Bonsai Soil Mix - Premium Professional, All Purpose, Sifted and Ready to Use Tree Potting Blend in Easy Zip Bag - Akadama, Black Lava, Pumice & Charcoal (1.25 Quart)

I haven’t had my willow leaf ficus in this mix for too long, but I repotted the plant into this mix and it’s been over a week and there’s been no leaf drop at all. That’s amazing given I pruned it’s roots, put it in a much shadier area, and removed much of the previous soil mix, which had a decent amount of heavy dirt (I bought it planted.) I’ve always been a firm believer that plant soil in general requires more drainage. I typically mix in about 30% perlite in with potting soil and my non-Bonsai plants thrive. Without the perlite, their performance is poor. This mix is ALL about drainage. All three components provide drainage and hold a bit of water as well. They also have different properties that go well with each other to make up this incredible draining mix that gives the plant massive oxygen in the root zone as well as plenty of water hidden in the porous components. I haven’t given it much time, but so far this mix seems to be amazing, and the reason why you see so many people using this exact (or very similar) mix to achieve excellent results with their Bonsai. It does, however, require more watering than a soil based mix.

I transplanted my three bonsais into this type of soil, and since then they have shown vastly accelerated growth. This soil must hold moisture really well while at the same time allowing oxygen to easily get down to the roots. Since it does not contain organic matter, it will not rot/degrade over time, so I'm sure I'll get lots of great use and growth out of it.

This soil is a lot better than I expected.The only thing I hear people complain about is the price and how the size isn’t enough. I don’t know why these people don’t read the description before buying it… it clearly says 1.25 quarts which is barely enough to fill a glass of water. That’s your fault for not recognizing how much your buying.You can get almost 12x the amount of soil for only 3.5x the price!!!Get the 12 quart bag! You are simply waisting your money if you get a 1.25 quart bag.The soil is great and the price is great too if you get the right amount.If you think it drains too fast than mix it with some normal soil that was previously on your bonsai or just water it more. It will drain too “fast” especially if you use too big of a pot and trim your roots to far. Make sure your roots take up at least 1/2 - 3/4 of the pot height. If you have a pot where your roots only reach 1/4 the way to the bottom it will have a hard time getting enough water, especially if you live somewhere with a hot sun.

this is my 1st bonsai tree so i wanted to do it right. i ordered the soil because my tree just came in reg potting soil. so i didnt mind paying a little more. and i transplanted it about a week and a half ago. and so far it doing great and it looks like a bonsai tree now! haha but the only thing i dont like it the water...which i use rain water is it just runs right thru? maybe after the "soil" breaks down it will hold the water better. but it was a good buy. i would recamend this item

I inherited some bonsai and researched how to take care of them. Apparently, Akedama soil and Fuji black volcanic sand/gravel are critical to the bonsai . Because I am a newbie, I can't offer a comparison to other similar products because I really have not found one. Locally, a Japanese nursery had Bonsai soil for sale, so I picked up a couple of bags. It's a very different product with a very different purpose (bonsai planted in ground). I think I need to drive to San Francisco to get a soil-free product like this, and even then, I don't think it comes pre-mixed. This product is essentially soil-free. It looks like mixed gravel, but Akedama soil is really like a clay pebble, rather than dirt. It's supposed to retain moisture while not over-feeding the bonsai. I am using it in moss ball bonsai and container moss gardens. Thus far, I am very satisfied with the product because I do not need to buy individual types of gravel, sand, rice hull charcoal, etc. separately and mix them. This is easy to use for all the Japanese container gardening I am doing.

I've used this on my first two bonsais ever and they seem to be very happy with it. Repotted a juniper bonsai 1.5 years ago and it's doing great. Repotted a ficus bonsai three months ago and it's doing good so far too. Only thing to note is that the soil is really loose, so you need to wire the pot in place for a bit. If the roots are strong they should take hold within a few months though, and you can undo and cut the wire. But wire is definitely recommended at first. Especially for bonsais like junipers that must live outside.

After repotting 5 of my bonsai I worried after watering them because the water went right through the new soil.The soil does hold a good amount of moisture though but do make sure you go over your bonsai many times. When time permits I like to dunk mine into a bucket of water and once the bubbles stop I know it is fully soaked.Just remember to buy more than you think you need.

I'm sure the quality is very good but I haven't tried it yet. I decided to review based on the price for such a small bag. It may be 6 quarts but the description should tell you that isn't very much due to the weight. I think for the $49.99 I could have bought much more of another brand. Live and learn.

This product worked well for all 4 of my bonsai trees. =) it's been about a month now and my trees are thriving!