Attapulgite (Oil Dry) Update Please

[lieuz]

This stuff is like going to a local gas station and picking up a sandwich from them. I have used oil dri for a few years and I'll say this much, it's not really great. I found it's more filler than water retaining when it works. This stuff also has a mind of its own. There's been a year where the stuff worked really well and then there was a year where the stuff, lack of a better word to describe what it had turned into, but it melted and turned into something like...glue...super thick and mud like. These were different batches of oil dry, I only bought two bags because it was cheap and abundant. Also, I found if you don't sift this stuff, it can seriously seriously plug up the drainage holes in your bonsai pot with all the dust. So sift this stuff! This stuff also dries up super fast, so you would probably have to add some organic stuff in to mix it up, but you only run into the possibility of it turning into mush with the organic stuff. It doesn't really promote great root growth either. I wouldn't try this stuff again. :/

 

[GroveKeeper]

I bought a bag of Oil-dri from walmart to test in my mixes. I'll also be buying a bag of safe-t sorb from tractor supply if I can.

My basic soil mix(for south florida) is a mixture of roughly 33-40% NAPA floor dry, 33-40% perlite and 20-33% sifted peat nuggets or sifted compost.

In my experiments with oil-dri, I will not be using it purely. I tried adding it to my basic mix so that the recipe was 1 part oil-dri, 1 part NAPA, I part perlite and one part sifted peat. I'm also testing it in other mixes with just perlite, just lava, etc. I think when added to other.

 

[JoeR]

This stuff is like going to a local gas station and picking up a sandwich from them. I have used oil dri for a few years and I'll say this much, it's not really great. I found it's more filler than water retaining when it works. This stuff also has a mind of its own. There's been a year where the stuff worked really well and then there was a year where the stuff, lack of a better word to describe what it had turned into, but it melted and turned into something like...glue...super thick and mud like. These were different batches of oil dry, I only bought two bags because it was cheap and abundant. Also, I found if you don't sift this stuff, it can seriously seriously plug up the drainage holes in your bonsai pot with all the dust. So sift this stuff! This stuff also dries up super fast, so you would probably have to add some organic stuff in to mix it up, but you only run into the possibility of it turning into mush with the organic stuff. It doesn't really promote great root growth either. I wouldn't try this stuff again. :/

Was the stuff you used the product NAPA sells? #8822?

 

[M. Frary]

This stuff is like going to a local gas station and picking up a sandwich from them. I have used oil dri for a few years and I'll say this much, it's not really great. I found it's more filler than water retaining when it works. This stuff also has a mind of its own. There's been a year where the stuff worked really well and then there was a year where the stuff, lack of a better word to describe what it had turned into, but it melted and turned into something like...glue...super thick and mud like. These were different batches of oil dry, I only bought two bags because it was cheap and abundant. Also, I found if you don't sift this stuff, it can seriously seriously plug up the drainage holes in your bonsai pot with all the dust. So sift this stuff! This stuff also dries up super fast, so you would probably have to add some organic stuff in to mix it up, but you only run into the possibility of it turning into mush with the organic stuff. It doesn't really promote great root growth either. I wouldn't try this stuff again. :/

I've used it straight,unsifted for a few years. I still have some of the original in a bucket with a juniper in it right now. Been there for almost 4 years. No mush. I only need to water once a day. Rain or shine. I never put organic stuff in it. No bark. No compost. It holds water just fine.

 

[sorce]

I bought a bag of Oil-dri from walmart to test in my mixes. I'll also be buying a bag of safe-t sorb from tractor supply if I can

Wal-Mart or Napa?

I can only say this about 7.8 billion more times.....

There is only one Napa Oil Dry 8822.
Everything else is prone to bone you!

Look for dry stall at the tractor supply...
Saf t sorb.....90% sure is no good.

Sorce

 

[Nwaite]

I'm starting to think you maby work for napa..... they paying you for all this advertising you do for them?

 

[Nwaite]

It only took me about 30 mins (and I'm a slow reader) to goggle #8822 and read on meany other sites that it's just about the only stuff that holds up....

 

[sorce]

I'm starting to think you maby work for napa..... they paying you for all this advertising you do for them?

Lol....I got a theory that Vin owns the box stores!

I should start selling it for $80 a bag....

Then people would trust it!

Sorce

 

[lieuz]

Was the stuff you used the product NAPA sells? #8822?

I can't exactly recall; I typically buy the stuff from NAPA (which I think isn't the #8822 the only one they sell?) unbag it and sift it. Then I put it all in a container. I really think if it holds up that well, maybe it is a bad batch. I bought 2 bags, only one of them was crap.

