Mix for younger Acers?

So, I got my first 2 Acers today, sooner than expected!

The 'Katsura' is 24" and the 'Kamagata' is 15". both appear in great shape, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't talk baby talk to them. (OK so I'm a bit weird, but the harmless, funny kind of weird...Not the grab your kids and go to the other side of the street weird)

At any rate, what soil mix would you'se recommend. I'm thinking the "Gritty Mix" might be a little too unforgiving for a NOOBIE with trees that small, and trees that young?

I'm thinking the 5:1:1 (pine bark/grani-grit starter/turface) mix might be a little better for these young 'un's? I'll be putting them in 1gallon glazed terra cotta, the commercial kind, not the 3qt "gallons" that the nurseries use. WDYT?

Thanks in advance,

Spaceman

How can you tell if the pine bark mulch is composted or not? I told the dude at Agway pine bark "fines", but I think he took it as just a fine, as in not "nuggets" or the large size chunks. Are they the same?
here is what I got, It's made by Southland Corp, out of NC
http://www.agway.com/catalog/home_and_garden/manure_mulches_soil_conditioners/mulch/10202313_agway_pine_bark_mulch_3_cuft.html

Should I throw in a hand full of garden soil? (dare I say it) Miracle Grow? get some peat moss?

I'm thinking of just using the pine bark unscreened with the Turface/Grani-Grit/Gypsum.

Sorry about all the questions, but reading all the infighting and inane banter between the bits of info I need gets a bit tedious!

Mark

man you are over thinking this - i use an off the shelf mix with great results as i mentioned on the other thread - what zone are you in again?

follow dave and davidsans advice.

Wha
Your right, I'm obsessing a bit. Sometimes it sucks being a perfectionist. I could know more about something than 97% of the people on the planet, and I'll be seeking out the 3% that knows more than I do, saying whatdoido, whatdoido, whatdoido!

I am in zone 6b

Mark (akaSpaceman)

This message was edited Jun 11, 2010 6:16 AM

A few more pics.

= )

oops!

What you bought at Agway looks fine, as near as I can tell without a closeup. It is similar to pictures Al has posted of the proper size. If you can get the other ingredients, I'd say mix up Al's mix. If it makes you more comfortable to do the 5:1:1 than the 1:1:1, do it, but I personally would go with the 1:1:1 just because that is what he recommends for trees. I am using it on a few bonsai trees this year, and it is NOT drying out overly fast, I've been very pleased with it. If you are worried about Al's mix, you could, as an experiment, plant one tree in Al's mix and one in potting soil and compare how they do and how often you need to water each pot.

those are small trees - when i started collecting jm's i had a couple like that and VERY quickly went to larger trees.

I don't give adivise on mixtures any longer because I have been told that the way I do it is not scientific and the plants will surley die.

I will give you this advice though, why not go and ask the nursery that you bought them from exactly what they are using and do the same. Surely they would converse with a customer, I know I give my customers as much time as they need to understand what the plant expects of them.

Dave

Didtto what Dave said.I have been told the same and even though I have told folks what I use I don't profess to believe it is a gift from God, as many act as if so. I might add that in all but the most jm friendly areas .. jms are really not a good tree for obsessive compulsive s or perfectionists I say that bluntly and no insults since it was already brought up.. some of my best friends are obsessive compulsives ;>) in fact MY BEST friend is an obsessive compulsive and I love him dearly even though he drives me nuts .. he now thinks, at 55 years old, he has form of Autism OY VEY... I would never sell, give, or bequeath him a jm .I wouldn't want that "Burden" . I might buy him a plastic one though .. But I fear he would Kvetch about that too ;>) >>Davidsan

This message was edited Jun 11, 2010 9:12 AM

Well, (if anyone cares) I went with the Al's gritty mix with 1/2 part of peat moss thrown in for good measure, and that great musty dirt aroma!
I top dressed with the large chunks of the sifted fines to help hold in the moisture a bit. I put the 24" Katsura in a 2 gallon, the 15" Kamagata in a 1 gallon.

The experiments I did seemed to stay suitably moist and I found no flaws in the scientific principles that Al had put forth in all his soil treatises. The 2 Blanket Flower and Huchera I potted in it wilted just a touch when I potted them up, but they came back strong after a good soaking and a few hours, are are going strong!
I used a 8 oz cup, soaked it thoroughly and checked it after 3 days. The top was bone dry, but the interior was still moist. I figure if an 8oz cup in full sun didn't dry out, a 1 or 2 gallon pot wouldn't either.

Dave/meyersphcf, Thanks for the help! I discounted the root freeze warnings (from a different post), as I am planning to bringing them into the unheated shed, or 45f garage if a long below freezing spells (maybe a week or so in January).
Had I thousands of trees that could not be moved, my decision may have been different. I still would like to know what your mix is, but if you don't feel comfortable with posting them, that's OK, I do appreciate your courage and willingness to point out potential "issues" about other mixes that you may have experienced. The more information, pro or con, the better the final decision will be.

I thank you all for putting up with my questions and insecurities!

Mark (akaSpaceman)

I have been buying four 1 gallon Japanese maples for the last 3 years. I move them up to five gallon pots after I buy them in the spring to grow a whole season before putting them in the ground the following year. I use compost and haven't lost any yet (knock on wood). Japanese maples are pretty hardy and ready to grow.

If you are keeping them in pots for bonsai then follow the bonsai experts' advice.

hcmcdole, I'm not keeping them as bonzai, but rather as (dwarf) trees in pots. They will not be planted in the ground, they will live out their lives in pots, being carted to wherever my heart desires, including my 2nd floor deck display.

I don't think soil compaction is such an issue if you have them in a pot for less than a year. If you keep them in pots permanently, the finer particles in garden soil tend to gravitate to the bottom and compact, causing poor drainage and poor aeration, which will eventually compromise the ability of the tree to take in the water and nutrients it need. The end result will ultimately suffocation, root rot, and death.

The "gritty mix" is pretty close to what the Bonzai experts advise. I was just a bit apprehensive to use it, as I feared it would be a little too unforgiving for an absent minded nit-wit such as myself.

Thanks for sharing the pic, Nicely done!

Mark

Great picture! Nicely done