Soil tip for friends in Ireland and the UK

treebeard55 · 03-09-2011, 08:12 AM

Here on the western side of the Pond, using cat litter in your potting mix is an absolute no-no! With reason, for most cat litter sold in the US should be labeled Instant Mud.

But today I came across Harry Harrington's little article on the Tesco brand cat litter. He has tested the Tesco litter thoroughly, and actually considers it superior to akadama!

Here's a link to Harry's item: http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter.htm. Some of you may have seen it before, but some may find it useful.

Now I wish it were practical to ask my wife to bring me back a bag of Tesco cat litter when she goes to Ireland next week! <wistful>

Mattbonsai · 03-09-2011, 01:07 PM

Hi Treebeard, I read Harry's article a couple of years ago and tried it, although I hate to say it (I have a personal vendetta against Tesco's), it is a BRILLIANT stuff to pot in! I've used and re-used mine many times, I dont like to use it straight, and in fact my trees hate it used straight, but I mix it with approx 3:2:1 (Cat litter: Multi -purpose Compost : Horticultural Grit) and my trees love it! I've seen fine root growth on my maples at a level I have never seen before! And the good thing with my mix is when repotting comes, pull the tree out of the pot give it a shake over a bucket, add a couple of handfulls of compost and its ready to re-use!

Make sure you get the right type of cat litter though, some of them just turn to mush as soon as they get wet, ever since I've been avoiding Tescos I've been looking for an alternative in other supermarkets, collect some from a 'broken' bag take it home get it wet and see what happens after a while, if it doesn't turn to mush, freeze it and thaw it, if it still doesnt turn to mush you should be good.

Cheers

-Matt-

treebeard55 · 03-09-2011, 01:13 PM

Matt, thanks for answering -- especially because you can speak from the perspective of someone who, 1, is in that climate and, 2, who has actually used the product for some time with your trees.

Harry is pretty specific about which litter he means. He even has pictures of the old-style bag, and a new bag they switched to (I gather fairly recently,) so there can be no mistake about what he refers to.

JLDoggett · 03-09-2011, 10:26 PM

I wish it were available on this side of the pond, have not found anything that works as that brand does. By-the-way, Thank you Matt, I do the same thing with the brands I have found. I felt weird with a tub of wet kitty litter in the deep-freeze.

Sir Speedy · 03-10-2011, 12:31 PM

Oil-Dri from Advance Auto works. It is about$6 for a 20lbs bag.

Mattbonsai · 03-10-2011, 05:16 PM

No problem TB, I've actually just done a quicky search and I think I've found the true name of the cat litter material, it's called Moler, and a quick google of moler soil gives me this as the first result: Moler Clay bonsai soil [Moler 30L] - 10.00 : Bonsai UK ; Bonsai Trees, Tools and Sundries for sale in the UK

Which to me with my dodgy eyes looks the same. Maybe there's suppliers in the states for Moler soil.

JL, We all keep little trees in little pots, and some of us have little China men or birds in the pots too, we're all a little weird

, I prefer to refer to myself as 'Unique', *Hears shouting from downstairs* "WHY THE HELL IS THERE CAT LITTER IN THE FREEZER?!!!"

-Matt-

treebeard55 · 03-10-2011, 07:26 PM

Just keep the cat litter away from the flying pancakes.

For those who weren't on this forum at the time, check out: the Question on plastic windows. Ignore the windows and keep reading!

03-09-2011, 08:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Soil tip for friends in Ireland and the UK Here on the western side of the Pond, using cat litter in your potting mix is an absolute no-no! With reason, for most cat litter sold in the US should be labeled Instant Mud. But today I came across Harry Harrington's little article on the Tesco brand cat litter. He has tested the Tesco litter thoroughly, and actually considers it superior to akadama! Here's a link to Harry's item: http://www.bonsai4me.com/Basics/Basicscatlitter.htm. Some of you may have seen it before, but some may find it useful. Now I wish it were practical to ask my wife to bring me back a bag of Tesco cat litter when she goes to Ireland next week! <wistful> __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain.

03-09-2011, 01:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mattbonsai Tree Hugger In Training Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cheshire, GB Posts: 810	Hi Treebeard, I read Harry's article a couple of years ago and tried it, although I hate to say it (I have a personal vendetta against Tesco's), it is a BRILLIANT stuff to pot in! I've used and re-used mine many times, I dont like to use it straight, and in fact my trees hate it used straight, but I mix it with approx 3:2:1 (Cat litter: Multi -purpose Compost : Horticultural Grit) and my trees love it! I've seen fine root growth on my maples at a level I have never seen before! And the good thing with my mix is when repotting comes, pull the tree out of the pot give it a shake over a bucket, add a couple of handfulls of compost and its ready to re-use! Make sure you get the right type of cat litter though, some of them just turn to mush as soon as they get wet, ever since I've been avoiding Tescos I've been looking for an alternative in other supermarkets, collect some from a 'broken' bag take it home get it wet and see what happens after a while, if it doesn't turn to mush, freeze it and thaw it, if it still doesnt turn to mush you should be good. Cheers -Matt- __________________ -Matt- http://www.cheshirebonsaisociety.org.uk/index.html R.I.P Our Great Friend - Prowler, 24th November 2008

03-09-2011, 01:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Matt, thanks for answering -- especially because you can speak from the perspective of someone who, 1, is in that climate and, 2, who has actually used the product for some time with your trees. Harry is pretty specific about which litter he means. He even has pictures of the old-style bag, and a new bag they switched to (I gather fairly recently,) so there can be no mistake about what he refers to. __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain. Last edited by treebeard55; 03-09-2011 at 01:14 PM.. Reason: rephrase one phrase

03-09-2011, 10:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
JLDoggett Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Hampshire, USA, Posts: 641	I wish it were available on this side of the pond, have not found anything that works as that brand does. By-the-way, Thank you Matt, I do the same thing with the brands I have found. I felt weird with a tub of wet kitty litter in the deep-freeze. __________________ "Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and wrong....because sometime in your life you will have been all of these" And I further resolve to click on an ad, each time I visit, to help support the site and to be welcoming to lurking guests when you join! After all, you're already here.

03-10-2011, 05:16 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mattbonsai Tree Hugger In Training Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cheshire, GB Posts: 810	No problem TB, I've actually just done a quicky search and I think I've found the true name of the cat litter material, it's called Moler, and a quick google of moler soil gives me this as the first result: Moler Clay bonsai soil [Moler 30L] - 10.00 : Bonsai UK ; Bonsai Trees, Tools and Sundries for sale in the UK Which to me with my dodgy eyes looks the same. Maybe there's suppliers in the states for Moler soil. JL, We all keep little trees in little pots, and some of us have little China men or birds in the pots too, we're all a little weird , I prefer to refer to myself as 'Unique', Hears shouting from downstairs "WHY THE HELL IS THERE CAT LITTER IN THE FREEZER?!!!" -Matt- __________________ -Matt- http://www.cheshirebonsaisociety.org.uk/index.html R.I.P Our Great Friend - Prowler, 24th November 2008

03-10-2011, 12:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
Sir Speedy Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Kernersville N Carolina Posts: 26	Oil-Dri from Advance Auto works. It is about$6 for a 20lbs bag.

03-10-2011, 07:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
treebeard55 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 511	Just keep the cat litter away from the flying pancakes. For those who weren't on this forum at the time, check out: the Question on plastic windows. Ignore the windows and keep reading! __________________ Treebeard 55 Steve Moore http://hoosierbonsai.blogspot.com The most important bonsai tool is your brain. Last edited by treebeard55; 03-10-2011 at 07:33 PM.. Reason: Add link.

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