bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Why Do I Want To Put My Tree In Kitty Litter?

I started making my own soil mix for my plants a year ago. I too use oil-dri . I haven't had any problems myself with it holding too much water, and agree that it does dry out quite fast. Dust is a problem though, I don't recommend sifting to remove dust though. The fine dust will stick to the larger grains. And the process of sifting could potentialy create more dust.

I'd sift for size if needed, and then WASH the oil-dri. Kind of like what people do with new aquarium gravel. Just keep rinsing it until the rinse water appears clear and not cloudy. I find this removes the dust very well. Some still will gather at the bottom of the bucket, but I just scoop up what I need from the top.

27-Aug-2003	#10
Bonsai-gecko bonsaiTALK Craftsman Join Date: Jan-2003 Location: Tennessee Country: U.S.A. USDA Zone: 6-7 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 73	I started making my own soil mix for my plants a year ago. I too use oil-dri . I haven't had any problems myself with it holding too much water, and agree that it does dry out quite fast. Dust is a problem though, I don't recommend sifting to remove dust though. The fine dust will stick to the larger grains. And the process of sifting could potentialy create more dust. I'd sift for size if needed, and then WASH the oil-dri. Kind of like what people do with new aquarium gravel. Just keep rinsing it until the rinse water appears clear and not cloudy. I find this removes the dust very well. Some still will gather at the bottom of the bucket, but I just scoop up what I need from the top.