Base Substrate Mix

$10.08
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This is the soil mix we use in the nursery to ensure our Bonsai grow vigorously and stay healthy. It is a standard mix used to ensure drainage, aeration and just enough moisture retention. 

Depending on the Bonsai or Pre-Bonsai being potted we add substrates like Akadama, Pumice, Lava Rock, Vermiculite, Perlite, Kanuma and others. But this is the basis for most of the substrate mixtures we use and recommend. 

 

Base Substrate Mix:

  • 60% Sphagnum Peat Moss
  • 20% Perlite
  • 10% Crushed Dolomite for acidity balance
  • 5% Rooting Agent 
  • 5% Mycorrhiza

Soil (Substrate)

Bonsai soils are usually a mixture of organic potting compost (Pine Bark or Forest Floor), Akadamapumice, lava rock in varying amounts. 

It is important for the soil have good water retention while also draining well, along with very good aeration. The quality of the soil directly affects the health, size and growth of your tree. One of the worst things you can do to your tree is plant it in regular garden soil. Garden soil hardens when it drys and can often lead to a disadvantage when growing a Bonsai. 

Soil mixtures can be purchased here, but given their weight and cost of shipping, you can also easily make your own. 

 

Depending on the type of Bonsai you're growing, here are the general formulas for successful mixtures. 

Deciduous Tree (Leafy and looses leafs in the fall)

50% Akadama

20% Pumice

20% Lava Rock

10% Potting Compost

 

Coniferous Tree (Evergreen like Juniper, Cedar)

1/3 Akadama

1/3 Pumice

1/3 Lava Rock

 

If you are not able to check on your Bonsai's moisture levels daily, add more Akadama to the mix. 

Given how these soils erode over time, repotting every 2-3 years is required. 

 

Here are some suitable replacements if you cannot find the recommended types of soil.

  • Akadama - fine fired or baked clays, some even recommend cat litter as a substitute. 
  • Pumice - fine crushed aggregates, expanded shale and vermiculite.
  • Lava Rock - This can be replaced with fine gravel or you can also look into purchasing a larger lava rock at a hardware or gardening centre and crushing it. 

 

Fertilizer

One of the best and easiest ways to fertilize your Bonsai, is to add a liquid fertilizer mix when water your Bonsai's once a month during the spring/summer. If your Bonsai looses leaves in the winter there is no need to fertilize it then. If you have a coniferous tree, fertilizing the tree once in the beginning of winter and once in the middle of winter should be sufficient.

  

Customer Reviews

Based on 13 reviews
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E
Edralin Brucal (Winnipeg, CA)

We love the plants going to post it on tiktok so my followers can see and hoping they fell in love with it like I do

S
Samantha (Kitchener, CA)
Perfect

Just as pictured, great quality and quantity

J
Jasmeet Matharu (Stoney Creek, CA)
Amazing

The mix is amazing my jade plant feels so alive and refreshed

K
Karlynn Wakulchyk (Calgary, CA)

Excellent for my bonsai

J
Jim Anderson (Kemptville, CA)
Mix

Good stuff.

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