Several years ago I wrote about bonsai soil in a post titled “All about akadama.” (If you haven’t read it, you can check it out here.) I continue to get questions on the topic so I thought I’d provide a few updates. Q. What is baked akadama and is it useful for bonsai? Baked akadama […]
Soil
What to do when akadama is in short supply
Akadama, particularly when mixed with other media, is a great medium for growing bonsai (see “All about akadama” for details). Over the course of the last year, akadama has become harder to come by for several reasons: Global demand has increased. Mining slowed down due to heavier than normal rainfall. Shipping congestion has delayed shipments. […]
What kind of soil should I use for my bonsai?
I hear the question a lot, and it’s a good one. In my garden, I use mixes based on the species I’m growing and my development goals for the tree. I make adjustments for the health of the tree, my budget, and the availability of the ingredients I’d like to use. If I’m working with […]
Where do roots like to grow? A look inside the pot
For as important as roots are to healthy bonsai, we don’t often get a good look at how they grow in the pot. Few containers offer a view at what’s going on inside and we often disturb the roots with sickles or chop sticks when removing trees from their containers. I got a particularly good […]
Where lava rock comes from
On a recent vacation, I had the opportunity to visit a mine that produces scoria. Scoria is the proper name for lava rock. The locals, however, refer to it as “cinder” – an older name for the substrate. Unsurprisingly, the mine itself is a big hole in the ground. Scoria mine The scoria is scooped […]