A good "Southern" aggregate component?

[subnet_rx]

Right now I use Turface which was fairly easy for me to get and cheap. Two things that I really look for in a soil. I would like to experiment with other components at this point though. I read about lava chips, akadama, river rock, zeolite, and the list goes on, but I can't find anything at a local store like Lowes that comes close to a good size aggregate for my soil mix. The lava rocks are huge, and the vermiculite looks like sand.

I'm wondering if someone could give me some suggestions before I start my spring repotting on a component that I would probably be able to find locally at a big box store or farm supply store? Also, could you post pictures so I could match up the size so that I know what I'm getting is right? Would I be looking for something larger or smaller than Turface?

 

[Poink88]

Napa 8822 Floor Dry (Diatomaceous Earth) is a good one...they are close size wise IIRC.

I recently found/got some expanded shale at a local nursery. They are much bigger at 1/4" -3/8" but looks good.

Crushed decomposed granite can be found at Lowes and Home Depot. You will have to sift this to your size range.

Chicken grit.

Dry Stall if you can find them locally ...I believe it is pumice.

Natural charcoal...BEWARE...NOT the compressed charcoal briquettes.

 

[Poink88]

BTW, DO NOT use Turface by itself. It becomes water resistant once totally dried. When you water, it will just find a path and drain out...not wetting the entire mass.

 

[nip]

Turface is about as good as it gets in Southern Mississippi. Be glad you have easy access to that. Check your local Feed stores for other possible options. You may be able to track down haydite, especially if you head to Louisiana. But you may want to save yourself the trouble and stick with Turface, unless you just really dislike the color. I use Turface with a dash of perlite and some pine bark. Ugly soil, but works great.

 

[subnet_rx]

I can look into the Napa Floor Dry.

I can't find decomposed granite at local stores. I tried at the farm supply and they just looked at me like I was crazy.

Chicken grit is one of those things that I would like to see a picture of to match it up. I think what goes for chicken grit varies.

Dry stall is not something I have looked into, so I'll put that on the list.

 

[subnet_rx]

Turface is about as good as it gets in Southern Mississippi. Be glad you have easy access to that. Check your local Feed stores for other possible options. You may be able to track down haydite, especially if you head to Louisiana. But you may want to save yourself the trouble and stick with Turface, unless you just really dislike the color. I use Turface with a dash of perlite and some pine bark. Ugly soil, but works great.

Well, the problem that Poink88 describes is what I have observed as well. I can actually see all the water heading to one or two areas on the pot as if it were storm drains. If I did stick with Turface, I'd need to learn how to prevent this problem. Mixing it with perlite may be the answer, I'm not sure.

 

[Dav4]

Well, the problem that Poink88 describes is what I have observed as well. I can actually see all the water heading to one or two areas on the pot as if it were storm drains. If I did stick with Turface, I'd need to learn how to prevent this problem. Mixing it with perlite may be the answer, I'm not sure.

Mix it with pumice 50:50...

 

[Poink88]

Well, the problem that Poink88 describes is what I have observed as well. I can actually see all the water heading to one or two areas on the pot as if it were storm drains. If I did stick with Turface, I'd need to learn how to prevent this problem. Mixing it with perlite may be the answer, I'm not sure.

I still use a mostly Turface mix. You just need to add something to break them up a bit. Pumice, lava, or DE would be great for this. In the inorganic side, pine bark and chopped sphagnum can't be beat.

On one problematic tree (collected azalea) that I used almost pure Turface on....I just amended the top half (2.5" layer) with chopped sphagnum and Miracle Grow potting soil. After a few months when I repotted...the top 2.5" was full of roots. The bottom 2.5" pure turface hardly have any. It is crazy.

 

[nip]

Well, the problem that Poink88 describes is what I have observed as well. I can actually see all the water heading to one or two areas on the pot as if it were storm drains. If I did stick with Turface, I'd need to learn how to prevent this problem. Mixing it with perlite may be the answer, I'm not sure.

I have also encountered this on trees in only turface and trees that have not been repotted in years. This generally is a result of the turface settling and repeatedly drying out. It you are using mostly turface, like other aggregates, you can and should water more often than normal (assuming the pot is well draining). Some sifted perlite/pumice will help. Check out your local Big Lots. Not the first place you'd look, but they often have huge bags of large grade perlite. The bags are cheap and you get a good amount of larger pieces after sifting.

