Bonsai Gardening Soil - Introduction

You need to know the basics of plant biology to be a better bonsai artist. Plants take care of themselves by taking in the nutrients they need to grow, similar to animals. However, plants cannot go find their nutrients, however, and must wait for the nutrients to come to them. Many nutrients are found when the plants absorb sunlight and oxygen from the air, but the soil plays an integral part in supplying the remaining nutrients.

You can find ready-made soil mixtures that will have the nutrients you need. Search your local nursery or hardware store for these. They can be more expensive and difficult to tell just what exactly is in the composition, however. If you are a beginner, this mixture will be a good start until you start controlling the soil on your own.

Most avid and advanced bonsai artists will want to mix their own soil. Bonsai trees are confined to a small pot most of the year, the soil will need to be supplemented and replaced consistently. You will want to be sure to do the same thing for your tree.

There are some apparently contradictory elements that go into maximizing the health of your tree and creating the preferred style and look that you want. The tree chosen must be a normal species and not a dwarf variety. You will want your tree to grow towards the light and be wired and shaped to create the look that you want. These competing elements will need to be precisely and strictly maintained so that you get the look you want, especially in the soil.

The bonsai soil will need to retain soil well so that it prevents drying. Dry soil is one of the fastest, most common and easiest ways to kill the bonsai. Mall-sai or bonsai bought at the local mall, are always nearly dead by the time they’re bought because they have not received nearly enough water or care.

Water is an essential part of life for all living things, but they also create the vehicle that the roots use to get the nutrients. Organic compositions that remain after the organisms decompose, humus and clay are two big ways to retain water and nutrients. Soil needs to help the roots active their nutrients, but it cannot do the job too well; soil needs to have good drainage as well. If your soil leaves too much moisture for too long, you will see root rot, fungi and more problems if the soil is compacted or the plant is too frequently watered.

You can infuse the soil with small pieces of gravel to help create a small space in the earth through which the water can travel. The water will drain throughout the soil and come out the holes in the bottom of the bonsai pot. You can also look at bonsai soil to see white chunks in the soil itself. These are called aggregates to help provide soil with the right amount of drainage.

         

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