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Up to last year, Akadama was impossible to get in Brazil, as importing soil was forbidden.
This year the law was revised and immediately some bonsai vendors had Akadama in two sizes (big/small) being sold in 14 litres bags.
All bags from all vendors looked the same; all vendors were selling the same brand.
So I ordered two bags, one of each size, to try them.
They arrived and looked like Akadama, the color (when dry or wet) was right, so I tried some in my mix, instead of the crushed bricks I am used to, and reppoted some broad leaves and pines.
To my big surprise after a week of regular watering, one of the pines was not draining at all; I inserted a finger into the soil to check and the Akadama part of the mix had turned into brown mud.
On checking, all of the trees with this mix were not draining.
I had to do an emergency repot to all plants which were using the product, and immediately trashed both bags.
Well, after asking around it seems the same product was offered in Brazil many years ago, with disastrous results to many bonsai growers.
Now reading Michael Hagedorn's book "Bonsai Heresy" I found out that the same occurred some years ago in the USA.
So I am feeling frustrated and angry as this is close to a scam. Is it possible to call any reddish clay "Akadama" even it not being the product one expects to get?
Is there good and bad Akadama being sold all around? HOW to differentiate between them?
Below is a picture of the Akadama being offered by the vendors here:
This year the law was revised and immediately some bonsai vendors had Akadama in two sizes (big/small) being sold in 14 litres bags.
All bags from all vendors looked the same; all vendors were selling the same brand.
So I ordered two bags, one of each size, to try them.
They arrived and looked like Akadama, the color (when dry or wet) was right, so I tried some in my mix, instead of the crushed bricks I am used to, and reppoted some broad leaves and pines.
To my big surprise after a week of regular watering, one of the pines was not draining at all; I inserted a finger into the soil to check and the Akadama part of the mix had turned into brown mud.
On checking, all of the trees with this mix were not draining.
I had to do an emergency repot to all plants which were using the product, and immediately trashed both bags.
Well, after asking around it seems the same product was offered in Brazil many years ago, with disastrous results to many bonsai growers.
Now reading Michael Hagedorn's book "Bonsai Heresy" I found out that the same occurred some years ago in the USA.
So I am feeling frustrated and angry as this is close to a scam. Is it possible to call any reddish clay "Akadama" even it not being the product one expects to get?
Is there good and bad Akadama being sold all around? HOW to differentiate between them?
Below is a picture of the Akadama being offered by the vendors here:
