Is Cat ltter good or bad

[Deepseadiver]

I Guys, Have any of you guys used cat litter for the plants in your pond?
My pond as no shallows it is a very large tank, 6ft x 4ft and 40 inches deep in a small garden.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

Most of us pot our lilies in unscented, non-clumping kitty litter.

Do you mean, as in put a layer of kitty litter on the bottom of the pond? Never heard of doing that, but a layer of gravel might be better, keeping the roots more oxygenated.

 

[Deepseadiver]

I was going to use 15 inch deep tubs, ie mix 70% cat litter with 30% aquatic soil put lily on surface and then cover in layer of fist size cobbles. This is all guess work on my part so thought I would rub heads with you and other pond experts.

 

[Deepseadiver]

I was going to use 15 inch deep tubs, ie mix 70% cat litter with 30% aquatic soil put lily on surface and then cover in layer of fist size cobbles. This is all guess work on my part so thought I would rub heads with you and other pond experts.

 

[Mmathis]

OK, so you aren’t planning to use it “on the bottom” of the pond, but in tubs to support lilies. Yes, that’s what most of us do, but I don’t mix it with anything — maybe a little gravel over the surface to keep the Lily from floating up.

BUT, we don’t use tubs that are THAT deep. Lilies don’t produce deep roots, so I only use shallow tubs. One time I did plant them in a deeper tub…..the lilies did OK, but the deeper part of the tub was just gross and stinky when I repotted the Lily. Think hydrogen sulfide gas

 

[Deepseadiver]

I tried pea shingle but I have a couple of fish, 18inchers and they just throw it out and on to the bottom. I was thinking to retrieve it with hoover or would you leave on bottom? Also what is the difference between clumping and non clumping? My idea with the deep tubs was to shallow feel them about 6inches then a layer of cobbles to stop the fish disturbing the plants, is this wrong?

 

[j.w]

@Deepseadiver

Yes cat litter is good. Just use a shallow plastic pan, like an oil pan or similar. Does not need to be deep. Easier to take out when it's time to trim the lilies when their roots get too big. You can buy some fertilizer tabs, stakes etc. and just stick your finger down deep near the roots and shove a tab down there so the lilies will get good food to grow. Do this every couple months during the growing season. Stop in Fall and Winter. You can cover the surface w/some gravel or rocks to keep fish from digging in the cat litter. Otherwise they will make a big mess of it all. You must use cat litter w/no additives like chemicals or perfumes. 100% all natural clay litter. I get mine at Wal-mart called Special Kitty in a big huge bag for cheap. Other places have similar types. No clumping as that kind is not good. It has chemicals and you don't want it to get hard.

 

[Mmathis]

@Deepseadiver LOL, obviously you don’t have cats! Clumping litter has chemical properties added that cause it to form a solid mass when it gets wet. Non-clumping litter acts like sand if it gets wet. For cat litter, it greatly simplifies cleaning litter boxes: instead of wet cat pee, it forms up into a nice little golf ball (or larger) size clump that’s easy to scoop out.

 

[Mmathis]

My idea with the deep tubs was to shallow feel them about 6inches then a layer of cobbles to stop the fish disturbing the plants, is this wrong?

That would probably work well. Don’t get them too heavy, though, as lilies have to be repotted, and it’s hard to pull up a heavy, sodden tub of litter and gravel. Experience speaking.

 

[Deepseadiver]

View attachment 153781@Deepseadiver

Yes cat litter is good. Just use a shallow plastic pan, like an oil pan or similar. Does not need to be deep. Easier to take out when it's time to trim the lilies when their roots get too big. You can buy some fertilizer tabs, stakes etc. and just stick your finger down deep near the roots and shove a tab down there so the lilies will get good food to grow. Do this every couple months during the growing season. Stop in Fall and Winter. You can cover the surface w/some gravel or rocks to keep fish from digging in the cat litter. Otherwise they will make a big mess of it all. You must use cat litter w/no additives like chemicals or perfumes. 100% all natural clay litter. I get mine at Wal-mart called Special Kitty in a big huge bag for cheap. Other places have similar types. No clumping as that kind is not good. It has chemicals and you don't want it to get hard.

 

[Deepseadiver]

View attachment 153781@Deepseadiver

Yes cat litter is good. Just use a shallow plastic pan, like an oil pan or similar. Does not need to be deep. Easier to take out when it's time to trim the lilies when their roots get too big. You can buy some fertilizer tabs, stakes etc. and just stick your finger down deep near the roots and shove a tab down there so the lilies will get good food to grow. Do this every couple months during the growing season. Stop in Fall and Winter. You can cover the surface w/some gravel or rocks to keep fish from digging in the cat litter. Otherwise they will make a big mess of it all. You must use cat litter w/no additives like chemicals or perfumes. 100% all natural clay litter. I get mine at Wal-mart called Special Kitty in a big huge bag for cheap. Other places have similar types. No clumping as that kind is not good. It has chemicals and you don't want it to get hard.

Thanks for all the great advise. I got to ask being a diver HOW do I get the swimming diver logo?

 

[zeuspaul]

Test it before you use it. Some of it turns to mush. I have never had a problem with Walmart Special Kitty.

 

[Deepseadiver]

@Deepseadiver LOL, obviously you don’t have cats! Clumping litter has chemical properties added that cause it to form a solid mass when it gets wet. Non-clumping litter acts like sand if it gets wet. For cat litter, it greatly simplifies cleaning litter boxes: instead of wet cat pee, it forms up into a nice little golf ball (or larger) size clump that’s easy to scoop out.

I do have two and use Fullers earth witch is clumping, never used un clumping and wonder why as I thought clumping when wet took on the aperance of clay and thought that's was the right way to go BUT don't mind being told when I'm wrong.

 

[j.w]

Thanks for all the great advise. I got to ask being a diver HOW do I get the swimming diver logo?

Right click on it and then choose save image as, and then box pops up and you can choose to save it to your desktop or wherever and then use it in posts but it will have the welcome words w/it.
Here's one w/o the welcome:

 

[Deepseadiver]

Brilliant, thanks I assume not able to do on mobile but will have a go on laptop later.