Miracle Grow Pearlite?

[artao]

Dude, you posted this in a different thread... That spruce HAS survived in that dune those ATVs and kids all these years. What it will NOT survive for sure is you collecting it this time of the year. You can tell yourself whatever to make you feel good about getting this tree, but the ONLY ethical thing to fo right now is to leave it alone and collect it next year. Patience is the name of the game. And if you are going yamadori collecting, there is an ethics to that too, and an environmental responsibility. These are living things. And in their own environment, way more resilient than you think. The bottom line: That tree has survived for years in that environment. You cannoy say it will die for sure. But if you uproot it now, without even knowing what kind of substrate to put it in, then it will die for sure. Leave it alone

If you want to yell at me about that spruce, then go do it in that thread.
THIS thread is asking about the pearlite.

And since you're so concerned about the spruce and feel like ripping me a new one over it, I went back and looked and no, it doesn't have a suitable root structure. Plus you're right about the season, and I planned to leave it til then anyhow.
And thanks for the ethics lecture.

 

[artao]

I bought and used the pearlite. Consider the thread closed. Thanks for the input.

 

[Aiki_Joker]

You have a car parts store near You?
Like Napa or Auto Zone?
If so go get a bag of their floor dry.
It's diatomaceous earth.
Like $8.00 a bag here.
Quit messing with clay components of any kind. Even akadama.
You can add some perlite if you like. I have. Plus lava. That's it. It works great for me.

Great thread as a resource. Thanks for sharing everyone. If in UK can use Tesco Low Dust cat litter (to date they are still supplying an applicable formulation). Tesco low dust is mildly fragranced but has not percievably affected my practice so far. Just 2 years incorporating this component for both calcifuge and calcicole trees/vines. The volatiles seem to dissipate after a few waterings.

It is worth noting that calcined clay and Akadama clay will (and should for bonsai) breakdown somewhat under treatment with the wetting, sifting, wetting, sifting process outlined by bonsaichile above. Especially if the material is fully saturated and vigorously agitated. A good way to test is to wet it and if it sticks together and becomes sticky (clumps) wet clay fines on contact with water then it's the wrong structure. Have to be careful testing stuff that is not proven though and make sure pH is OK. It would not be a big step for companies to adjust the pH of their stuff to 'add value' for neutralising the cat p*ss. Luckily they would likely market it such. Capitalism. Got to love it. Check pH of all new stuff not marketed for bonsai :0)

 

[Aiki_Joker]

Tesco cat litter is apparently 'terramol.' Sanicat litter is also terramol but higher particle size from what I can find online. Terramol constitutes about 1/3 clay and 2/3 DE. They also mention on their website that it is fired but fail to state the temperature so impossible to predict porosity There is a nice thread on the BCSS UK Forum on tesco stuff and terramol.