Hello, I’m trying to source bonsai soil components. The one I’m really having trouble with is finding proper inorganic components (grit). I don’t have a car or a lot of money so just going from store to store is pretty hard/time consuming.... not to mention HOT these last few weeks :) lol!! I get most of my stuff that the HD in Vancouver, but I’m not able to find much in the way of small gravel there. Lots of sand, lots of big gravel/rocks, but nothing that I can see that is the size of bird grit or aquarium gravel. A lot of resources mention using the cat-litter like stuff used in shops to soak up oil off the floor. I know you can’t use actual cat litter, so, is this stuff (often called “Floor Dry†here in Canada) different clay? Any suggestions? I don’t want to lug about a 40Kg bag of crushed brick, even if I can find it. I have some broken clay pots, I could smash them up but that is a bit messy. I tones of perlite, which would work, but if I’m going to put all this time into growing bonsai I don’t want ugly perlite floating up an ruining my little landscape. Michael
If aquarium gravel (which you mentioned) is acceptable, I think there's a store that sells aquarium supplies on Burrard near Denman Davie.
There is a bonsai specialty store on Broadway at ... hmmm, Rupert, I think, or Renfrew, but I think Rupert. I tried to stop there one day but they were closed; I think they close Tuesday. Don't know if they sell supplies or just bonsai plants, but of those they seem to have plenty. Couldn't you also phone around to some nurseries like Art Knapp's Urban Garden downtown and others to see if they sell bonsai supplies? If you do need to smash up clay pots, by the way, put them in a bag to smash them.
There's a shop at Broadway & Rupert, eh? I'll seek it out. I couldn't imagine there being a shop that only sells plants and not supplies. But that is why I was looking for other sources. Things that CAN be used are often cheaper than things INTENDED to be used. One can rarely find bargans at specialty shops. Thou I think this would be the place to find tools. I'm think going to make a trip just for aquarium gravel. It's worth it and is usefull for many thinks other than just bonsai. Besides... I can pick up a beta fish while I'm there! lol Thanks again
