Organic bonsai

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hey Steven, what about an Organic section on the board? Feeding, Pest and disease control etc. Chemical free or low chemical input can be achieved and be highly successful in bonsai cultivation. We need a place to share methods and bust some myths. Progressions of our research, so the skeptics take the plunge. Put your hands up people, who wants it?

Mojo Moyogi

[bodhidharma]

My hands up

[MattA]

Both hands & feet up

[Mitchell]

Tis' an interesting idea. I would certainly read and try to contribute to said forum.

[Mojo Moyogi]

Is there bonsai growers among the forum members that are going non chemical/low chemical? It is not going to suit everyone situation, many people have time constraints which prevent them implementing anything like this, it is quite an investment in that regard. There are definitely quality benefits for your trees in the long term, there are time and money savings to be had also.

[Jamie]

i use diatomite as my mix(being inert) but recently have been only using organic ferts for my trees lately, i think it has helped quite a lot.

[craigw60]

Hi Mojo,
Good idea.
Craig

[alpineart]

Hi Fella's i dont use chemicals and i dont have pest , dont have deseases so i dont treat .Yes trees die usually because someone has overwatered or underwatered {it wouldn't be me }usually when i get my trees looked after , or i have the incorrect potting medium . My bonsai mix consists of Scoria , pine bark and sifted potting mix . I use seasol monthly and tomatoe starter food 1- 3 monthly and good old U.V treated H 2 O . .Cheers

[Jamie]

im not sure of the link between not using chemicals and healthy trees but i very much agree that a healthy tree is a lot more resistant to pest and disease, i have hardly used chemical pesticides or the likes and when i have i actually lost the trees that got sprayed. so i tend to stay away from them as much as possible.

the ones i have noticed affected the worst from the sprays are junipers, so when i have had problems i try natural products, which can take longer to work but i feel it is safer.


jamie

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi alpineart, great to hear that you are going natural, it woul;d be great if we could hear about your methods in more detail. When you say UV treated water, do you mean to kill pathogens in water that you were able to recycle, or to remove chlorine from town water?

Jamie, I have been proactive by staying on top of pest control this season. I had a heavy aphid infestation on a couple of Japanese Quinces in September, I treated with Beat-a-Bug, which is Chilli, Garlic and Pyrethrum. Stopped the problem early using a treatment that is non chemical, although it is harmful to beneficial bugs, which is why I went early with it, before Ladybird activity had begun. By the time I saw aphids start to appear on Japanese and Trident Maples, the Ladybirds and small native birds that are in my garden in spring were doing the pest control job for me. You couldn't achieve this if there were residual chemicals from previous sprays.

Cheers
Mojo Moyogi

[bodhidharma]

Here is a hint for Aphids. I have honeysuckles around which the aphids love and they do not appear to hurt the honeysuckle and they keep the aphids of everything else. Then in come the lady bugs and take care of the Aphids

[MattA]

Mojo, i use organic ferts with all my plants. As for pest control the only thing i do use is home made white oil. It is used on my Kaffir to control leaf minor and a quince that scale loves. What few occasional grasshoppers & caterpillars are cleaned up by my hens and hence why i remain chemical free in all my gardening.

I have heard of the chilli garlic mix before, it is really good around the vege & herb garden & the roses seem to love it, tho they also seem to love growing with chillis around them. Improved perfume, strength & quantity of blooms as well as general bush health. I guess the chilli does the same to other plants as it does to us, helps boost the natural systems. Are you growing & extracting your own pyrethrum or buying a ready made product?

Matt

[craigw60]

Could someone please explain to me the what is involved in mining and treating diatomite is this detrimental to the environment ? Other than this product I use no other chemicals on my trees or in the garden. Any plant which has repeated problems gets discarded. Each year the disectum maples in the garden get a massive aphid attack but after a few weeks they have gone and the trees repair themselves. The only problem I have dealt with in the past is pine mite which can be fixed with sunlight soap and warm water.
Craig

[Jamie]

gday craig

i would like to know what this sunlight soap is? is it like natrasoap?

also im not sure of the efects on the environment of the mining of diatomite but it has a lot of other uses than bonsai and beleive it would be similar to other minerals that are mined for industries.

jamie

[Mojo Moyogi]

I am liking the responses, it seems plenty of bonsai growers are being natural .

Diatomite is mined, mining is a dirty business, but, so is logging and plantation pine is used to produce proprietary potting mixes. Diatomite is said to be re-usable if used straight, so there is green potential there I guess. Akadama I have read is dug out of old Cyptomeria forests from about 10 feet down. Call me old fashioned, but isn't that where the old Cryptomerias should be living, or at least their seeded offspring?

Cheers
Mojo Moyogi