Don't use it! It will break down and turn to mush. Use aquatic plant soil (steins & home depot carry it)- its an ingredient used in bonsai soil and doesn't break down. The advantages is that it holds moisture without being soggy and allows for draining and aeration (loose fast draining soil).

Are you familiar with Turface? I think the distributor is Lesco. Couldn't live without it and Drystall in my troughs as well as other soil mixes.

Al

I've used oildri and am going into my second year and it has never turned to mush. It's structure hasn't changed at all. My soil is as free draining today as it was the day I transplanted. When I was introduced to this on another website for Bonsai, I was skeptical, so I did a test. I left some in water for 21 days straight. I heated and agitated the particles daily, and the structure remained. I tried busting the pieces apart with a hammer. It didn't happen. It is a medium fired clay as opposed to high fired like Turface. I am sure at some point it will break down. By then I will repot as I do so every two to three years with my C and S and bonsai. It just hasn't broken down yet. I have taken a few plants out of pot and examined the soil this year and all particles are in tack.

Oil-Dri with an "i" makes multiple products including cat litters and products specifically marketed as soil conditioners. Most people just think of the granules that you put down on your garage floor to soak up oil. Certainly most of these products are fired clays which do not go mushy in water. The soil conditioners are specifically marketed as not breaking down under high wear and heavy watering. Maybe there is an Oil-Dri product which goes mushy but I haven't seen it.

Two of the cat litters made by Oil-Dri in the US are Cats Pride and Jonny Cat, but I know there are other brands that source from Oil-Dri. I haven't used these but you might want to take a look as a possible source. I use a cat litter that is not made by Oil-Dri so far as I know, but it isn't available in the US anyway.

Many thanks for all of your great responses. I'll try it and see the results.

Dave
Milwaukee

I buy mine as Oil-Dri at Sam's Club for just under $4. It is marketed for picking up oil spills in high traffic areas and also says on the bag that it can be used as a soil conditioner. The bag is about the size of a bag of soil that would cover 1.5 cu ft. It will go a long way.

A small note: Turface, Schultz Aquatic Soil Conditioner, and Schultz Clay Soil Conditioner are all made by Profile Products. Lesco has a calcined (hard fired) clay called Soilmaster, and Espoma has one called Soil Perfector. There may be others as well.

In addition, there is a product called Dryzit. I decided to dispel any myths and boiled the product in water for 20 minutes. Its still standing. Ive heard that it will break down if frozen but come on now...whos gonna freeze cacti and succulents

whos gonna freeze cacti and succulents

Me ;)

absolutely...!!!!! Me also.:)