Nothing to apologize about Anthony,


Your not stepping on anyone's toes......the topic of bonsai soil has been a long and hotly contested one. Its a kin to the argument what came first the chicken or the egg....you can debate it forever.

I think...and John can correct me if I'm wrong... what he was referring to is, you being so new to bonsai, have yet to explore all the avenues available to you in regards to soil. Being a long time veteran of the bonsai wars he, as well as others, have played with just about every ingredient for a soil out there and is in his own charming jet lagged way is trying to give you heads up on some possibly better choices.


Growing a tree is one thing. Growing a tree with optimal performance is something all together different. We as bonsai growers/artists have a finite time to achieve results. So growing in a medium that allows a tree to survive is fine...but not necessarily the best way to achieve the results your looking for.

If you have not read this ARTICLE I suggest you do...it gives good information and expounds a bit more on what I'm trying to convey

Thanks Tom for giving me the benefit of the doubt. I am once again jetlagged and reading this thread, in Bangkok no less. Um, I guess my biggest concern is that folks will read something, and then start a testimonial about the product, without having lived through the consequences of what they are advocating. Soil can take a few years to bite you, but, what the heck if it is published on the internets it must be true. Gotta go; I am going to go and claim my inheritence from a long lost associate in Nigeria- left me $100,000,000, I just have to cash a check and send the money back to free up the account- it must be true I read it on the internets .

John

Well Tom congrats on your fist soil post, man did it stray off course.

Personally I use recycled kitty litter in my mix, it already has nutrients in it and hence no need for extra fertilization.

Anthony wrote:What is Grangrit? I googled it and the only thing that comes up is a Wet Processing Facility in Baldwin IL. I don't know what that means but it sound terrifying!

The product is called Gran-I-Grit. See http://www.ncgranite.com/granigrit.aspx It is used in the poultry industry as feed suppliment for chickens and turkey. Many forms of grit for poultry contain oyster shells which are bad for bonsai due to pH changes. Gran-I-Grit is 100% granite. Be careful to avoid breathing the granite dust.

Frank

Rick moquin wrote:Well Tom congrats on your fist soil post.

Thanks Rick, I feel like a proud Pappa

Diatomite is great substitute it has a very high silica content, which a lot of plants respond very well to even to the extent of using it for ex-large cuttings, Peter has shown me the light in his success with 8-10 inch fig cuttings . Performance speaks for itself and the company is still open for business look a little harder.