Canada? Land of the damned? No pumice for you!

f1pt4

f1pt4

Chumono
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So does anyone ship to Canada? I don't know if it's because of tight boarder controls, or because we're considered a leper colony, but I'm having a tough time finding Horticultural Pumice or Dry Stall up here. I can't seem to find anyone who will ship it north.

I use growstones, lava, haydite, granite, DE, pine bark and a sprinkle of Akadama from time to time, but would be nice to get some proper Pumice in the mix.

Anyone know anyone who would, could, or does ship to my country?

...yes I know the above mentioned are enough to grow proper bonsai, but everyone's talking bout pumice. I'd like to test it out as well.

Thanks in advance.

Mike.
 
Google pumice in BC.....and see if the suppliers will ship east. I got a pumice mine in Pemperton to ship me a sample on the bus...only had to pay the shipping cost......lots of sifting though. Now we can get a horticulture grade in bags through a local nursery.
Good luck.
 
Have you checked with the bonsai nursery in London,On? I believe he used to import, his site is bonsaiguy, I think. I imagine if you are in Toronto you have already asked at Kim's nature. I will ask at our spring sale here in Montreal, it's March 19, possibly a connection there and I travel to Toronto fairly often to visit family.
 
Wilson said:
Have you checked with the bonsai nursery in London,On? I believe he used to import, his site is bonsaiguy, I think. I imagine if you are in Toronto you have already asked at Kim's nature. I will ask at our spring sale here in Montreal, it's March 19, possibly a connection there and I travel to Toronto fairly often to visit family.
Click to expand...

Yes bonsaiguy sells lava which I buy. Kim's nature only sells the really big pumice, like 1"+. I think it's Japanese. I've asked about the smaller stuff, but it costs too much to import they say. If your club has any links, please do share, I know a bunch of people from TBS would be interested in getting their hands on some.
 
parhamr said:
Call these folks and ask if they have retailers near you:
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'll look into this.

ghues said:
Google pumice in BC.....and see if the suppliers will ship east. I got a pumice mine in Pemperton to ship me a sample on the bus...only had to pay the shipping cost......lots of sifting though. Now we can get a horticulture grade in bags through a local nursery.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thank you I will. I don't mind the sifting. I do it anyways.
 
So I passed by the spring repot sale, and here in Mtl we have haydite and chabasi in bulk. I was also reading about ordering a pallet of pumice from BC, if there was a group organized to purchase.
On another topic I am heading to Toronto Easter weekend, is Kim's nature a place worth stopping in?
 
Mike, I live in Windsor, ON and Called a bunch of places a few weeks back, it's just too expensive to ship for individual use, you can check the local hydroponic stores and see if they can special order for yo, mine can't get it. I did order pumice and had it delivered to my parents home in Detroit, haven't used it yet and not too impressed. Seems a little too fine for my liking. I use all the same materials you do, they work just fine, don't obsess about what you can't get, Growstone seems to pretty much do what pumice does anyway.
 
Guy Vitale said:
Mike, I live in Windsor, ON and Called a bunch of places a few weeks back, it's just too expensive to ship for individual use, you can check the local hydroponic stores and see if they can special order for yo, mine can't get it. I did order pumice and had it delivered to my parents home in Detroit, haven't used it yet and not too impressed. Seems a little too fine for my liking. I use all the same materials you do, they work just fine, don't obsess about what you can't get, Growstone seems to pretty much do what pumice does anyway.
Click to expand...

Pumice comes in all sizes but I think you are right about growstone pretty much performing the same.
I have a good big pile of pumice here but it is really chunky, if any of you Canucks want some half inch particle pumice let me know. I think I'd better hold on to the smaller sizes for myself, it's a lot of sifting to mine the small stuff out too.
 
wireme said:
I have a good big pile of pumice here but it is really chunky, if any of you Canucks want some half inch particle pumice let me know.
Click to expand...
I may take you up on that, do you usually have it on hand, I'm all set for soil for a good while.
 
Guy Vitale said:
I may take you up on that, do you usually have it on hand, I'm all set for soil for a good while.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I probably have a couple of those giant bean bags full, much of it is around my trees as mulch right now. I couldn't find a local source but was able to arrange a trailer full from a pumice mine. I didn't really get it for resale purposes but I definitely have more of the larger size than I need. I could bag and sell some for probably a pretty cheap price but there is still the old shipping problem as far as cost. We can look into it. It will be thawed out by mid April or so I guess.

Maybe a feedsack full tossed into a greyhound, I wonder what that would cost.
 
Last edited:
Wilson said:
@f1pt4 I just found these guys online the other day, close to my parents place!
http://www.bustan.ca/home/grow-indoors/grow-media.aspx
Click to expand...

I'm very well aware of them. They have some nice stuff, but they don't have pumice. Luckily we were able to source some through a distributor with our club. Still have some left over for sale. Come to our fall show, we should have some.. if it lasts that long. Next shipment won't be till the spring! If you want some, I could pick some up for you and you can pick it up from me when you come down for the show.
 
f1pt4 said:
Yes bonsaiguy sells lava which I buy. Kim's nature only sells the really big pumice, like 1"+. I think it's Japanese. I've asked about the smaller stuff, but it costs too much to import they say. If your club has any links, please do share, I know a bunch of people from TBS would be interested in getting their hands on some.
Click to expand...
Kim's keeps bags of pumice in much the same granularity as it does Akadama, from what I recall. I'll need to head back up in a couple of weeks, but I can probably take a snapshot of them both if i remember. They are roughly the same in cost as well.
 
Just an update - I went today and found that I was mistaken. While the pumice they do have can be broken down with some effort, what I thought was pumice (in managable sizes) is actually Kanuma. I asked whether they were planning on bringing in finer grades of pumice and the answer was 'likely within a year'.
 
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