Vermiculite, Perlite, and Pumice

[tqn626]

I have experience with Vermiculite and perlite but not Pumice.

Vermiculite is nice and all but it turns into a mush after a while. Perlite eventually floats to the top if you water too much.

I'm thinking of using pumice for my raised beds over vermiculite/perlite. And pumice in my SWC.

[SIP Gro-Tubs]

Originally Posted by tqn626

I have experience with Vermiculite and perlite but not Pumice.

Vermiculite is nice and all but it turns into a mush after a while. Perlite eventually floats to the top if you water too much.

I'm thinking of using pumice for my raised beds over vermiculite/perlite. And pumice in my SWC.

Your right on about vermiculite.

Yes Pumice would be a great additive, if you can find it locally.

Have you ever tried:

1. Expanded Clay Shale, 50 lbs cost less than $10 last time I bought it.

2. Zeolite, another volcanic material, its use is far ranging from cat litter to cleaning oil spills in your garage. But don't ever put your tounge on a piece of Zeolite, it will draw the mositure faster than trying to lick a frozen sign post.

3. Gro-Stones they are made from powdered glass and baked to make a highly porus material.

Terry Layman

4. I,more for you, shredded Rockwool, they also make it in different size cubes.

[tqn626]

Is expanded Clay Shale like hydroton?

I heard that you can get good results with Coco coir Chips. Any idea on this?

I bought a bag of pumice here for 3.75 a cubic foot.

http://whittierfertilizer.com/produc...ls/?idnews=136

But I don't think it volcanic pumice. Don't really like the place all that much but they got a good deal on perlite 4cubic foot for 11 dollars.

[habitat_gardener]

Since you're in Calif. and might be able to find it locally, another option to research is rice hulls. Someone offered a bag on freecycle, so I looked it up and saw it's sometimes used in place of perlite.

[Lorri D]

Pumice still rises to the top, but not as fast as perlite. I have used both and buy two yards at a time. A local compost company uses it in their raised bed mix instead of perlite/vermiculite and everyone seems very happy with it. And, I think it helps to deter snails and slugs.

[dice]

You can test it. Pumice floats in water.

The pumice from the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruptions was a little
lighter colored than that, kind of an off-white color. It looked
like this: http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volc..._deposit_l.jpg

(I wonder if someone has some way to make "faux pumice" from
volcanic ash. Maybe the earth makes it by covering up strata of
ash with mudflows or something like that for a few thousand years.)