The type of bark mulch is use in my bonsai soil mix and why I like it. Sifting bags of bark is certainly not glamorous, but it’s worth it for the health of the trees. / bonsai_echo
Hello! Thank you for this video. I just picked up some pine bark mulch today and am hoping to sift it as you did. I have a quick question. Do you wash the mulch, or do anything else to it before using in bonsai? I have some Perlite, and also very small clay type rocks (recommended by Nigel at KW Bonsai) that I plan to mix in with the mulch. I'd be curious what your mix is for bonsai soil... I have to stop buying the premium pre-mixed. My wallet can't take it! Take care, and hope that Juniper works out :)
Hey David 🙋🏻♂️. I don’t wash my soil components anymore. I’m fine with the little bit of dust that sifting doesn’t quite get rid of. My standard soil mix is 50/50 pine bark mulch and pumice/lava.
I’ve not used kitty litter before. I’ve used similar components such as Turface or oil absorbent granules. There is typically a large amount of waste in the form of fines that are sifted out when I’ve used those. Once sifted, they both are easily mixed with other components and do have decent water retention properties. I keep Bonsai in a climate that is consistently wet for most of the year with only a month or two of dry and warm weather, so I don’t have a great need for water retention. I do need more drainage and air circulation, so I’ve moved away from kitty litter type components to a very simple pumice and bark mix on top of a good drainage layer of coarse pumice.
It is a smaller particle of bark used for bonsai purposes. I have only seen termites attack larger pieces of wood. The watering of the bonsai also makes it less likely that termites would stay in the bark soil mix very long.
River Road Landscape Supply in Puyallup, WA. It’s the closest place for pumice for me. I can get scoria (red lava) many other places though. Wish I had a closer source for black lava.
You can. There are those who say that cedar mulch can inhibit plant growth since the wood is known to be naturally rot resistant. I prefer fir bark when I can’t find pine bark.
It’s sifted cheap stuff from the blue store. Always seems to be on sale whenever I buy it. Link is below if you want to see more about it. www.lowes.com/pd/Swanson-Bark-Wood-Products-2-cu-ft-Brown-Pine- Bark-Mulch/1000373283
Hey. Did I miss a question from you earlier? I attempt to answer questions soon after I see them, but that doesn’t always happen since I’m not really on here that much nowadays. I do use pine bark in bonsai soil. Sifted well to remove dust and if possible not used in a bonsai pot until the next year so it has time to breakdown a bit more. In the meantime, I use it in growing pots with plants that are getting heavy amounts of nutrients. Some bark is a bit more composted than other types. Using the less composted bark does mean also providing more nutrients since the process of the organics breaking down can drain some nitrogen.
I usually buy it from online retailers. This year I decided to buy a larger amount and went with Alibaba so it came straight from the manufacturer in the Middle Kingdom.
I don’t use akadama. It is touted as “magic Bonsai dirt”, but I have found that it is expensive, typically has a great deal of dusty fines, and can be difficult to source for me locally. My mix of choice is pumice or lava rock with pine bark. All sifted. I can get those components locally with ease for a great price and the roots love it!
That bark is not composted, it robs nitrogen as it composts in your pot. I still use it...lol Better off getting the orchid for bark from the big box stores, but the quantity for the price can’t be beat
@@BonsaiEcho those days i was searching for composted pine bark but in local store i found only pine bark. I am wondering if i can use in a mix with perlite. Maybe add some river gravel. for mugo pine. As you said it will use nitrogen so i need to fertilize a bit more. Is this only minus or problem ? Or there will be something else?
That mix can be ok for pines. I suggest using less bark for pines and making sure it is very well sifted. If you have access to pumice, that would be a good replacement for the perlite.
@@BonsaiEcho thanks. Well, i need only fertilize a but more for a year or so. It will have a lot of air in it which should be good. This mix will retain quite a lot water probably. I will see if i can find pumice. Many people also suggest lava rock but again hard to find it here.
I use boons mix, you can get it at superfly bonsai. Add what you like to it, but as a stand alon mix. It works amazing! It’s actually cheaper to buy the akadama, black volcanic roc and pumice in huge bags and mix yourself! Also I found this stuff locally to me called espoma soil perfector. It’s essentially shale or slate, has air holes in in and goes a long way!!!
Keep the videos coming!!!
You got it!🤙🏼
I just asked about this mulch on a different vid. then this one came up. You have alot of vids, I like all of them so far!
More on the way. Probably general update Friday to catch up since I’ve been out for so long.
oh where can i get a sifter like that. ok I'm impressed. you can even sift dirt neatly.. so jealous! left a like
Look online for Bonsai soil sifter
Awesome channel!
Do a bonsai soil mix video soon please!
I gotta make a bunch soon. I’ll try to work in a video for it.
Hello! Thank you for this video. I just picked up some pine bark mulch today and am hoping to sift it as you did. I have a quick question. Do you wash the mulch, or do anything else to it before using in bonsai? I have some Perlite, and also very small clay type rocks (recommended by Nigel at KW Bonsai) that I plan to mix in with the mulch. I'd be curious what your mix is for bonsai soil... I have to stop buying the premium pre-mixed. My wallet can't take it! Take care, and hope that Juniper works out :)
Hey David 🙋🏻♂️.
