Soil FAQ
What does the packaging look like?
- Soil orders are shipped in USPS Large Flat Rate boxes lined with plastic bags.
Why doesn't the soil arrive in the original packaging?
- Different products come in different packages. Akadama comes in 14-18L bags, Kanuma comes in 18L bags, and pre-mixes come in 10-18L bags. Not all of these sizes fit into USPS Flat Rate Boxes. Because the weight of the order affects the shipping price, shipping whole bags is much more expensive than using Flate Rate boxes. To keep shipping costs as low as possible, we only ship soil in USPS Flat Rate boxes.
Are the sizes consistent across all soil products?
- No. Each soil producer uses their own set of sieves for sifting soil. In some, but not all, cases, sizes will be consistent across products. To avoid confusion, we have included the soil particle size in the name of each product.
The soil is a different size/color/shape than it was last time. Why is this?
- Bonsai soil is a mined product. As a result, natural variation in size, color, and shape is common. Even within a given screen size, different batches of soil can be slightly bigger or smaller than previous batches.
- Although all soils are sifted before they are bagged, the effectiveness of the sifting can vary from batch to batch. We recommend sifting all of your soil before using it to remove the dust. If the soil contains more dust than soil, let us know by sending a photo of the soil to jonas at bonsaitonight dot com.
Where does the soil come from?
- Japanese soils including akadama, Aoki Blend, Clay King, Kanuma, and Kiryu are mined in Japan. Pumice and lava rock (scoria) are mined in California.
Are any of the soil products heat treated?
- No. Our imported soils from Japan are dried in the sun.
Only one of my packages arrived today. Where is the rest of my order?
- The Postal Service frequently delivers orders of more than one box of soil over multiple days. If you receive partial delivery of a multi-box order, check the tracking information provided when your order shipped for details about any remaining boxes.
My order was damaged during shipping and some of the soil leaked out. What can I do?
- Email me at jonas at bonsaitonight dot com so we can refund the order.
Are bulk orders available?
- Yes. You can learn more about bulk orders here.
Can I purchase soil locally?
- Yes. Bonsai Tonight ships soil to nurseries and clubs around the country. Contact your local bonsai nursery to see if they have soil available. For orders in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact me at jonas at bonsaitonight dot com for details.
Are international orders available for soil?
- Not at this time.