Price of Akadama

[Vance Wood]

Just a note and not intended to produce an argument. I know some of you really like this stuff, and some of you act like you cannot gorw bonsai without it. For the benifit of the beginners on the forum, I have been growing bonsai for longer than many of you have been alive and I have never used Acadama or have ever been convinced that I really should. There are plenty of discussions claiming the bennifits of Acadama and I don't disbelieve them, but there are a lot of alternitives at more than half the price that will do as well----or dare I say it-----better. JMHO Of course I cannot say the alternitives are better because then I would have to have tried Acadama to know for sure-----I have not so I do not. But fifty some years without Acadama should say something.

 

[John Romano]

Fangorn,
I don't know how far from New England Bonsai Gardens you are in Ct but we just received a pallet if it. Cheaper to pick up than ship of course.

 

[daygan]

... there are a lot of alternitives at more than half the price that will do as well----or dare I say it-----better.

Just curious - what alternatives do you have experience with?

 

[Vance Wood]

Turface, Scott's Ceramic Soil Amendmant and a couple of other calcined clay products. I also like to add some of the RED lava grit if you can find it. I use composted Pine Bark Mulch sifted to remove the fines and quartz sand blasting sand #2 or #3. This is the same sand used in swimming pool filters but from what I understand most of the filters used today only use #1 filter sand which is too fine for good drainage, and #'s 2 and 3 are no longer sold for this purpose.

 

[JudyB]

and a couple of other calcined clay products.

care to share these other two?

 

[QuintinBonsai]

A gallon isn't much dirt if you have more than one tree. Also, what's the shipping cost?

True. I found another seller of akadama. $9.95 per 2lb bag/$13.85 S&H.

I couldn't find much of a decent sale for the "red line" akadama on eBay though. Must be a well sought after soil.

 

[Fangorn]

Fangorn,
I don't know how far from New England Bonsai Gardens you are in Ct but we just received a pallet if it. Cheaper to pick up than ship of course.

Perfect! I'm not even an hour away
Looks like a road trip this weekend

 

[Dav4]

Perfect! I'm not even an hour away
Looks like a road trip this weekend

...Lucky man...bring some extra cash and make a day of it!.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

I couldn't find much of a decent sale for the "red line" akadama on eBay though. Must be a well sought after soil.

last I heard (which could just be rumor) the RedLine factory has closed down

 

[rockm]

"(which could just be rumor) the RedLine factory has closed down"

Now that you mention it, I had heard that too. It was either due to the scarcity of the clay, or difficulties in production. Can't remember which.

 

[Dav4]

I heard it as well...something about the "quarry" being mined out of the clay deposits that produce this akadama

 

[John Romano]

Those of us who swear by it need not panic however. From my source in Japan, the older owner of the plant has stopped production but someone is lined up to buy it it and it will be up and running soon.

john

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Those of us who swear by it need not panic however. From my source in Japan, the older owner of the plant has stopped production but someone is lined up to buy it it and it will be up and running soon.

john

That is true, John. I just bought a pallet of the "new stuff" supposedly quarried from the same place as Double red line. Looks like akadama. I will load up a photo shortly.

BTW, $10 for a 2 lb bag is not a good buy. NEBG, or Contact Milt at Cass Bonsai...he just brought a bunch in too.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

"New Stuff"...

 

[Klytus]

Where is this mined?

Have you taken a Geiger to it,as purely a matter of interest.

I would think it would suck it up like zeolite.