Does Kanuma turn into dust?

[Clicio]

Being very difficult to get Akadama or Kanuma in my country, I get what I can when the opportunity comes in.
So I've found some Kanuma online for my Azaleas, purchased it but...
1/4 of the product is dust, already in the package. The particles when pressed are easily crunched to powder.
Is Kanuma supposed to be this fragile, or rather is there a "hard kanuma" like akadama?

 

[Anthony]

Clicio,

have you tested peat moss?

Been growing the azaleas from Lousiana, since 1980
in a simple mix of 5 mm gravel / commercial Canadian peat mpss / perlite.
Thus far no problems.

Note these would be - coarser - azaleas.

Good Day
Anthony

 

[ABCarve]

Every time the bag is handled the particles bang together and they make more dust. Try to imagine how many times the bag has been thrown or bounced in a truck before it got into your possession.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

It’s normal. Kanuma is dusty material. Sift it carefully and briefly, and minimize handling it. Once it’s in use, it won’t break down too much.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Kanuma will crunch easily between your fingers. Do like @Brian Van Fleet says. You will get a lot of dust in a bag of kanuma, although there are some online vendors who will sift out the fines before packaging it. After tamping it in your pot, water it well until all the fines are washed out.

 

[Clicio]

@Anthony , @ABCarve , @Brian Van Fleet , @Lazylightningny thanks a lot.
I will handle it with care, and will sift as Brian has suggested.

 

[Clicio]

have you tested peat moss?

Not so easy to find it here also, Anthony.
I've been using fine pine bark+coal for acidic lovers like camellias and azaleas.
Thanks!

 

[Adair M]

@Anthony , @ABCarve , @Brian Van Fleet , @Lazylightningny thanks a lot.
I will handle it with care, and will sift as Brian has suggested.

And don’t stab it a zillion times when “chopsticking” it in. Many people wil go around and around jabbing, jabbing, jabbing. This will break the Kanuma (and akadama, too) before it’s even gotten wet! Slip the chopstick in, and wiggle it back and forth. With your other hand gently push more soil down into the cavity you’re creating with the wiggling. Remove the chopstick, and move in to the next area. Just go around once! When done, hold the tree down firmly in the pit, and tap the sides of the pot with the meat of your fist. That will settle the soil. Then smooth it, level it, and water.

 

[Clicio]

And don’t stab it a zillion times when “chopsticking” it in. Many people wil go around and around jabbing, jabbing, jabbing...

I will not stab it, @Adair M , thanks for the tips!