Bonsai Soil by The Bonsai Supply – 20qts. Professional Bonsai Soil Mix | Ready to use| Great for All Bonsai Tree Varieties.

I really like this potting mix. Great balance between drainage and water retention. The majority of my trees are Portulacaria afra, but I use this mix with my other trees as well. I have even started using it as an amendment for some of my house plants that like well draining, chunkier soil. I’ve been very pleased with the root growth and health since I have started using this mix. Overall very happy with this product from The Bonsai Supply.

I was sad to see the original business founders sell this product line away as they got out of the bonsai business, but I have enjoyed the quality and appearance of this soil mix. Gratefully, their legacy will continue with the new owners. The contrasting white and black are pleasing to the eye and there is not an excessive amount of dusty "fines" to deal with. The bag is sturdy and stands up to shipping and storage without popping holes in the side I've experienced in other brands. The mix of pumice, lava, clay, and organics give pant roots a great substrate to develop and maintain the plants.

Product is as described. I sifted it to remove the dust and got about 1/4 cup out of this 20 it bag. Not bad at all. I transplanted my 15 year old tamarind bonsai tree, pruning the roots by 2-3 inches and it's doing well.

Well, this is definitely not an even mix. I went and repotted my tropical mahogany in this thinking that all the good reviews were correct and didn’t have any backup substrates to add to amend it after I opened the bag and cleaned up the roots. After opening the bag and starting to pour the contents in my pot, I started to realize how uneven the mixture was. There was no calcined clay and very little bark in the first quarter of the bag… then after filling my pot a quarter, there was very minimal but clumped calcined clay, with again very little bark all the way to the top of the pot. Also expect unscreened large pieces to be in the mixture. I had large chopped up roots in my bag which you can see some in the photos. If you like a mixture of pumice and lava rock of a ratio that is 90% of the mixture, then pick up this soil. Be prepared to amend it. Again I didn’t have any extra substrate to amend the soil and it was late, so I was stuck using what was in the bag rather than leave my roots exposed overnight. Very dissatisfied that I picked up the largest bag at significant cost. I can’t return it and I have to spend more to amend the rest I have. If you get a big bag, make sure to check it first.

This stuff is the best. It is one of the four ingredients I used to make my own potting soil for all of my plants and anytime that I have tried a different mixture without this it is a total fail. I love this stuff!!!