名媛直播

Hi. I'm a new member only joined today, I have 6 bonsai trees several years old, I have always used basic soil mix, but I wondered what members hear think about useing cat litter as the basic soil. I'm a bit fearful on trying it.

I am sure you can find a lot of information on the forum if you search.

Opinion varies. Most people who try, and try with the right kind, are positive about it. Some people are convinced it is pure evil, and will recommend not to deviate from traditional substrates. Personally, I suspect they have used the wrong kind.

Only very few types are suitable. You want baked clay. this is for starters Non-clumping. Depending on where you live, Harry Harrington has an overview of suitable brands on his bonsai4me website.

I have never heard of this before. I will have to look into it, thank you.

I have used Akadama straight and with other materials. I have not used cat litter, so I can't comment other than I will never use it. I use Kanuma for my Azaleas. I may add some sphagmum mose also to the Kanuma. Some of our members use a peat free alpine mix which is very good, same properties that are needed for 名媛直播 free draining but holds moisture.
The choice is yours.

I use cat litter, it is perfectly safe (if you use the right one) and effective
It is really baked moler clay which is basically a bunch of tiny shells, so has 'all' the necessary qualities for bonsai soil, i.e. it retains water, is free draining, and promotes finer roots. Moler clay is also sold as a soil in some countries, as it is fairly close to perfect. I think most people reject it as they don't like the idea of cat litter being used on their works of art, as bonsai are.

In summary, I would recommend it, if you get the right type.

m5eaygeoff wrote: I have not used cat litter, so I can't comment other than I will never use it.

As the question is specifically about using cat litter, could you please expand on the WHY you would never use it. That is more usefull for the OP than just saying you will never use it. What characteristics makes it, in your eyes, not suitable?

The clue is in the name CAT LITTER it is not designed for growing plants in.

m5eaygeoff wrote: The clue is in the name CAT LITTER it is not designed for growing plants in.

And that is where you go wrong. It's an opinion based on emotion, not on facts - cats poop in it, so it cannot be right.

Fired clay is sold under many different names and for different purposes. Oil-dri to soak up oil spills. Baked, expanded clay is used for hydroponics. Turface is baked clay used for baseball fields - and often used as bonsai soil component. Baked clay pebbles are used for aquariums. Foetsie-ba is danish baked clay that is also used as soil conditioner.
Note they are not all exactly the same - the type of clay and temperature at which they were baked make a difference.

Your soil mix should be able to retain moisture and nutrients. That is exactly what cat litter does. It does that for a different purpose, but that does not matter. Discarding Cat litter just because of the name is not a good enough reason.

I'm not saying you should use cat litter or even that it is a good substrate; I think that depends on your situation, climate, tree you plant in it and what you mix (or don't mix) it with. However, when I look at the level of 99% of the 'bonsai' I see on this forum, I really don't see why we should recommend using expensive substrates and not look for cheaper alternatives.

I do use it myself. I have used two full bags this year for young, cheap trees that I'm trying to grow into pre-bonsai. They are doing fine.

I still ain't gonna use it,

It amazes me that moler clay has been called superior to specially-designed-for-bonsai akadama, and yet some people are still so stubborn that they won't use it because one of it's many uses is as cat litter.