Can I Use Backyard Soil for My Bonsai?
For a beginner bonsai grower, the question whether the ordinary backyard soil would suffice for use as bonsai soil has been an all-time perplexity. Let us go through what a bonsai plant needs in soil in order for it to grow healthy.
The most basic requirements in the soil include the ability for the soil to retain water and nutrients. Humus soils and soils with organic matter are capable of retaining water and nutrients as well as peat and farmyard manure and some inorganic materials. Good bonsai soil must also be capable of allowing for drainage. Excess water must be able to drain.
Excess water should be drained to prevent the roots from being soaked in too much water that what is needed. Too much water in the roots could rot them. Another consideration is the type of plant you will be planting. Different types of plants require differing amounts of water so your soil must be in accordance with the requirements of your bonsai plant. For example, pine trees and junipers require lesser amount of water than any other plant. You should take that into consideration.
To answer the initial question, you can use your backyard soil for your plant only if they meet the needed requirements of your plant. If in the case that your backyard soil cannot provide you with that, you can go the nearest bonsai store or order online for bonsai soil mixtures or tree soil anywhere from $6.95 or upwards
Bonsai soil mixtures are made of many materials. Some are organic and some are inorganic, some mixtures are with minerals, clays, baked clay, volcanic lava and many more. The organic soil is much cheaper than the inorganic ones but when it comes to quality, the inorganic soil composed of many inorganic materials which are preferred because they have less tendencies to rot the roots of your bonsai trees.