I read this last year on mishobonsai.com........

For an even cheaper solution, you can check your local superstore for cat litter. Most cat litter that are unscented and non-clumping are made of clay and diatomite. This type of litter product is also indistinguishable from clay based oil spill absorbent product used in many car mechanic garages. Some litter products are made of corn and sand, these litter products are not suitable bonsai. You must find a litter that is unscented and non-clumping and composed of clay and diatomite. Many bonsai adept have successfully reported using 100% cat litter as bonsai soil with great success. )


...and since I have a few willow trees to spare I thought I'd try an experiment.
Here are 3 trees..
one in 100% diatomite( napa oil dry),One in half diatomite half potting soil
and one in 100% potting soil. I will solve once and for all, and purely out of curiosity, which is best.
This is what happens when I have too much time on my hands

When you refer to "potting soil" do you mean the regular bonsai soil mixture or the standard potting soil used for house plants?

Leslie

Cool! I eagerly await the results, as I have both willows and cats. I hope they all work out!

Leslie,
Regular plant potting soil is what I used.
I'll fertilize and water them the same way and see if one is better than the other.

You need to make sure the cat litter is diatomaceous earth. If it isn't it will turn in to clay when you water it. That will be pretty bad for anything planted in it.

Hi Lance,
Here's a link from the website of a short video you might be interested in re: soil.

Leslie

umm......there isn't a link here, expert boarder
I think its time you posted a picture of your tree(s).
I'm getting bored looking at mine. haha

Oooopps! Sorry about that, Lance. That's what happens when I stay up too late! I'm still chuckling at myself. Here is the link from the Empire site. www.bonsaiempire.com/care/repotting You may have read it already, or not however, at the end of the article there is a link to watch a video on Bonsai soil and what he has to say about using standard potting soil with Bonsai. Hope you find this helpful.

Leslie

Sorry if I am imposing here on your thread.

I've read a lot of times where people use mushroom compost. If I mix that with some course gravel, will the bonsais be able to live from that.


On another forum a guy mixes mushroom compost, potting soil, perlite and coco peat.

Mushroom Compost has high water and nutrient holding capacity. I'm not convinced that would be good for bonsai since they need free draining potting medium. If you want to try it, do it on something you wouldn't mind losing.