AusBonsai

This one is mainly for the Coasties! but feel free to jump in if you have some inside knowledge.

I'm looking to get some decent material from around the coast to make my own soil mixs.

So here's a shopping list... If anyone knows a good source for any or all of these I'd appreciate your Help.

Preference is to find it in bulk rather than just by the bag but I'll take what I can get.

1. Good Quality Course river sand. 2-3 MM
2. 5-10mm scoria
3. pumice
4. Fine Pine bark 5 to 10mm size pieces. (or possibly orchid / azalea type mix)
5. Gravel that is use in Freshwater aquariums - most I've seen seems to be 3-4mm in size and tends to have a highish quartz content.

Would appreciate any suggestions on a Quality Potting mix also if anyone gets it locally in bulk!.

Thanking you in advance!

I am not remotely educated enough in soil mix to offer any assistance as I buy my soil mix from Bonsai Art in Terrey Hills. For my stock I have never had any problems with their mix and have been doing so all my life. I just can't be bothered fiddling around to make my own.

I would suggest either coming along to the central coast bonsai society meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of every month and ask our members...
https://centralcoastbonsai.org.au/

Otherwise give Bonsai World a call, at Jilliby....
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=19585

Thanks Rory for the reply.

I have use the Soil from Bonsai Art before and have no problems with it. It was very convenient to pick up when I was working at French forest.

I've been using Ray Nesci's mix as well and it's been very good. For those on the coast you can pick up from Impact plants at Empire bay. They seem to be keeping some stock of the soil as well as a nice little selection of pots and starter trees.

I mainly want to obtain some of these material so I can adjust the mixes as required and find I need to add more gravel for drainage based on my location.

For anyone who is interested I have been able to source a range of scoria grades from Narara Valley Nursery. Around the 7-10mm grade being the smallest I've found so far.

Cheers

Duckbed wrote: I've been using Ray Nesci's mix as well and it's been very good. For those on the coast you can pick up from Impact plants at Empire bay. They seem to be keeping some stock of the soil as well as a nice little selection of pots and starter trees.

So you're telling me that I don't need to drive all to way to Rays to get some of his dirt?

Thats the dirt on rays dirt!

You can get fine grades of pine bark from GardenCityPlastics on the Central Coast.

http://www.gardencityplastics.com/Besgrow/OrchiataBark

That's the entire range of orchid pine bark they have available. I've never used this particular grade, however the precision 3-6mm seems ideal. I myself use about 10+mm pine bark/charcoal mix that's purposed for orchids, as I haven't been able to find anything finer in Sydney.

EDIT: It seems they only allow purchase in bulk, however i'd be willing to buy a couple of bags off you if you ended up bulk buying

Hey mate,
I'm up in Forster but u should be able to find what I use down there! I get 5mm scoria through a pet store, it comes from a company called Pisces. I also buy blue metal and river sand from a landscape place for $5 a bag which I sift and wash. I then mix these with a bit of perlite, a handful of zeolite and sifted potting/seed raising mix! Easy huh[SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND SMILING EYES]

Truth wrote:You can get fine grades of pine bark from GardenCityPlastics on the Central Coast.

http://www.gardencityplastics.com/Besgrow/OrchiataBark :

Seems they have relocated recently to Somersby so that looks like a good option. good range of sizes!! THX

lukeaaustin wrote:Hey mate,
I also buy blue metal and river sand from a landscape place for $5 a bag which I sift and wash. I then mix these with a bit of perlite, a handful of zeolite and sifted potting/seed raising mix! Easy huh

Easy , I hadn't thought of using blue metal previously however I recently had a pile of Kanuma based soil get washed out of a pot and in the recovery process picked up a bunch of blue metal from the ground (which is now in the mix).! I have a tone of the stuff from doing my pathways!

Has anyone specifically used decomposed granite in there mixes?

Cheers
Rick