being picky again!!)
Coarse sand... I am not quite sure with some of these components, i use a good mixture of akadama and crushed lava rock and i kno we have our different recipies, so i could just be to picky, i am sure these ingrediants may be fine but i am not so sure about much. It would be best to clarify. It would be best to get stuff that is porous insted of granite, like lava rock, that would be good (me being picky again!!)
I did a lot of reading before I picked out my ingredients. I saw decomposed granite on multiple sources, and it was easy for me to get it, so. Sand and perlite are even listed on this website. Pumice was supposed to be my porous ingredient, but I believe perlite is porous as well, hence why I wondered if it would be an okay replacement since the place I ordered from sent the wrong thing and I'd rather not go through the effort of sending it back unless I have to.
I do have some mixture reccomendations, from a book I got and from online sources, but I figured some other opinions would help. How much organic vs inorganic should I use?
Granite does not decompose.Builders sand does not sound good to me, you can use perlite it is not the same as pumice. I don't know what you mean by forest compost mix, but it sounds ok. I would use that with perlite and nothing else. Sand is not good, you possibly need course grit, but don't fuss about it too much, the tree will do fine.
Hi, sorry, sometimes i am to picky. You generally want to create a very natural environment in a bonsai pot so you want good bacteria and soil that is steril and has no bad bacteria or fungus in it. So either you could sterilise the organic forest compost, or of you dont that os fine you you can use however much organic versus inorganic but sinse one of your organic ingredients is very water absorbant then i would not use to much of that, may i recommend a website called bonsai empire and possibly read their soil article, there are many soil ingredients, one mix including compost would be compost, fine grit and coarse grit so it is not the balance of organic and inorganic but water retentative and water draining. And even with a pot full of only inorganic soil, there are still good bacteria and organisms creating a nice environment.
The soil page on bonsai empire lists sand as an ingredient, as do both of the bonsai books I got from the library, hence why I got sand. I am aware that granite does not actually decompose, that's just what they call the rock for some reason. You can google it, I'm sure it will come up. It was also meantioned in multiple sources that I read. Pumice is also a type of lava rock, hence why i wanted it. I may have to send back the perlite and get it, then.
I do not have any akadama, but thank you for the ratio!
one thing with pumice is that one day you may come back to your house and see your soil has gone, this is due to the fact that dragons steal it, they like pumice. just joking, although, pumice is lighter than water so if you water your ficus by submerging it then the pumice with float on the surface and can float away from the pot so make sure you can gather it back, or there is no need if you water from above. also if you intend to leave the tree outside during summer than the pumice can be blown off by the wind, but pumice is a good substitute for akadama. if you wish to get akadama and don't want the tonne bagful of it, then any good bonsai nursery can scoop up any intended amount of akadama below the amount in the bag.
Builders sand is not a good idea, horticultural sand is better for any planting mix. My ficus is thriving in 50:50 sieved multipurpose compost and vermiculite, it's indoors on a warm windowsill so I prefer to have a bit more organic material so it doesn't dry out too quickly. IMO perlite is not useful - it floats to the top when watering, I don't use it at all now.
Ficus are not really that picky. I would stay away from sand, use pine bark(Evergreen GardenWorks Pine Bark Soil Amendment, available at Lowe's) and lava, pumice, or Turface, 50/50. Your ficus will love you.