The soil mixing post is finally done. I’m sorry I didn’t get around to it earlier. Whoops. It’s going to be a dual post, as I also repotted a Dwarf Jade after soil mixing. I would have made that a separate post, but there just wasn’t enough content. So, down to business.

I like to use a quick draining 100% inorganic soil mix comprised of all volcanic rock. Why? I have a tendency to overwater, and with a fast draining, non-moisture retaining mix makes it so that I can’t overwater if I try too.

For almost all of my trees, the standard mix is:

50% Scoria

50% Pumice

For trees that really need consistently wet soil, the mix is:

40% Scoria

40% Pumice

20% Rotted Fir Bark

So, making it. I start by getting the materials I need together.

These are the brands I use, although I’m unsure if that really matters so much to most of you. I put them in anyways.

I then sift the Scoria by blasting it with water while its on a pasta strainer. Linguine with Volcanic Rock, anyone?

I then do the same with the Pumice.

Mmm, Tortellini Pumice-Fredo. That was awful. I’ll stop.

I then leave them to dry in the sun for the rest of the day.

I mix them together in a tupperware bin, and ta-da, I get this.

So, onto the re-potting of the Dwarf Jade. Portulacaria Afra are some interesting trees to work with, simply because of their sheer will to survive. I like them. They also look great. This particular one I got as a pre-bonsai from a local nursery for $10. Very reasonable.

So, time to get it out of the small plastic nursery container and crappy soil and put it into something better.

A look at the rootball:

Shouldn’t be too tough.

Now, this is where things go dark. After combing out the roots with the chopsticks seen to the right of the tree, I got to work with trimming to roots. However, somewhere through, I screwed up badly and took out a large chunk of feeder roots. Now, this would be fine except this is a Portulacaria Afra, and that’s one of the absolute worst things you can do with one. I didn’t get any pictures because I was scrambling to see how much damage I’d done. So far it doesn’t appear horribly battered, but I’ll have to wait. I potted it in a good soil mix and tied it in, and now I wait to see if it’ll make it or not. I’ll update in 10-12 days if it does survive. Looks fine right now though, far from done if it does survive though.

So, that’s about it for now. I’ll update if the Afra survives. You’ll know it didn’t make it if I don’t update within 21 days (3 weeks). I might be picking up a bunch of trees and pots this weekend; if so then I’ll have plenty of other material to post. Until then, I’ll see ya.