Best soil less mix for Taxodium distichum

[NBPCA]

Hi all,

What are your experiences with the above tree, seeing as it likes lots of water, with the various mixes available.

I wish to repot a 40yr old swampy this year.

Discuss.

Grant

[Pup]

G,day Grant I had one for about 5 years, then my young Bonsai buddy admired it and we did a swap he did some bricklaying work and I gave him the tree.

The mix I used was as we discussed two parts Carnarvon river sand, two parts Akadama, one part coco peat.
As we were discussing this does hold too much moisture for trees that are not known for the love of water.

Cheers mate I will try to get a picture of said tree, I think there might be one in my archives.

Pup

[Grant Bowie]

G,day Grant I had one for about 5 years, then my young Bonsai buddy admired it and we did a swap he did some bricklaying work and I gave him the tree.

The mix I used was as we discussed two parts Carnarvon river sand, two parts Akadama, one part coco peat.
As we were discussing this does hold too much moisture for trees that are not known for the love of water.

Cheers mate I will try to get a picture of said tree, I think there might be one in my archives.

Pup

That would certainly hold moisture in your climate. I haven't used peat/coco peat for a long time so I could give it a go.

The Akadama will absorb some moisture; the flat surfaces of the Carnarvon river sand would keep some water by surface tension and the coco peat would also hold water.

May be too much water here in Canberra, but I have never known a swampy to say no to water.

grant

[Jamie]

gday grant, im wondering if the tree in question is a "show quality" tree or if yo are growing it on or growing branch development?

if it was a "finished" tree i would think that even though it is a water loving tree it wouldnt need the amounts as a swampying that has been growing on. i would think i diatomite/organic mix whether it was coco peat or the likes would be fine for the tree.

Jamie

[Grant Bowie]

gday grant, im wondering if the tree in question is a "show quality" tree or if yo are growing it on or growing branch development?

if it was a "finished" tree i would think that even though it is a water loving tree it wouldnt need the amounts as a swampying that has been growing on. i would think i diatomite/organic mix whether it was coco peat or the likes would be fine for the tree.

Jamie

Its a finished bonsai, quite tall, and going into a much shallower pot to show off the base flair, thickness and taper.

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So shallow enough to show it off, and move it, but not dry out too quickly in summer.

Grant

[Pup]

Grant you could try a nice suiban underneath in summer to create more humidity around the tree. Similar to what I do knowing the need for a nice presentation, is the reason of a suiban or similar with some nice white quarts under the tree.
Even some mini pedestals for the pot to sit just above the water
Just a thought, cheers Pup

[bodhidharma]

Actually in our Summer they are a little trickier than i thought. I had one wilt on me last year in the heart of 40 c and it was in a shallow pot like you are anticipating. I slipped it into a larger pot straight away and it bounced back. If you had the luxury of watering it twice a day it would be fine ( i was only watering once a day ). This year i will add more purlite into the mix and water them twice a day in Summer. Some of mine are aged tree's too.

[Grant Bowie]

Actually in our Summer they are a little trickier than i thought. I had one wilt on me last year in the heart of 40 c and it was in a shallow pot like you are anticipating. I slipped it into a larger pot straight away and it bounced back. If you had the luxury of watering it twice a day it would be fine ( i was only watering once a day ). This year i will add more purlite into the mix and water them twice a day in Summer. Some of mine are aged tree's too.

They certainly bounce back after a dry out. I try to keep it trimmed during summer but they are sooooo vigorous.

Any reason for Perlite as opposed to Diatomite/Attapulgite etc?

Grant

[Jamie]

very nice tree grant!

i would go the diatomite/peat mix like i said originally probably 60-40 mix. the diatomite hold moisture well and the peat would work a treat in keeping it that slightly more damp. would possibly need a heavier drink or twice a day if possible in summer.

i thinking the suiban would look a treat too pup, i think you are right in needing it to be out of the water if in a suiban for presentation but sitting in water it would love it all the same, possibly could put a cappilary in the drainage holes into the suiban and you would have the best of both worlds!

J.

[Grant Bowie]

Grant you could try a nice suiban underneath in summer to create more humidity around the tree. Similar to what I do knowing the need for a nice presentation, is the reason of a suiban or similar with some nice white quarts under the tree.
Even some mini pedestals for the pot to sit just above the water
Just a thought, cheers Pup

I grew it for many years in water until I was happy with the thickness of the trunk and could now try a Suiban as suggested for the humidity. Good idea.

grant

[bodhidharma]

Actually in our Summer they are a little trickier than i thought. I had one wilt on me last year in the heart of 40 c and it was in a shallow pot like you are anticipating. I slipped it into a larger pot straight away and it bounced back. If you had the luxury of watering it twice a day it would be fine ( i was only watering once a day ). This year i will add more purlite into the mix and water them twice a day in Summer. Some of mine are aged tree's too.

They certainly bounce back after a dry out. I try to keep it trimmed during summer but they are sooooo vigorous.

Any reason for Perlite as opposed to Diatomite/Attapulgite etc?

Grant

Ease of attainment Grant. I can get it of my local supplier in large, large bags for sixty dollars per bag. That makes it affordable for me to use it for all my tree's.
Is their more water retention using Diatomite?

[Grant Bowie]

Actually in our Summer they are a little trickier than i thought. I had one wilt on me last year in the heart of 40 c and it was in a shallow pot like you are anticipating. I slipped it into a larger pot straight away and it bounced back. If you had the luxury of watering it twice a day it would be fine ( i was only watering once a day ). This year i will add more purlite into the mix and water them twice a day in Summer. Some of mine are aged tree's too.

They certainly bounce back after a dry out. I try to keep it trimmed during summer but they are sooooo vigorous.

Any reason for Perlite as opposed to Diatomite/Attapulgite etc?

Grant

Ease of attainment Grant. I can get it of my local supplier in large, large bags for sixty dollars per bag. That makes it affordable for me to use it for all my tree's.
Is their more water retention using Diatomite?

Ease of accessing material is of course a major determinant in what you use, but I was just wondering.

More water retention? Don't know yet. I should have the full range of Diatomite from the different regions after this weekend and will trial them for water holding and then later for growing some Ash for a season or two.