AnthropoceneMan<p><a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Bonsai" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Bonsai</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/BonsaiSoil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BonsaiSoil</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Trees" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Trees</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Soil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Soil</span></a> <br><a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/Sediment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Sediment</span></a> <a href="https://universeodon.com/tags/TinyTrunkThursday" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TinyTrunkThursday</span></a> </p><p>Bonsai soil typically consists of pumice, scoria (vesicular lava) and imported or local clay.</p><p>1st Photo - Crushed shale screened to approximately 2mm sized grains for use as a bonsai soil. Coarser fraction (left to be used for bottom aeration layer) and center mixed with other components to form suitable soil mix.</p><p>2nd - Candidate Oregon “Mystery” clay purchased from a “friend” who won’t tell me where he gets it…for use in testing its properties.</p><p>3rd - Mixture of black basalt scoria lava, white pumice and black charcoal to be used in bonsai soil mix.</p><p>4 - Closeup of imported Japanese Akadama clay. Akadama means “red ball earth” and is the primary soil used for bonsai world round.</p><p>My goal is to find suitable soils found locally that support all horticultural needs of tiny trees in pots: </p><p>A composition with appropriate CEC, moisture retention, soil structure retention and mineral supply to support potted trees.</p>