Growstones?

Messages
138
Reaction score
24
Anyone used this product in their soil mix?
growstones.com
It looks and feels like lava rock but is even lighter in weight and a tannish brown color.
It is made from recycled glass, believe it or not. I'm sure the price is higher than lava for West Coasters who have ready access to that but here out East, it might be more economical substitute. There is a 1/2" size that has many smaller particles in the bag so it can be sifted to different sizes.
Just curious if anyone has actually used it.
The manufacturer says that he has some bonsai growers in the San Deigo area using it.

John Romano
 

jk_lewis

Masterpiece
Messages
3,817
Reaction score
1,160
Location
Western NC
USDA Zone
7-8
Looks interestiing, john. Are you in actual possession of some?

If it is so light, I wonder if it would float to the top of a soil mix.

jim
 
Messages
138
Reaction score
24
Hi Jim,
I do have a sampling of it. It is not that light but a bit lighter than lava. Still has some substance to it. One of my students was given a bag from a friend of his who sells hydroponic supplies. It looks promising. I am going to test it and contact the wholesaler in our area for pricing - we could use it at the nursery if it performs well and is priced right.
John
 

octoberust

Seedling
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
I have used it on a juniper I collected earlier this season. I also added some coconut fiber to the mix as well. Probably a little heavy with the coconut fiber, but all in all they both seem to be working well. I have not had an issue with the grow stones floating away. The price I payed was $12 for a 10 quart bag. I want to be green, but I can pay a little more for a 50 lbs bag of turface. I think it is a good alternative, but I hope the pricing comes down.
 

fore

Omono
Messages
1,848
Reaction score
247
Location
Portland, OR
John, or Al/Smoke, any real world experiences to share yet? Looks promising but can't seem to find any feedback on it's efficacy. It'd be great if Al jumped in as he blogged about it in Feb.
 

AboveBeyond

Shohin
Messages
332
Reaction score
110
Location
Boston, MA
USDA Zone
6a
John, I bought a bag from a hydroponic store but found the particle size to be too large but I might sift it as you suggested. The bag of 1.25cf is $32.
 

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
I used it in my mix this year with no problems. It is irregularly shaped so it stays in place well. I only used it at a 10% of total rate, which is what the manufacturer suggests. I bought a big bag for $30 so it wasn't expensive. It seemed to lighten and aerate the mix a bit. Pines and maples seemed to respond very positively with better needle and leaf health.
 

jk_lewis

Masterpiece
Messages
3,817
Reaction score
1,160
Location
Western NC
USDA Zone
7-8
This stuff sounds interesting, but I can't use it. I have very bad lungs and -- because of the dust warning on the product label would have to use my O2 and be heavily filtered. That's too damn much trouble. So if you do use it -- wear a mask. Lung issues are NO fun.
 

fore

Omono
Messages
1,848
Reaction score
247
Location
Portland, OR
Thanks for that link Jeremy!

And Thanks for the warning about the dust JKL, very good to know.

Only 10% Dave? That's not much.
 

jkd2572

Masterpiece
Messages
2,065
Reaction score
73
Location
Plano, Texas
USDA Zone
7
Every aggregate I have ever seen has a bunch of dust before you flush it out with water. I place in huge container/bucket with holes all over it and flush the dust out with water. The grow stone had far less dust than decomposed shale that I mostly use. This stuff sponges up water. See link above. You put in a puddle of water and it sucks it up. Super light. After this summer using it on deciduous material with good results I will probably use again next year. My bald cypress that are usually looking pretty sad this time of year are starting to flush with new growth. By the way I'm in a 5 day period of over over 100 degrees f. They are pushing new growth. The mix for the BC is 50% composted pine bark/ 25% decomposed shale"haydite", 25% grow stone. Seems heavy on the organic, unless you have ever had BC in this climate.
 
Last edited:

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
Thanks for that link Jeremy!

And Thanks for the warning about the dust JKL, very good to know.

Only 10% Dave? That's not much.

Growstones are a supplement to your soil, not a primary ingredient. If you had a lot of it in your mix you would be watering ten times a day. Ten percent is what they recommend so that's what I tried. I am interested to look at the roots next year when repotting.
 

davetree

Omono
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
848
Location
St. Paul Minnesota
USDA Zone
4
The manufacturer also states on the bag how to remove the dust safely to protect your lungs.
 

Shima

Omono
Messages
1,181
Reaction score
1,803
Location
Hilo Hawai'i
USDA Zone
11A
Growstones are a supplement to your soil, not a primary ingredient. If you had a lot of it in your mix you would be watering ten times a day. Ten percent is what they recommend so that's what I tried. I am interested to look at the roots next year when repotting.
Not necessarily, among other things, I'm growing tridents in an open ended poly tube in growstone and milled sphagnum. Rapid growth and NO leaf burn. Thank you, Gro Power Tabs!
 

jk_lewis

Masterpiece
Messages
3,817
Reaction score
1,160
Location
Western NC
USDA Zone
7-8
The manufacturer also states on the bag how to remove the dust safely to protect your lungs.

Yeah, but there are lungs and then there are lungs. Mine work at less than 50% efficiency. Those care suggestions won't work with me.
 

jkd2572

Masterpiece
Messages
2,065
Reaction score
73
Location
Plano, Texas
USDA Zone
7
Have you thought about completely saturating the product with water before messing with it? To protect yourself from the dust. Literally spraying it with water.
 

HumbleTrees

Yamadori
Messages
67
Reaction score
3
Location
Palouse Region of Idaho
USDA Zone
6A
Freeze thaw

Their website says it has an equivalent freeze-thaw degradation rate as lava and pumice. Can anyone confirm this from experience?
I was checking it out yesterday and it seems extremely light and fragile compared to both, which leads me to believe it would break down faster. I hope I'm wrong because hydro grow stores are more prevalent than landscape supply stores that carry 1/4" lava or pumice in my area. I'd like to use it, but this area freezes and thaws almost daily in the winter.
 

jkd2572

Masterpiece
Messages
2,065
Reaction score
73
Location
Plano, Texas
USDA Zone
7
Do lava and pumice break down with freezing that much? I don't think they are as bad as akadama, hopefully someone else can chime in. Not a problem in my climate as we have very mild winters.
 

Poink88

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
8,968
Reaction score
119
Location
Austin, TX (Zone 8b)
USDA Zone
8b
Have you thought about completely saturating the product with water before messing with it? To protect yourself from the dust. Literally spraying it with water.

Best simple solution ^^^. Open the top of the bag, poke holes in the bottom, then flush the fines out with water. :)
 
Top Bottom