Just stumble on following statement:

What not to use. Haydite, turface and bark.
Root does not grow well in that mix.

Which can be read here:

www.facebook.com/groups/685141798229107/...nk/1268125579930723/

You will need access to group first.

Boon looks knowlesgable and experinced. But is he talking about pines only? Does this apply in general? Is he right at all?

Need our hardliners take on this.

spacewood wrote: Just stumble on following statement:

What not to use. Haydite, turface and bark.
Root does not grow well in that mix.

Need our hardliners take on this.

I'm not going to discuss this. There have been enough flame wars about soil mixtures.
At the Lodder open house this weekend, there was someone giving a workshop and I learned that people that do not use Akadama/Kiryu are not doing bonsai, so I think I'm not qualified.

Let me just refer to another opinion:
walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.nl/2010/06/f...atering-english.html

Thanks for getting on this, Auk. I already know about akadama wars and imagine how confusing is all this for someone like me. I would bet on not "akadama straight" approach though, for some reasons, based on my knowledge so far.

In the end, you want something that is not too acidic, nor to limey. It should drain well. Be able to keep nutrients for a bit, And stay wet ennough to keep your plants roots from drying out between watering. Everything else.. is just a believe system.

There will always be those who make ridiculous statements about everything and the world of Bonsai is no different! It should be obvious that the soil mix should be tailored towards the type of tree that is being cared for!

bonsaitreehome wrote: There will always be those who make ridiculous statements about everything and the world of Bonsai is no different!

You are right here :whistle:

bonsaitreehome wrote: It should be obvious that the soil mix should be tailored towards the type of tree that is being cared for!

But much less so here. Plants have the capacity to grow well in a very wide range of materials. As long as you can provide water and nutrients before water runs out and the tree is lacking, and the PH is right for the species (Where for all species a nutral to slight acidic soil is perfectly fine) and the plant does not drow, it does not matter much anymore.

Thanks for this - I stand corrected!!
You learn something every day!!!
Regards