"No Dirt" Allowed ! - UPDATE

 It has been just about a month since I decided to transition from organic potting mix (dirt) to mineral based or inorganic's, commonly referred to as "Bonsai soil"(no dirt). Of course, there's a learning curve to work through..it is not as simple as buying a bag of commercial potting mix at the garden center.

In addition to researching the basics & sourcing materials such as lava rock, pumice, calcined clay(fired), decomposed granite, charcoal, one has to start thinking about feeding the trees & other plants that we expect to adapt to a whole new environment. A completely inorganic mix carries no nutrition at all, meaning that we must supply 100% of what the plants need to grow & thrive.

More research into types of plant food, fertilization schema, organic vs manufactured, liquid vs dry & I have only figured out that I will stay with Liquid Seaweed as a "base" component + fertilizers intended for specific types of plants; i.e. a tomato fertilizer for tomatoes; a low-pH fertilizer for acid-feeders like azalea's, maples, etc.; a general purpose fertilizer for decidous trees. 

Even though I've only repotted about 1/2 of the collection, I'm beginning to see the differences the new potting mix brings about:

1.) Some of the trees exhibited various degrees of transplant shock, but only 1 casualty, so far (Red Karo) & I'm not sure if the repot was a cause or whether it just contributed to a pre-existing problem, but most of the trees look better, healthier & happier..many of those are showing new growth. 

2.) Daily watering time & effort have been cut significantly; also water use has been reduced.  I have also adapted a different method for water & feed application..am now using pressurized sprayer & wand, which allows me to put the food & water exactly where it needs to go with less loss to run-off.

3.) Although the initial cost of the components of Bonsai soil are more expensive than commercial potting soil, I am beginning to see the advantages of the ability to re-use inorganic soil, instead of discarding it. I don't know how many bags of commercial potting soil I have gone through over the last 3 years, but now, with the addition of a stainless steel sieve, I can recover the inorganics, like pumice, granite, charcoal, rinse & re-use that material, as it does not degrade over time. 

I will continue to report on the conversion to "no dirt" as time goes on.

Coprosma 'Karo Red' (aka Mirror Plant) EOL

 this is an exerpt from the Photo/History page for the Karo Red (Mirror plant); use the link to see the entire history of this little tree.

I've been stalling on writing this post for days, but I think I have to face reality & declare EOL for 'Karo Red'. I defoliated this little tree in a vain attempt to find what killed him, maybe a boring insect or a colony of fungi, but I can find no evidence of him being 'chewed-on' or any apparent damage

I down-potted him into my now standard Bonsai potting mix & I will keep him on the bench for the winter, water the pot occasionally & hope that next spring we might see green buds..stranger things have happened.

Seasons are Changing

 Over the last week or so, we've had 100 degree weather, 2 days of rain caused by Hurricane Rachel, temps down in the 50's & now high-wind warnings for our first Santa Ana's of the season. It's not actually 75 Degrees & sunny here in southern California, all of the time.

I moved all of the vulnerable trees to limit their possible damage from the expected high winds & will continue shuffling plants around as the day progresses & we see just how accurate this prediction will be. Relative Humidity is also quite low & that is the plant killer that I fear the most. The hot, dry Santa Ana's will suck the life right out of a plant if they are not well hydrated.To

Peppers

Yesterday I potted & put out 2 new tomato plants & 2       pepper plants that I've been growing from seed over the last   few weeks. I am experimenting with different types that can   be grown in containers, on a patio & will produce through   the winter months.

Tomatoes

The tomato's are Wilpena, on the left  & Franklin County; the peppers are Pepperencini, on the left & Banana Peppers. These plants are in "dirt-free" potting mix, consisting of Vermiculite, Perlite & Lava Rock in keeping with my goal to transition all of my plants to an in-organic mix. I will continue to report on the progress of these plants periodically.

New Tree on the Patio: Formosa Azalea (Rhododendron × ‘Formosa’)

If you follow my blog, you know that I cannot pass-up a bargain & this is the time of year when Garden Centers & nurseries are clearing out their summer inventories in favor of Fall & looking towards the holidays.

Sure enough, I ran into this specimen, on sale for $4.00 & scooped it up. 

The Formosa Azalea (Rhododendron indica 'Formosa' or Azalea indica 'Formosa') is a classic, large-growing evergreen, prized for its vibrant blooms, hardiness, and rapid growth. It is a staple in landscapes throughout the American South and warmer climates.

He joins the Red Bird Azalea (Rhododendron "Red Bird") as a hardier, more sun-tolerant plant, & will be noticeably larger than his cousin.

If you want to know more about this tree, please visit the Photo/History for the Formosa Azalea or use the menu's located on the R-hand side of every page on this blog.

Fremont Cottonwood (Populis Fremontii) - UPDATE

 Below is an exerpt from the latest entry to the Photo/History page for the Fremont Cottonwood; click to see full history for this little tree.

Looking back at my notes, the Cottonwood is/was overdue for a repot; this tree has really come into it's own this summer, showing clear, sustained growth after months of little or no growth. Also, I wanted to take the opportunity to transition from traditional potting soil to a non-organic potting mix.

As might be expected, root growth was considerable, but I was pleased to see so much new 'feeder root' development. (small white roots, growing from the center, outward) as these are the roots that we want to develop, while cutting away the old "woody' roots that the plant does not need if it is potted.

I also decided, in light of the growth he has had this summer that I it was time for the Cottonwood to have a new home..a nice, new ceramic tray, never used. The repot did not go well. As you can see from the photo, he exhibited all the symptoms of 'transplant shock' & I wasn't sure he survive overnight, but survive, he did, although at the cost of some foliage.

I cut-off some wilted leaves & I think he'll be alright, but I I'll handle him with "kid gloves" for the next few days & try to avoid any kind of stress to this little tree..

UPDATE: 10/13/26

After 2 days of rain, followed by a cold snap, today is dawning clear & we will get some good sunshine today to dry things out. I'm happy to report that the Cottonwood has snapped-back from root surgery & transplanting into our new 'dirt-free' potting mix. He is standing straight, no droopy or wilted leaves in sight & there are even new bright-green buds on a couple of branches..he's fine.