100% Akadama in the Northeast US

[Thanasi]

Anyone here in the northeast using 100% akadama for any of their trees? I know Ryan Neil advises it for deciduous species, but I'm curious if that may not apply here where I believe we receive much colder weather, for instance.

I live in Boston and have been using strictly almost 100% turface especially on deciduous trees. They thrive on it, but you have to water daily during the summer months.

 

[badatusernames]

Good stuff

Is that the shohin size?

I have spent a solid amount of time reading and testing different akadama.

There are garden level, bonsai level and premium level. All are good if you use them correctly.

We generally pay a large premium here in the states due to transportation and permit cost.

The brand you posted is solid.

Are you planning to repot often if you use 100% akadama?

I would try to find and use the hardest version.

I have both shohin and small. I would say that my trees are at a stage where I am probably repotting every 2-5 years. If I do use 100%, how do you see that changing?

I did just get a shohin seiju elm, though, and I've read those may need to be repotted every year.

 

[badatusernames]

Oh, the double band is the shohin size, this is the "small" size I got which hasn't arrived

 

[Trueblackpercula]

Hi everyone I have a couple of Prunus I plan on reporting the season and purchased akadama and Pumice to mix it up with black lava rock as well in a mix of 60%akadama 20% pumice and 20% black lava. Is this ok as I am brand new to bonsai keeping and want to do it correct. Below is what akadama I purchased it is medium size and heat treated or hardened. I will say I tried to crush the akadama in my hands and this stuff is really hard.
Just trying to add to the OP thread.
Michael

 

[Maiden69]

Yes I do. From time to time I might mix it with about 10 to 20% Kiryu. But for the most part I use only akadama. It has worked extremely well in my environment.

@MACH5 . I haven't seen anyone else here mentioning Kiryuzuna for their mix. I am using 70/30 Aka/Kiryu for repotting my deciduous and tropicals following what David Cortizas recommends from his Oyakata teachings at Taisho-en, and will experiment with 1:1:1 Aka, Kiryu, Pumice for my conifers.

The only thing I can add about akadama is some brands are awful, some are great. The double fired hard line is perfect. One year I went for the cheaper option and had really poor results.

Double Red Line? Akadama is not fired.

 

[badatusernames]

I'll never understand how y'all did this without the internet because it's pretty damned confusing even with it sometimes, haha

 

[MACH5]

@MACH5 . I haven't seen anyone else here mentioning Kiryuzuna for their mix. I am using 70/30 Aka/Kiryu for repotting my deciduous and tropicals following what David Cortizas recommends from his Oyakata teachings at Taisho-en, and will experiment with 1:1:1 Aka, Kiryu, Pumice for my conifers.




Double Red Line? Akadama is not fired.

Yes, I like Kiryu and has worked well for me although again I try and keep it all very simple, often using straight up akadama. No issues there whatsoever. I also think that some of the soil mixes that I see look like aquarium gravel

I am familiar with David Cortizas although I do not agree with some of his statements. But that's another story

 

[Maiden69]

Yes, I like Kiryu and has worked well for me although again I try and keep it all very simple, often using straight up akadama. No issues there whatsoever. I also think that some of the soil mixes that I see look like aquarium gravel

I am familiar with David Cortizas although I do not agree with some of his statements. But that's another story

I am new to this, so I am taking in as much as I can from as many people as I can. I look at the trees they have and go from there. I love the way that David works his Ficus, being from PR and having seen some of this trees full size made me get my first one as they resemble the ones I used to play on as a kid (I really disliked them when I was looking at the ones on stores).

Completely agree about the aquarium gravel. Never heard that one before. I like what Walter Pall is doing with his top dressing, I think he mentioned it was some sort of construction gravel... I just don't like the color. I have been top dressing with straight kiryu when I do the conifers, to hide the white pumice and prevent it from floating away as well.

 

[badatusernames]

Yes, I like Kiryu and has worked well for me although again I try and keep it all very simple, often using straight up akadama. No issues there whatsoever. I also think that some of the soil mixes that I see look like aquarium gravel

I am familiar with David Cortizas although I do not agree with some of his statements. But that's another story

i agree about aquarium gravel, i’m eyeballing Boon’s Mix from Superfly for non deciduous and wondering what it’ll look like in the pot

 

[Maiden69]

so, my experience with the double line brand. I ordered the small size because I thought that was going to be the right one for me. I sifted the first bag and I had about 20% of the bag between 3/16 - 1/4", about 70% between 1/16 - 1/8", and 10% between fines and very small particles (I guess those wouldn't go through a #20). After noticing that I ordered medium size as well because I definitely want a more even distribution of particle size, and 1/4" will give me more O2 and it will last longer as the roots brake them down.

From my take from Ryan, he uses 1/16 - 1/4", for almost everything except trees that need more aeration, where he removes the 1/16". Also, almost every single tree that Ryan works on in Mirai Live is entering the refinement stage, which I think is where 100% akadama will give the most bang for the buck. Most of the trees that I see here seems to be using 1/4 - 3/8" for better aeration during development, and then shifting to the 1/16 - 1/4" when moving into refinement.

If you are looking at Boon's mix, that is just akadama, pumice and lava (scoria) with traces of other aggregates like horticultural charcoal. For the price of the pre-made mix you cam make your own and adjusting the akadama to your zone, or the need of your trees. I just received a shipment from Jonas with medium size kiryu, aka, and pumice. which I mix in different ratios depending on the trees I'm going to use it on. The expensive particle is akadama, pumice from Jonas is around $30 for the 13-14L box, and there are some places where you can get scoria dirt cheap...

 

[roberthu]

how about this akadama because SOMEONE had ordered something before asking a question on here

definitely not me, I’m not that silly

>_>

I use this for shohin size trees. You do need to sift out the fines. There isn't a lot but because of the small particle size, it's easy to get clogged if you don't sift. It stays in shape pretty well too. I left some outside this winter and none of the them clogged up. Go easy when you are chop-sticking too.