DIATOMITE ??

[Grant Bowie]

One more question for those who are growing bonsai and using a lot of diatomite or equivalent.

Are you using Osmocote or equivalent mixed into the media when you repot/ only top dress or not at all?

Grant

[Andrew Ward]

Hi Grant

I am using a variety of fertiliser additives to my mix. Includes cow maure, Rapid Raise or Seamungus, blood and bone, Nitrophoska or Osmocote, and Green Bio (has beneficial bacteria attached to a fine charcoal base). I was finding that the amount of Zeolite we were using in SA was an issue as far as keeping the soil mix too wet, also I believe that it was locking the nutrient so the trees could not access their food.

Will be interesting to find out others' experiences.

Andrew

[Bretts]

G’day all, what are the thoughts on the following:... we know that Diatomite, and the other types of media, can hold anything up to their own weight in water, so therefore when you feed your Bonsai with nutrients, naturally the media is going to absorb the nutrient also and hold it, so I am wondering how long it would stay absorbed in the media before the plant has used it up or has been diluted by watering, do we think that the nutrient is going to eventually build up to the point of being like an overdose of fertilizer, of course naturally we supposedly water our plants a short time just before we feed them, so this may dilute the nutrient to a certain extent, I also want to bring up another point regarding nutrient feeding rates so I shall open another post regarding that, rather than taking this forum off track.
So what are your thoughts on nutrient absorption ???
James

Considering that I need to reduce the salt content of the soil in my hornbeam care I have had this question put to me James and all I can say is that I don't know. Zeolite holds onto alot of nutrient but is this more or less than diatomite considering diatomite actually holds more water content?
One thing I can say is it is not totally true that a well draining mix means there is less chance of salt buildup. In fact it is feasible that the salt build up is worse in a free draining mix
Balderdash I hear them say It had me confused at first too. Well to explain the concept we need to think in extremes. Lets say you water your tree once and that water lasts the entire year. Compared to watering your tree 10 times a day for a year. Every time you water and the medium dries out some what there is some salt residue. Sure you can water heavily and wash some away but some will always stay as a residue. Think of the salt build up in terracotta type pots you can't wash it of with a sprinkle of water. This same thing is happening in our porous medium, even the nonporous ones.
Now after a year compare this medium that has been watered 10 times a day to the medium that was watered once for the whole year. Of course the free draining medium is going to have a larger residue of salt buildup.

[kcpoole]

One more question for those who are growing bonsai and using a lot of diatomite or equivalent.

Are you using Osmocote or equivalent mixed into the media when you repot/ only top dress or not at all?

Grant

I put nothing in with my mix, Just add Neutrog onto the surface and fert with liquid as normal

Ken

[Grant Bowie]

I just did a trawel through bunnings and a large pet shop.

I found the Richgro aquatic planting mix and the Chandler pet litter. The pet litter is Attapulgite as I have another bag of cat litter labeled as Attapulgite..

Still no Maidenwell Diatomite.

Attn Craig W. The product you used in melbourne a few years ago was quite yellow and was known as spongelite or agrisorb or something like that. I thought that was a qld product and therefore maidenwell? but obviously wrong.

grant

[craigw60]

Hi Grant it was absorbolite I think it was a maidenwell product, it certainly came from sage horticultural who also carry diatomite. I see no difference between it and diatomite.
Craig

[Grant Bowie]

Hi Grant it was absorbolite I think it was a maidenwell product, it certainly came from sage horticultural who also carry diatomite. I see no difference between it and diatomite.
Craig

Thanks very much Craig..

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

Just sieved and graded the Attapulgite (came as two types of Cat litter) and the Richgro Aquatic plant mix. To all intents and purposes it would seem the same at this point.

Both were pretty well equal in volumes once graded, equally dusty but not a lot of actual dust(coming through a sieve lined with 50% shade cloth). So left with 3 grades approx .5mm to 1.6mm; then 1.6+mm to 3mm; then 3+mm to 7mm.

Grant

[Jamie]

hi grant,

i generally add a good couple of pinches into my mixes, i got a cheaper slow release from bunnings just recently that i will NEVER use again or recommend either, it went real gluggy really quick and i think it released way to much into the soil way tol quickly and caused my GI to have nitrogen burn, it was a product called NITROPHOSKA and it is CRAP! do not reccommend it at all!!

jamie

[Grant Bowie]

hi grant,

i generally add a good couple of pinches into my mixes, i got a cheaper slow release from bunnings just recently that i will NEVER use again or recommend either, it went real gluggy really quick and i think it released way to much into the soil way tol quickly and caused my GI to have nitrogen burn, it was a product called NITROPHOSKA and it is CRAP! do not reccommend it at all!!

jamie

Thanks everyone for all the info.

Sage Horticultural in Melbourne is stocking the Maidenwell diatomite. Just waiting for prices landed in Canberra and pick up in Melbourne. Anyone from Melbourne coming to Canberra before early September?

Grant

[craigw60]

Hi Jamie, I use quite a lot of nitrophoska in the nursery. I put it on the bulbs in the late spring as they are going down to set the flower buds for the net season. I wouldn't dream of using it on the bonsai.
Craig

[Matt Jermy]

Does no-one use worm juice .. ? - I have been for the last year and swear by it ...

[senseijames]

G'day peoples, I have read that a few of the Ausbonsai family members , use Chandler 100% Attapulgite 5 kg from Woollies & Coles, ( just doing some tests with it myself ), but how many of you know you can buy it cheaper by volume, it comes in 10 kg and 20 kg bags from Pet Shops and it is called "Fussy Cat Litter" and 100 % Attapulgite, made by Hudson , same company that makes, Chandler Litter. I don't know the price yet buy I noticed somewhere on the nett that it was $14 up to $18 for 20kg's.
James

[Jamie]

Hi Jamie, I use quite a lot of nitrophoska in the nursery. I put it on the bulbs in the late spring as they are going down to set the flower buds for the net season. I wouldn't dream of using it on the bonsai.
Craig

hi mate

yes i could see its use on bulbs to give it strength to get things sorted for the next season. i made the mistake of using it on my trees, it has been removed now and hey are all getting a good flush out, normally i would still be feeding but havent for a couple of weeks now since i realised why i had some troubles. especially on a recently repotted fig i have, it didnt like the stuff at all especially on the fresh roots.

jamie

[Bretts]

G'day peoples, I have read that a few of the Ausbonsai family members , use Chandler 100% Attapulgite 5 kg from Woollies & Coles, ( just doing some tests with it myself ), but how many of you know you can buy it cheaper by volume, it comes in 10 kg and 20 kg bags from Pet Shops and it is called "Fussy Cat Litter" and 100 % Attapulgite, made by Hudson , same company that makes, Chandler Litter. I don't know the price yet buy I noticed somewhere on the nett that it was $14 up to $18 for 20kg's.
James

Thats intresting James I did not know that but I usually try to get a coupole of bags of Chandlers when it is on special at $4 something for the 5kg. If I guess $4.50 that is $18 per 20kg. If that is the net price I recon it might even be a little more at the pet store. I will have to ask them though. Cheers!