IIReignManII
Well-Known Member
Any tips on how to source this stuff? I need around 5-6 cubic feet of pumice or lava rock and finding the proper size of lava rock or finding pumice at all has been really difficult.
Lava rock and pumice shouldnt be this hard and expensive to find
- Thread starter IIReignManII
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go go kid
Well-Known Member
Oklahoma...ordering pumice online would be like $1000 for the amount I need...I can’t buy 15 qt bags for $30 each when I need 6 cuft
Around here horticultural grade perlite is ~$22/4cf bag (30 gallons), and weighs 18lbs. A shit ton lighter than either pumice or lava rock and WAAY cheaper.
It has worked well for me for over 45 years (since 1972), and see no need for the 'latest and greatest' fad.
Do your research.
Wet
It has worked well for me for over 45 years (since 1972), and see no need for the 'latest and greatest' fad.
Do your research.
Wet
Herb & Suds
Well-Known Member
I was trying to find the reason he was stuck on pumice
stalebiscuit
Well-Known Member
i found it in garden section of lowes. one was covered in black dust though so its a good idea to give pumice a good rinse before using it
Likely some You Tube "star grower/influencer".I was trying to find the reason he was stuck on pumice
Organic container veggie gardeners are GTG for info. The Utube canna growers are quite often FOS, pushing expensive, un needed stuff. *I* avoid them like the plague.
Wet
Herb & Suds
Well-Known Member
I'm so basic now compared to years ago
water promix and organics
I’ve always used perlite in the past. I’ve always heard actual stone is superior to perlite since it won’t break down and turn to concrete over years of recycling the soil. I want to reuse this soil for a long time and don’t want to deal with perlite breaking down and floating to the top.
I buy the same large bags from our local feed & seed store where I live in Canada, and I think they're about $22 too. They're HUGE bags. In fact once my wife was helping by carrying a bag to the car from the loading dock while I loaded in the heavy stuff, and people were staring with disbelief how she was carrying a bag much bigger than she is. LolI was trying to find the reason he was stuck on pumice
Apparently many people who do no-till say that perlite eventually breaks down into a kind of mud or something that eventually can mess up drainage. But that hasn't been my experience, especially with the coarse stuff. It's pretty inert material. Others say that it all floats to the top of your pot while watering, but that's not something that should happen in no-till since our soil is always covered with something (mulch or cover crop), and a nice humus layer underneath that. You should not see the perlite you added.
I find perlite works well even for more permanent soil setups like multi-cycle no-till. I have nothing against the use of crushed pumice or whatever, but availability, price, and weight are considerations that might influence the decision.
dangledo
Well-Known Member
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
We really don't have a good source here in Oklahoma. The best bargain that I could find was buying it by the cubic yard from Build a Soil. Then, there is freight charges that go with it. They will have to use a lift gate to deliver, I've been there before...
Herb & Suds
Well-Known Member
Do tell?
Where are the brilliant minds such as your self obviously?
MidwestGorilla219
Well-Known Member
I buy large amounts of lava rock, throw it in a construction cloth used to smash a cast iron tub, then I smash it with a steel tamper. After that I screen it keeping the pieces that are dime sized or smaller. Indoors I usually use perlite but I like using lava rocks outdoors.
dangledo
Well-Known Member
Plenty content quality here
Just have to weed through the dick heads circle jerking
OneHitDone
Well-Known Member
You should be able to have any local grow shop or nursery supple bring in Pumice in 1cu ft bags. Out west they are around $12ea
As to those that don't know what's up when building long lasting recyclable soils - Perlite is great for propagation but pumice and lava rock are where it's at for long term use.....
GrassBurner
Well-Known Member
I picked up .5 cu ft bags of lava rock for $5 each at Lowes. The brand was Flowerock. There is a cheaper brand thats $3 a bag, but it seemed to be half lava rock-ish, and half colored gravel. I found a bag of each torn open, and only the Flowerock was actually aerated, I was able to blow air into the rock. Flowerock also doesn't use any artificial coloring. Cheap, and no shipping. Home depot carried the same thing i believe.