By themselves, plants can process energy and minerals that they get from the sun, air and those that are available to them internally. However, the quantity of the minerals that they get from these sources is not enough to sustain them.
Mostly, plants source their minerals and energy from the soil. Also, majority of a plant's water intake comes from the soil.
For bonsai gardening, the kind of bonsai potting soil to use is a very important choice especially when it comes to water retention properties. With the wrong kind of bonsai gardening soil, your bonsai plants can either die of thirst or drown.
For example, some bonsai plants such as junipers and pine can survive on less water. Bonsai plants that produce flowers or fruits absorb more water. This is even more true with fruiting plants as the fruits themselves absorb a substantial amount of water. They also use up the water rather quickly. Citrus, Bougainvilla and apple bonsai are some examples of fruit bearing and flowering plants. For these kinds of plants, bonsai potting soil with above average water retention properties is a must.
The bonsai gardening soil is composed of both organic and inorganic components. Inorganic elements like Ash, Clay and Granite are a determining factor in water retention and nutrient supply for your bonsai plants. Clay retains water rather well. When embedded evenly within your bonsai gardening soil, it functions like a clay flower pot. Aside from retaining water to a lesser degree, Ash or volcanic rock also provides bonsai plants with nitrogen.
The organic parts of the soil contain nutrients, phosphates and nitrogen. These nutrients and other elements come from animal matter and decomposed plants.
Without proper mix ratios specific to each bonsai plant, a bonsai gardener can begin with a half-half ratio of peat and grit. This can easily be adjusted by adding more grit to improve water drainage or having more peat than grit for more water retention.
For junipers and pine, a mixture of a quarter peat and 3 quarters grit is ideal. As mentioned above, these two plants need less water so this mixture is ideal bonsai gardening soil for them.
In Japan, a white clay of fine quality is used as an inorganic component of bonsai gardening soil. Akadama, as it is know, is rarely used in the west as it is very rare. More often, an orange colored clay, Seramis, is embedded in bonsai gardening soil. One advantage that Seramis has over Akadama is that you can judge the dryness of the soil with Seramis. If it's dry, the clay will be colored light orange. If it is wet or damp, the clay will be colored a darker orange.
Because of the delicate nature of bonsai plants, the proper mixture of inorganic versus organic elements in bonsai potting soil becomes very important. Since soil is one of the basics of plant life, you definitely want to get your soil mixtures right the first time.
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