Civilengr3
Seed
I have a bag of crushed oyster shells for poultry. Would this be a good soil medium or is there too much calcium?
Oyster shells ok?
- Thread starter Civilengr3
- Start date
WNC Bonsai
Omono
Its not the calcium but the alkalinity you need to worry about. They are about 95% calcium carbonate—like taking Tums or spreading ground limestone on your front yard.
Crazy Diamond
Omono
Soil medium? unless you have a insanely acidic soil, and only using it in the right amount in the mix would be useful
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
The particles also pack due to the fact they are flat rather than round. I used hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of this in marine aquarium systems many years ago. It kept the pH buffered at about 8.3.
D
Deleted member 32750
Guest
I never understand why people like to reinvent the wheel when it comes to soil.
for young stock you’re better off using potting mix for older trees if you really want a cheap soil mix you can go to any garden and feed store in the US and buy pumice for dirt cheap.
for young stock you’re better off using potting mix for older trees if you really want a cheap soil mix you can go to any garden and feed store in the US and buy pumice for dirt cheap.
waydeo
Mame
I get the chicken grit in granite from the feed store or tractor supply. Cheap and works great.
berzerkules
Shohin
For the majority of people this is correct but depending on your location it can be difficult and/or expensive to get basic stuff like pumice. I can no longer get pumice where I live because the one nursery that carried it got sold a couple years ago and they have not gotten a shipment since. 10+ years of getting pumice from the only place in town and I bought them out this spring. Next spring is going to suck.
Not trying to be a jerk or nothing but sourcing locally available substrate isn't always easy for everyone.
What he / she said.
Seems to me it is a fair question. If you have a lot of something available, so why not consider it.
The first few answers seem pretty good in listing the issues.
I find it interesting reading about all the soil mixes. Seems to me these days there is a shift to what is readily available near you. ie Cheap, and therefore more likely to be sustainable.
Seems to me it is a fair question. If you have a lot of something available, so why not consider it.
The first few answers seem pretty good in listing the issues.
I find it interesting reading about all the soil mixes. Seems to me these days there is a shift to what is readily available near you. ie Cheap, and therefore more likely to be sustainable.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
You will not be able to use it on any acid loving plants such as azalea.
Not sure if pines would like it either
Not sure if pines would like it either
Don’t get acid and alkaline living mixed up either…
D
Deleted member 32750
Guest
Potting mix and perlite can be found anywhere and that is a fantastic mix for young plants. And if pumice is hard to find locally it can be purchased for cheap on amazon with free 2 day shipping
i just find it silly that people try to use unorthodox soil components like crushed brick or oyster shells when there are easier soil components to use.
but if the OP feels compelled to use oyster shells please do document the results, I’d be very curious to see how it works out for you.
WNC Bonsai
Omono
With all the volcanos in Alaska I find it surprising that volcanic materials like pumice or lava rock is not readily available. I’m sure that if you are not in an area with this then the cost of shipping it might be prohibitive. Sort of like me buying dried New Zealand sphagnum moss.
Sometimes things aren’t as simple as that.
Take New Zealand. Known for how many sheep it has. Yet it has been really expensive over the years to buy lamb in NZ… for the farmers, they got more selling it elsewhere.
Paradox
Imperial Masterpiece
berzerkules
Shohin
There are multiple pumice deposits in Alaska but the mines were only in operation for a few years and closed around 1950. There are plenty of mines here but I assume that precious metals and rare earth mineral are slightly more profitable than pumice. Sphagnum moss on the other hand is easily collectable in whatever quantity I need.
Shipping cost is a deal breaker for me. I've spent so many hours looking for substrates to ship here. The best I've found is buildasoil at $211 a yard but shipping is about $1350 so that comes to like $57 a cubic foot. The only decent volume of pumice I've found on Amazon is basically the same price and most of the time it's significantly more. Amazon is also annoying, even if you have prime shipping takes forever and it's not worth it. I'm currently on day 9 waiting for a package and they said it would be 4 days. My daughter ordered something on July 16 and it got here yesterday. There are multiple places online that have good prices with free shipping if you spend $100 or whatever but that's only the lower 48. I've been getting it for about $20 a cubic foot for years but it's no longer available. I've also gone to feed stores and nurseries to talk to people trying to get them to order. One nursery said they might next year and a feed store said If I could find a product they could sell they would start carrying it but that didn't work out.
Perlite works, I guess. It's so light it floats and pots get blown over. I use it because I have to but I've always hated it unless I'm doing cuttings, seedlings, house plants etc.
Sorry for the rant. I've wasted so much time trying to source stuff up here and searching online. I need a trigger warning before anyone mentions pumice lol/
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
Where is said cheap pumice?
19Mateo83
Masterpiece
Have you tried bonsai jack?
it's just hard to make the leap to online prices after sourcing things local probably, I know I feel the same way about pine mulch.
