Looking to buy Pumice (Central Coast, CA)

Bonsilot

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I'm looking to buy some pumice locally for relatively cheap. I live between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbra, California, and have had no luck at local nurseries, stores (like Home Depot, Lowes, and Farm Supply), or bulk garden/stone suppliers.

The cheapest pumice I have found is "E.B.Stone 631N Volcanic Pumice, 8 qt" for $7 (https://www.outdoorsupplyhardware.com/2791477/product/E.B.Stone-631N , w/ pictures https://shop.yardngardenland.com/eb-stone-volcanic-pumice.html / https://idiggreenacres.com/products/e-b-stone-organics-volcanic-pumice).

Questions:
1) Does anyone know of a cheap source of pumice in my area?

2) Does anyone have any experience with E.B.Stone Pumice?
(It will be the primary soil for most of my plants, including several pines I plan on collecting.)
 

hemmy

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Questions:
1) Does anyone know of a cheap source of pumice in my area?
1) Nope, not north of Santa Barbara. I was in the Santa Barbara club before we moved this year. Members historically bought “DryStall” pumice for horse bedding. But it got hard to find. We would send people to La Sumida in SB for small bags (probably EB Stone, 8qts). I was in Ventura, so I would buy Uni-Gro Pumice in 1cu ft bags (30qts). It is now $12/bag from Green Thumb in Ventura. I know that’s a bit of a drive. They generally had a pallet on site, but there were also times when they were out for a few weeks. It is irregular pieces from 1/2” down to fines, but the majority was in nice bonsai size range. I mixed it straight in varying ratios with seedling sized orchid bark for large grow boxes or nursery cans. I also sifted it for a bonsai mix.

If you have the space, you might be able to get it delivered by the yard or “super sacks”. Just search California pumice quarry there are at least 2 large ones that output horticultural products.

If you are going to need akadama and scoria, then I’d contact in California Bonsai Studio in Thousand Oaks. They had bags of Akadama and bulk scoria. Fuji Bonsai Nursey in Sylmar also had nice bagged red scoria. You could also ask George Muranaka (Muranaka Nursery) in Nipomo, if he could recommend where to source soils. Good Luck!

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yenling83

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Hey! Yes, I recommend Air Vol Block in SLO. Hands down the best place to get it on the Central Coast-I've bought a yard or two every year from them for the past several years.
 

Wulfskaar

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1) Nope, not north of Santa Barbara. I was in the Santa Barbara club before we moved this year. Members historically bought “DryStall” pumice for horse bedding. But it got hard to find. We would send people to La Sumida in SB for small bags (probably EB Stone, 8qts). I was in Ventura, so I would buy Uni-Gro Pumice in 1cu ft bags (30qts). It is now $12/bag from Green Thumb in Ventura. I know that’s a bit of a drive. They generally had a pallet on site, but there were also times when they were out for a few weeks. It is irregular pieces from 1/2” down to fines, but the majority was in nice bonsai size range. I mixed it straight in varying ratios with seedling sized orchid bark for large grow boxes or nursery cans. I also sifted it for a bonsai mix.

If you have the space, you might be able to get it delivered by the yard or “super sacks”. Just search California pumice quarry there are at least 2 large ones that output horticultural products.

If you are going to need akadama and scoria, then I’d contact in California Bonsai Studio in Thousand Oaks. They had bags of Akadama and bulk scoria. Fuji Bonsai Nursey in Sylmar also had nice bagged red scoria. You could also ask George Muranaka (Muranaka Nursery) in Nipomo, if he could recommend where to source soils. Good Luck!

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That's all in my neck of the woods. Good to know! Thanks!
 

Bonsilot

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1) Nope, not north of Santa Barbara. I was in the Santa Barbara club before we moved this year. Members historically bought “DryStall” pumice for horse bedding. But it got hard to find. We would send people to La Sumida in SB for small bags (probably EB Stone, 8qts). I was in Ventura, so I would buy Uni-Gro Pumice in 1cu ft bags (30qts). It is now $12/bag from Green Thumb in Ventura. I know that’s a bit of a drive. They generally had a pallet on site, but there were also times when they were out for a few weeks. It is irregular pieces from 1/2” down to fines, but the majority was in nice bonsai size range. I mixed it straight in varying ratios with seedling sized orchid bark for large grow boxes or nursery cans. I also sifted it for a bonsai mix.

If you have the space, you might be able to get it delivered by the yard or “super sacks”. Just search California pumice quarry there are at least 2 large ones that output horticultural products.

If you are going to need akadama and scoria, then I’d contact in California Bonsai Studio in Thousand Oaks. They had bags of Akadama and bulk scoria. Fuji Bonsai Nursey in Sylmar also had nice bagged red scoria. You could also ask George Muranaka (Muranaka Nursery) in Nipomo, if he could recommend where to source soils. Good Luck!

View attachment 463807View attachment 463808View attachment 463809View attachment 463810
Thanks for all that information! That will really help me out.

I have been meaning to go check out the Muranaka Nursery. Sounds like a good time for a visit.

Also, did you buy that orchid bark from Ventura as well?
 

Bonsilot

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Hey! Yes, I recommend Air Vol Block in SLO. Hands down the best place to get it on the Central Coast-I've bought a yard or two every year from them for the past several years.
I'll check it out!

Did you have to do much sifting to get out fines or larger rocks?
 

yenling83

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I'll check it out!

Did you have to do much sifting to get out fines or larger rocks?
I do highly recommend sifting out the powder and really small fines when it comes to pumice. The pumice powder will cake up drain holes, coat roots and allow less oxygen to penetrate the roots. With that said the pumice at Air Vol is a great size, I sift it once to remove all the powder, then a second time to get two different sizes.
 

hemmy

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Also, did you buy that orchid bark from Ventura as well?
Yes, Green Thumb. But they were out of that brand and the seedling size for awhile. When we moved I brought a pallet with akadama, pumice, lava and the bark.
 
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