I've used it straight,unsifted for a few years. I still have some of the original in a bucket with a juniper in it right now. Been there for almost 4 years. No mush. I only need to water once a day. Rain or shine. I never put organic stuff in it. No bark. No compost. It holds water just fine.

So if what I have is indeed #8822, then I got a bad first batch, I should be fine with my second. I mean lightning doesn't strike twice, or rather, mush doesn't strike twice in the same #8822. I will probably have to work up some courage to start using this stuff again. So you're coming up to your 4 going on to your 5th soon. So that means repotting is in your future! Could you document your process?

 

[M. Frary]

I can't exactly recall; I typically buy the stuff from NAPA (which I think isn't the #8822 the only one they sell?) unbag it and sift it. Then I put it all in a container. I really think if it holds up that well, maybe it is a bad batch. I bought 2 bags, only one of them was crap.


So if what I have is indeed #8822, then I got a bad first batch, I should be fine with my second. I mean lightning doesn't strike twice, or rather, mush doesn't strike twice in the same #8822. I will probably have to work up some courage to start using this stuff again. So you're coming up to your 4 going on to your 5th soon. So that means repotting is in your future! Could you document your process?

Yep. I'll be doing some repotting in the spring. I'll take pictures. Good or bad I'll let everyone see.

 

[lieuz]

Yep. I'll be doing some repotting in the spring. I'll take pictures. Good or bad I'll let everyone see.

Awesome. Can't wait! I don't know about anyone else but watching repotting videos is a serious guilty pleasure of mine. Don't judge.

 

[sorce]

judge

Lol....me too!

Get the lotion....I think you missed this one!
http://bonsainut.com/index.php?thre...nd-refinement-of-deciduous-trees.21529/page-2

Sorce

 

[GroveKeeper]

Wal-Mart or Napa?

I can only say this about 7.8 billion more times.....

There is only one Napa Oil Dry 8822.
Everything else is prone to bone you!

Look for dry stall at the tractor supply...
Saf t sorb.....90% sure is no good.

Sorce

This is where a lot of confusion comes from. As far as I know, NAPA #8822 isn't called oil-dri or oil dry. The bags usually say oil absorbent or floor dry. Here is a bag that I bought and you can see that is also say 100% diatomite.

This is Oil-Dri(spelled with an I and a hyphen) that I bought from walmart. I've also seen it at home depot, lowes and NAPA(problem leading to more confusion about how fast it breaks down). As far as I know, it's just clay.

I am interested in buying some dry stall but I haven't gotten around to calling tractor supply or any equestrian supply stores.

 

[sorce]

oil dry

You Damn sure are correct I been adding to the confusion! Oops!

I guess long as that 8822 is in there....

But hey.....no one likes it anyway!

I went to a place to find that pumice.....
Nothing close.....but pumice is my only other "want" "trust" "care to use".

Sorce

 

[lieuz]

Get the lotion....I think you missed this one!

Brother, I watched this on the train. Highly inappropriate of me.

 

[sorce]

Brother, I watched this on the train. Highly inappropriate of me.

Fucking Lieuz.....it's been about a minute and I'm still laughing!

Hell no!

I looked for replies and likes.....
But clearly.....you must have been cleaning up!

Sorce

 

[coh]

That "oil-dri" stuff from walmart is one of the ones I tested. Much softer than the napa 8822 and didn't hold up well at all to soaking and freezing. If I had to use one of these, I'd go with the napa.

 

[lieuz]

If I had to use one of these, I'd go with the napa

Thanks for the insight!

 

[GroveKeeper]

You Damn sure are correct I been adding to the confusion! Oops!

I guess long as that 8822 is in there....

But hey.....no one likes it anyway!

I went to a place to find that pumice.....
Nothing close.....but pumice is my only other "want" "trust" "care to use".

Sorce

I didn't mean to bring up NAPA, it's just one of the components I'm testing out with oil-dri mixes.

I would love to try pumice and lava in more mixes but they don't seem widely available for a reasonable price in Florida. Other than buying a bag of landscape lava from lowes and crushing it with a hammer.

It's exercise, I guess.

 

[coh]

I didn't mean to bring up NAPA, it's just one of the components I'm testing out with oil-dri mixes.

I would love to try pumice and lava in more mixes but they don't seem widely available for a reasonable price in Florida. Other than buying a bag of landscape lava from lowes and crushing it with a hammer.

It's exercise, I guess.

Do that once and you'll probably decide the shipping costs are worth it (I did). On the other hand, many people grow great trees in the more readily available materials (turface, napa 8822, bark, granite grit) so, despite the hype that exists around pumice, lava, akadama...you don't really need any of them to be successful.