AusBonsai

Hi all,
I have already done all my repotting this year and now I have 70lts of kleensorb that was delivered yesterday.
So my question is, would repotting them now into diatomite less than a month or two after first repotting into debco bonsai mix and river sand mix be a fatal decision? Or do I just show some patience and wait till there next dorment period and do it then

I have trident mapples, japanese maples, chinese elms and a japanese black pine

If the soil mix they are in now is OK, I would leave them alone.
The new root growth would be very tender & easily damaged if you repotted them again now.
If the mix is draining well, leave it until next year to repot into diatomite.
One thing to remember if you're using a mix high in diatomite is to have a good fertilizer regime. Diatomite offers nothing in the way of nutrition for your bonsai.
Mal.

Thanks Mal
Theres nothing wrong with what they are now potted into now. I just reveived my first lot of diatomite and was a little eager to use some.
Looks like im playing the waiting game.

Hi deadstar
Welcome to to the life of Bonsai

pommie_mal wrote: Diatomite offers nothing in the way of nutrition for your bonsai.
Mal.

no soil mix after a few months of being leached every day provides any sort of nutrient anyway.
when i used to use organic based mix, I still had to fertilise the same as I do now.

regardless of what substrae / soil one uses, we still have to fertilise just as much.
has anyone done any definitive tests on both scenarios?

deadstar wrote: I have trident maples, japanese maples, chinese elms and a japanese black pine

well that is a good excuse to get some tropical or spring / summer repotting trees

Ken

kcpoole wrote:

pommie_mal wrote: .

has anyone done any definitive tests on both scenarios?

Ken

Yes many times. Soil or media with a high CEC need not be fertilized as often as media with low/no CEC (eg hydroponics) which must be fed constantly.
You could leave the former for a month without noticing too much but you would see signs of starvation with the latter.

davemc wrote:Hi deadstar
Welcome to to the life of Bonsai

Im realizing that patients is my friend

kcpoole wrote:

pommie_mal wrote: Diatomite offers nothing in the way of nutrition for your bonsai.
Mal.

no soil mix after a few months of being leached every day provides any sort of nutrient anyway.
when i used to use organic based mix, I still had to fertilise the same as I do now.

regardless of what substrae / soil one uses, we still have to fertilise just as much.
has anyone done any definitive tests on both scenarios?

deadstar wrote: I have trident maples, japanese maples, chinese elms and a japanese black pine

well that is a good excuse to get some tropical or spring / summer repotting trees

Ken

Theres a nugget of gold in there ken. Im going to have to get some more trees. Just have to figure out how to hide them from the better half