I don’t wash my soil components anymore. I’m fine with the little bit of dust that sifting doesn’t quite get rid of. My standard soil mix is 50/50 pine bark mulch and pumice/lava.
Where did you pick up that Swanson's Pine Bark Mulch? I got some of their Fir Bark Mulch at the Auburn Lowe's but would rather get the Pine version.
I find it at the Bonney Lake Lowe’s, but I’d think it could be found in spring at most Lowe’s around here. It’s often gone for the year by summer.
@@BonsaiEcho thanks for the info. I'll be sure to get some next spring if I haven't found something similar by then.
Excellent video, where do you buy the wire? I live on small town and is hard and expensive to buy. Just started with bonsai.
Glad you are enjoying the channel. I order my supplies from online retailers like dallasbonsai.com and easternleaf.com.
Hello, thanx as always for making videos. Question, i see some bonsai enthusiasts use kitty litter (mix) as soil. What's your take?
I’ve not used kitty litter before. I’ve used similar components such as Turface or oil absorbent granules. There is typically a large amount of waste in the form of fines that are sifted out when I’ve used those. Once sifted, they both are easily mixed with other components and do have decent water retention properties. I keep Bonsai in a climate that is consistently wet for most of the year with only a month or two of dry and warm weather, so I don’t have a great need for water retention. I do need more drainage and air circulation, so I’ve moved away from kitty litter type components to a very simple pumice and bark mix on top of a good drainage layer of coarse pumice.
Hi.. using Pine Bark for Bonsai medium its safe from termite attack?
It is a smaller particle of bark used for bonsai purposes. I have only seen termites attack larger pieces of wood. The watering of the bonsai also makes it less likely that termites would stay in the bark soil mix very long.
Hello fellow Pacific Northwesterner, where do you get your pumice?
River Road Landscape Supply in Puyallup, WA. It’s the closest place for pumice for me. I can get scoria (red lava) many other places though. Wish I had a closer source for black lava.
Can you use Cedar Mulch for bonsai instead of Pine? I can only find Cedar around my area.
You can. There are those who say that cedar mulch can inhibit plant growth since the wood is known to be naturally rot resistant. I prefer fir bark when I can’t find pine bark.
What brand mulch is that? Size looks pretty good
It’s sifted cheap stuff from the blue store. Always seems to be on sale whenever I buy it. Link is below if you want to see more about it.
www.lowes.com/pd/Swanson-Bark-Wood-Products-2-cu-ft-Brown-Pine-
Bark-Mulch/1000373283
@@BonsaiEcho thanks. I'll check it out.
Hey pal, do you put pinebark inside the bonsai soil? YES or no?
Hey. Did I miss a question from you earlier? I attempt to answer questions soon after I see them, but that doesn’t always happen since I’m not really on here that much nowadays. I do use pine bark in bonsai soil. Sifted well to remove dust and if possible not used in a bonsai pot until the next year so it has time to breakdown a bit more. In the meantime, I use it in growing pots with plants that are getting heavy amounts of nutrients. Some bark is a bit more composted than other types. Using the less composted bark does mean also providing more nutrients since the process of the organics breaking down can drain some nitrogen.
@@BonsaiEcho Oh Thanks for explaining. Sorry if I was a bit abrupt, I had your channel confused with another person that does Bonsai also. My bad.
Where do u get the wire for ur trees
I usually buy it from online retailers. This year I decided to buy a larger amount and went with Alibaba so it came straight from the manufacturer in the Middle Kingdom.
Do you use akadama?
I don’t use akadama. It is touted as “magic Bonsai dirt”, but I have found that it is expensive, typically has a great deal of dusty fines, and can be difficult to source for me locally. My mix of choice is pumice or lava rock with pine bark. All sifted. I can get those components locally with ease for a great price and the roots love it!
That bark is not composted, it robs nitrogen as it composts in your pot. I still use it...lol
Better off getting the orchid for bark from the big box stores, but the quantity for the price can’t be beat
That’s one of the reasons why fertilizing is so important. Also one of the reasons why I recycle/reuse bonsai soil.
@@BonsaiEcho those days i was searching for composted pine bark but in local store i found only pine bark.
I am wondering if i can use in a mix with perlite. Maybe add some river gravel. for mugo pine.
As you said it will use nitrogen so i need to fertilize a bit more. Is this only minus or problem ? Or there will be something else?
That mix can be ok for pines. I suggest using less bark for pines and making sure it is very well sifted. If you have access to pumice, that would be a good replacement for the perlite.
@@BonsaiEcho thanks.
Well, i need only fertilize a but more for a year or so. It will have a lot of air in it which should be good. This mix will retain quite a lot water probably. I will see if i can find pumice. Many people also suggest lava rock but again hard to find it here.
I use boons mix, you can get it at superfly bonsai. Add what you like to it, but as a stand alon mix. It works amazing! It’s actually cheaper to buy the akadama, black volcanic roc and pumice in huge bags and mix yourself!
Also I found this stuff locally to me called espoma soil perfector. It’s essentially shale or slate, has air holes in in and goes a long way!!!