I store my Akadama outside, as long as it remains dry it is fine. I also use Kyodama, this is a British product. It is like a crushed rock is the best way I can describe it. I use a 50/50 mix with Akadama on some of my trees. It is much better than cat litter. It is cheaper that Akadama, and an excellent alternative. I have used it on its own with some trees also with good results.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

I use a 50/50 mix with Akadama on some of my trees. It is much better than cat litter. It is cheaper that Akadama, and an excellent alternative. I have used it on its own with some trees also with good results.

Why is it better than danish clay pellets, and can you post examples of trees that have been grown in a mixture of akadama and crushed rock, and trees that have been grown in a mixture of danish clay pellets and crushed rock, so we can compare ?

Yes, pictures and comparisons would be good and if anything interesting. I would not say it is better than cat litter, because if it were not to be called cat litter and it was called "dried clay" i am sure many bonsai enthusiasts would go for it, that of course, making sure the cat litter we can use as a soil is renamed. I think i will give the kyodama a go. I wont have much to lose if it is not great apart from 2.50. Thank you, i will look into the kyodama and cat tidy a bit more.

www.cherryblossombonsai.co.uk/shop/kyodama/

bob wrote:

if it were not to be called cat litter and it was called "dried clay" i am sure many bonsai enthusiasts would go for it

I agree with that. Put it in a nice bag with a bonsai tree on it, and people will buy it.
Not all cat litter is suitable - actually, almost all types (the types made from wood, paper and the clumping types) are NOT.
I think we should not call it cat litter - as that may lead to confusion. From now on I'll call it Nekodama

Kyodama is baked clay granules that don't decompose. Nekodama is exactly the same. Difference is that it may be perfumed (but I'm not sure, could not find info about that), but that won't hurt the tree, and it will wash out easily. My Nekodama is in a container filled with water (for testing - to see if it breaks down after winter). It's a big container so I can take out the amounts I need for repotting.

On the photo's, the structure looks pretty much the same. I cannot compare the size of the granules (honestly, I think Nekodama granules are a bit too large). The color seems different, I prefer the color of the Nekodama.

Images:

10 litres, EUR 6,00



2 litres, EUR 8.60



Prices compared, I'll just stick to the danish clay granules:
1 litres Kyodama, EUR 4.30
1 litres Nekodama, EUR 0,60

Nekodama, i think you have started something new here . The nekodama from tescos in the uk is much smaller in particle size. The perfume stopped smelling after a week of use for me.

I don't have danish clay pellets. Cat litter is cat litter, and I will not use it. I want something that is made for the purpose it was intended, and not for something totally different. That is my opinion, and I will stick to it. Apart from anything else how do we know if the cat litter is sterile and what has been added to it?

m5eaygeoff wrote:

I don't have danish clay pellets. Cat litter is cat litter, and I will not use it. I want something that is made for the purpose it was intended, and not for something totally different. That is my opinion, and I will stick to it. Apart from anything else how do we know if the cat litter is sterile and what has been added to it?

We dont, so we test it. To be honest, it is impossible to keep a sterile soil sterile after watering and feeding. I think this shows we all have different methods that suit our tastes. I for one would like an aggrigate that is cheap and good for my plants, and the nekodama ticks my boxes, obviously some other agriggates tick my boxes based on reviews but i personally have not tried them yet.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

I want something that is made for the purpose it was intended, and not for something totally different.

If you check the bag it will actually recommend using it for soil mixtures in container plants. So.. iw as actuallly made for that purpose too!

m5eaygeoff wrote:

Apart from anything else how do we know if the cat litter is sterile and what has been added to it?

You think akadama is sterile? It is basically dug up clay, sun-dried and packaged.. I would say that baked clay is more likely to be sterile than akadama. Not that that is a good thing though. I prefer something biologically active, which is why I re-use the soil that comes out of containers. I wash it, dry it and sift it for repotting later in the year.

m5eaygeoff wrote:

I don't have danish clay pellets

So we can safely assume that your statement "I use [...] Akadama. It is much better than cat litter" is based on nothing ?

Cat litter is not made for use as bonsai soil. I have used Akadama for 15 years. I will continue to do so in spite of what you or anyone else says. It does the job it is made to do, nothing you say will change my mind or persuade me to use cat litter.
As you well know there are as many soil mixes used for bonsai as there are growers so why you think you can dictate what anyone uses I don't know. I have never seen banish clay pellets so why do you think this has anything to do with Akadama?