Purchase bonsai soil mix?

Question

Hi, I have a 12 year old black olive bonsai. I would like to re-soil it, but i'm not sure where to buy the soil. All i know is I know something "Sandy, gritty, and fast draining"

What websites are good? Which things should i mix together, and at what proportions?

Also, my style has some exposed roots. there used to be some white stuff... like styrofoam or paper or something, that was tucked under the roots and covered by soil. what was that? was it for shipping purposes, or do i need to buy some of that too?

Thaaaaaaaaaanks

Answer 1

Since you won't be needing a lot of soil, mixing your own probably isn't worth the trouble. You'd need to buy fairly large bags of material and end up with a lot of soil.

You could check at some local garden centers, some of them carry pre mixed soil in small bags.

As for online, try Dallas Bonsai - their prices are reasonable, product quality is excellent and shipping charges are ok. They have a very good soil called fujiyama. Here's the link -

http://www.dallasbonsai.com/store/fujiya...

The white stuff you mention may be pearlite, a soil additive, if it looks like small white gravel. If you found a chunk of styrofoam, some growers use it to help keep the roots in position so they will spread out. Either way - nothing you have to buy, pre mixed soil doesn't need additives and/or you shouldn't need to force the roots apart if they are already at the surface.

Answer 2

http://www.american-bonsai.com/product_i...

Here's a link to soil that this artist/grower mixes. Look at the rest of the link for a look at the plants he grows. I seems like that "white stuff" was there to help shape the roots just like wires are used to direct the growth of trunks and limbs.

Answer 3

http://astore.amazon.com/discount-home-p...

Good luck.

Answer 4

the white stuff was probably perlite. It's some kind of processed lava stone.  It helps keep the soil fast draining.  go to a local garden store or lowes or home depot, and look at the potting mixes they have.  shipping would be really expensive for potting soil.  get something without a lot of peat moss which will tend to hold water.