Haydite for sale

[floridahaydite]

Florida Haydite web site in now operating. We have haydite ready to ship. Please check our web site www.floridahaydite.com to start using the best soil additive to your Bonsai soil.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Best of luck to you. I can't pretend to know your operating costs, but compared to traditional soil components, that price is higher than akadama, which is $1-$2/lb. Scoria/lava rock is around $2.50 for 8 lb....after freight, and Turface locally is $10 for 50 lb bags.

 

[JudyB]

At least it's good that another company is picking up on the idea that there is a market out there for bonsai soil.... But yes far too expensive.

 

[bougie nights]

As I suspected, they don't make it, just distribute. They use a certain type of shale to make it and I wasn't aware of shale being present in Florida! I'm lucky enough to be about two hours from their plant.

 

[JudyB]

Bougie, have you tried haydite before? I've been using a mix from Bonsai Den in Canton that uses haydite as it's main component from that plant, but with this summers horrid weather, it's been hard to assess the results.
Have you ever gone to the DiGeronimo place? I've called them and gotten pricing quotes, but haven't made the trip up yet. Thinking of this winter....maybe we should round up some interested parties, and get a truckload...

 

[bougie nights]

Bougie, have you tried haydite before? I've been using a mix from Bonsai Den in Canton that uses haydite as it's main component from that plant, but with this summers horrid weather, it's been hard to assess the results.
Have you ever gone to the DiGeronimo place? I've called them and gotten pricing quotes, but haven't made the trip up yet. Thinking of this winter....maybe we should round up some interested parties, and get a truckload...

Judy-
Yes, I've picked it up from their plant before. It is a real neat place; there is a massive rotary kiln that bakes the shale they mine on site. If you call in advance, they will have your order ready when you pick up.
As to its effectiveness - I would say it is great for junipers and pines, but maybe not so good for deciduous trees. It is light and granular, but there doesn't seem to be much moisture-holding capacity. I have it in some of my maples, elms and hackberrys and found that I had to water, water, water!
I agree that pooling our resources would be a good idea. Let's definitely discuss!

 

[JudyB]

Yeah thats what I feared. Although the tables I've seen that talk about water retention rate haydite the same as turface, my beech has been struggling in it although I like the size of the granules better. I wonder if you could mix turface and haydite?
Opinions?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I like haydite, but I'd be careful to mix only with other similar sized components. Otherwise, the little stuff settles to the bottom and big stuff ends up on top. I've used larger sized haydite for drainage layer.

 

[bougie nights]

I like haydite, but I'd be careful to mix only with other similar sized components. Otherwise, the little stuff settles to the bottom and big stuff ends up on top. I've used larger sized haydite for drainage layer.

Excellent observation, Brian. I have noticed that as well. I've found when mixing the components that if you lightly moisten them, they stick together a little which reduces the settling out effect.

 

[Bill S]

Is it really haydite, as to the doesn't hold water comment, rockm showed us in another thread that haydite holds water.

 

[JudyB]

Yes Bill, it really is haydite, it comes from the DiGeronimo plant in Ohio. I know that the tables say that it holds water as well as turface and akadama, that is why I'm looking for others who have used it, as it seems like that is not true. I find that it is great for pines, but doesn't work as well for D.trees. Which is really sad for me, as it's a local- fairly cheap -perfect sized, alternative to turface.

I would love to hear what others say about haydite...

 

[rockm]

I've used haydite for years in my deciduous mix. Haven't had an issue with it. Mixed with composted pine bark and quartz sand.

 

[davetree]

Where I am at we use hadite as a drainage layer and as a filler because it is cheap, not because of any special properties.

 

[coh]

Yes Bill, it really is haydite, it comes from the DiGeronimo plant in Ohio. I know that the tables say that it holds water as well as turface and akadama, that is why I'm looking for others who have used it, as it seems like that is not true. I find that it is great for pines, but doesn't work as well for D.trees. Which is really sad for me, as it's a local- fairly cheap -perfect sized, alternative to turface.

I would love to hear what others say about haydite...

It's easy enough to compare the water holding capacities if you have access to both haydite and turface (and a decent small scale helps a lot). Unfortunately I cannot find haydite locally - I'd like to give it a try...but not at those prices! Especially compared to turface at around $15 for a 50 pound bag.

Chris

 

[JudyB]

It's much cheaper at the plant, looks like the fla company is looking to cash in...

 

[JudyB]

It's easy enough to compare the water holding capacities if you have access to both haydite and turface (and a decent small scale helps a lot). Unfortunately I cannot find haydite locally - I'd like to give it a try...but not at those prices! Especially compared to turface at around $15 for a 50 pound bag.

Chris

Good idea. I'll try it out soon.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Yes Bill, it really is haydite, it comes from the DiGeronimo plant in Ohio. I know that the tables say that it holds water as well as turface and akadama, that is why I'm looking for others who have used it, as it seems like that is not true. I find that it is great for pines, but doesn't work as well for D.trees. Which is really sad for me, as it's a local- fairly cheap -perfect sized, alternative to turface.

I would love to hear what others say about haydite...

Brussel's uses it for pretty much everything...used to sell it right out of the stall if you brought your own buckets and shovel!

 

[garywood]

Guys & Judy, as been mentioned, Haydite is expanded Shale. It's produced by regional companies with no national standard. I've seen Haydite in the mid-west that doesn't look much different than the shale itself. No redeeming qualities other than filler. I've also seen Haydite in the south-east and eastern mid-west that has been taken to a higher temperature during processing and is a good soil component, porosity and angularity. So, I guess I'm saying, know what to look for. Not just name but the actual, physical properties. Always test before converting the collection.
Wood

 

[rockm]

"It's produced by regional companies with no national standard. I've seen Haydite in the mid-west that doesn't look much different than the shale itself."

This is true. The stuff I get isn't the large angular stuff that's around. It's higher fired and smaller brown (not grey) particles.

 

[bougie nights]

I should note that my comments are purely anecdotal. Summers such as we have just experienced are extremely taxing on my trees. Furthermore, our summers are not consistent - One year may be wet, the next could be very dry. I am also a less-than-perfect steward of my trees. I usually water in the morning, but sometimes I forget.
Some of my fellow club members really like Haydite, but many of them are retired and can tend to their collection much more readily.