 

[KennedyMarx]

A good ingredient you should be able to find is Dry Stall brand pumice. They sell it at Southern States and Agway stores. I can't get it locally, but luckily one of the guys in my club got a bunch of it and has been selling it. Michael Hagedorn wrote that pumice is, in his opinion, the best soil component, ahead of akadama and lava rock.

 

[sikadelic]

I found this pine bark at lowes. It is small enough for me and works pretty good. You have to sift it well because there is a lot of dust in there too.

The other stuff I use has already been mentioned: turface and dry stall.

 

[FrankP999]

I can't find decomposed granite at local stores. I tried at the farm supply and they just looked at me like I was crazy.

Chicken grit is one of those things that I would like to see a picture of to match it up. I think what goes for chicken grit varies.

Almost any farm store should have chicken grit. I use a brand called Grani-Grit that is granite. Be careful because some chicken grit is ground oyster shells which you do NOT want because of the salt from oysters. Chicken grit in my area is available in "Starter" and "Grower" sizes - you want the larger Grower size. I found Dry Stall at Southern States stores but they had to order it for me.

 

[Poink88]

I found this pine bark at lowes. It is small enough for me and works pretty good. You have to sift it well because there is a lot of dust in there too.

Is it composted? They sometimes sell composted pine bark, can't recall what it is sold as, but those work better than fresh and won't deplete your soil nitrogen. You can also supply more N if you have fresh bark.

 

[subnet_rx]

Almost any farm store should have chicken grit. I use a brand called Grani-Grit that is granite. Be careful because some chicken grit is ground oyster shells which you do NOT want because of the salt from oysters. Chicken grit in my area is available in "Starter" and "Grower" sizes - you want the larger Grower size. I found Dry Stall at Southern States stores but they had to order it for me.

Thanks, I'm going to try to go to the local farm supply and ask for Dry Stall or Grani-Grit. The oyster shells is what I think they said they had the last time I asked, which I knew I didn't want.

It's a frustrating conversation because they kept asking what I wanted it for and when I told them I needed soil components, they then kept suggesting I visit the nursery across the road which has lots of topsoil and bark chips. So I quickly realized if I am not very specific, they won't be able to help that much.

 

[KennedyMarx]

Another brand of grit is Cherry Stone grit. I believe it's quartzite and not granite. I found it at a Tractor Supply Co store near me also a local chain called Orscheln. It was pretty cheap, I think eight bucks for a forty pound bag.

 

[lordy]

Try growstone from a hydoponics supply house. Getting air to the roots while getting a water vapor in there is the goal. Apparently larger particle size is more desireable even if it may not be as aesthetically pleasing. Function over form wins.

 

[edprocoat]

A good ingredient you should be able to find is Dry Stall brand pumice. They sell it at Southern States and Agway stores. I can't get it locally, but luckily one of the guys in my club got a bunch of it and has been selling it. Michael Hagedorn wrote that pumice is, in his opinion, the best soil component, ahead of akadama and lava rock.

I dont see much difference in lava rock and pumice, besides the fact that pumice is much lighter in weight. I actually like the extra weight of lava rock as I do not need to tie most my trees into their pots.

ed

 

[FrankP999]

It's a frustrating conversation because they kept asking what I wanted it for and when I told them I needed soil components,.....

Tell them you want chicken grit or turkey grit. Any farm store that does not know what chicken grit or turkey grit, is not a REAL farm store Any of your friends that hunt turkey should know where to buy grit also. Good luck

 

[sikadelic]

Is it composted? They sometimes sell composted pine bark, can't recall what it is sold as, but those work better than fresh and won't deplete your soil nitrogen. You can also supply more N if you have fresh bark.

I am pretty sure that it isn't composted. I didnt see it on the label so I can't be 100% either way.

 

[quietobserver]

I dont see much difference in lava rock and pumice, besides the fact that pumice is much lighter in weight. I actually like the extra weight of lava rock as I do not need to tie most my trees into their pots.

ed

Ditto here. Plus the lava rock doesn't run away to hide in the rain. Its labor intensive but a $3.50 bag of lava rock plus a sledge and some washing and sifting will yield quite a bit of useful material.