Lava Rock vs Pumice

[Anthony]

Imperfect glass, just boiled and decomposes with time.

Prefer crushed fired earthenware clay, porous, but stable for x thousand years.
Will if used 100% kill Serissa s.
Needs to be mixed.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Notsureaboutplantnames]

Follow up to this discussion.
Pumice is expensive and Lava is cheap.

I grew SA proteas commercially with lava (25%) with great success, perlite, not so much.

Looking at WHC of both, ran some tests and they were almost identical.

So, when I read people suggesting that they put collected or nursery grown plants into pumice, I am thinking lava should be about the same?? I could cut it 50/50.

I am thinking of buying some Hydrocorn from an old friend. Anyone use that material? It's disfigured hydroton (LECA).

 

[Gabler]

Pumice is expensive and Lava is cheap.

They cost about the same in my experience.

 

[JoeR]

They cost about the same in my experience.

I am shopping now for soil components, and actually, both pumice and lava are $5 MORE expensive than akadama. $45/bag (3.5gallons) red lava and pumice, $40/bag red line akadama.

Isn't that something?

 

[JoeR]

Follow up to this discussion.
Pumice is expensive and Lava is cheap.

I grew SA proteas commercially with lava (25%) with great success, perlite, not so much.

Looking at WHC of both, ran some tests and they were almost identical.

So, when I read people suggesting that they put collected or nursery grown plants into pumice, I am thinking lava should be about the same?? I could cut it 50/50.

I am thinking of buying some Hydrocorn from an old friend. Anyone use that material? It's disfigured hydroton (LECA).

Pure lava is really hard to work into finer roots without damage, as it is a little more abrasive than pumice. Like a heavy grit sand paper vs a fine one. The shape is less round too. Otherwise I don't see why not, I've seen plants grown in almost pure lava, and a ton of the giant carved lava rock forest plantings.

Oh, and if you're still growing Protea, let me know...

 

[Notsureaboutplantnames]

Not growing protea any longer. Great plants though.
Digging up an interesting Redwood uses about 5 gal of substrate

I bought 15 gallons (2 cubic ft) of Lava rock for $18.00 locally a few days ago.
I have to drive 4hrs round trip for Pumice $27 for 15 gallons plus fuel (7 gal Diesel ~$5/gal $35) - $62 plus my time (which is free now that I'm retired) Though there are a few bonsai nurseries along the way so it could be very expensive
Or I can purchase via amazon for $36 for 5 gallons ($108 /15 gal)

 

[BrianBay9]

Not growing protea any longer. Great plants though.
Digging up an interesting Redwood uses about 5 gal of substrate

I bought 15 gallons (2 cubic ft) of Lava rock for $18.00 locally a few days ago.
I have to drive 4hrs round trip for Pumice $27 for 15 gallons plus fuel (7 gal Diesel ~$5/gal $35) - $62 plus my time (which is free now that I'm retired) Though there are a few bonsai nurseries along the way so it could be very expensive
Or I can purchase via amazon for $36 for 5 gallons ($108 /15 gal)

I used to buy pumice from Aptos Landscape Supply ( https://aptoslandscapesupply.com/shop/soil/bulk-amendments/pumice/ ). Way closer than 2 hrs from you.

 

[Notsureaboutplantnames]

True, but they no longer carry it. Seems only a few groups of people were buying it. The Cactus and succulent group and bonsai. So now its Acapulco Rock and Stone in Richmond. But I have a old friend in Fairfield that we want to see.

 

[Coppersdad]

A short comment...

I am fascinated by this thread. In many ways, it proves a suspicion I've had since I started this journey. It depends, almost entirely, on where we live as to what we might use for soil components. Certainly, what we will pay depends on what components are available and our budget.
When I started my bonsai journey, I was extremely careful with costs. I used Turface and locally available white pumice. I also began to learn there are parts of our country where it's almost impossible to get akadama at any price.

Here in the Pacific NW, akadama is available from several suppliers but is expensive (for my budget). White pumice is available in almost all garden/materials centers (this fall it was about $77/yard). {Might be due to our abundance of volcanos.} We tend to use considerable amounts of pumice because we must create fast draining soils (It rains here...).

IMHO, most of our trees will grow in almost anything. (Look up some of the old recipes that have used sand and chicken grit. And, please remember there are bonsai people in our world who have their trees in pots planted in garden soil!) We choose to take the advice of the "professionals" and the wise men and women who have gone before us because we want the extra push of extra result we often see when an extremely experienced person has experimented and has chosen a soil mix that they believe has given them a better result.

Bonsai soil disagreement...
...now at a club near you