Thanks mine is indoors so I imagine that should be fine thanks

Hansen wrote: Basic bonsai soil could be any type of soil

In this context, it is what this site calls basic bonsai soil. The description is under How To / Soil.

Pumice does not break down. Akadama does, but I do see discussion whether that's good or bad. I do use it. Not for all my trees though.

If it was my indoor ficus plant, I'd just use regular potting soil from the garden center though.

My ficus retusa is thriving in Akadama, pumice and pine bark+charcoal. BUT... I'm in Brazil.

So I imagine you keep it outside. Think I’ll make a compromise and use the Akadama pumice and lava rock and add some regular potting soil

Aurora88 wrote: So I imagine you keep it outside. Think I’ll make a compromise and use the Akadama pumice and lava rock and add some regular potting soil

That would defeat the purpose of using Akadama....

(no, not planning on making it easy for you )

That’s what it it says here add potting soil for extra water renetuon or add more Akadama ha maybe I’ll just add pine bark aswell just everything

Yer that sounds good should be oknas mine is indoors what ratio do you use and how much and what kind of charcoal I read somewhere that horticultural charcoal is best as some others can be harmful thanks

In the end, your ficus will not really care what it is in, as long as it provides air, moisture and nutrients. The last you add by fertilizer. So you need a substrate that stays moist between watering, without clogging the soil. So any substrate that does this, including good quality potting soil, is good enough.

Only once you get better and better trees do you need something special. My livong room ficus has been growing perfevtly happy for over a decade in regular potting mix from the supermarket.

sorry ratios do use with this mix ?

leatherback wrote: Only once you get better and better trees do you need something special. My livong room ficus has been growing perfevtly happy for over a decade in regular potting mix from the supermarket.

Echoing LB, mine was in potting soil for about 20 years, and grew from a 2 inch/5 cm pot in the grocery store to a 16 inch /40 cm pot. Two years ago I put it in a regular bonsai mix and it is growing just as well. It stays outside when temperatures are reliably above 50F/10C and seems to have figured out that it is going to be a broom style and doesn't argue with me anymore, like it did when it was a teenager.