I was a pumice user for many years but once Truls Jensen at Wild Ginger Farms turned me on to 1/4-10 gravel or whatever some people call it, I have not looked back. Yes, it's heavier, but my plants regardless of genus or species have responded very well and I won't go back to using anything else. I mostly grow in 4-inch pots and gallons occasionally so weight isn't much of an issue. Source may be a concern, but there are multiple rock quarries around here and I can easily get it from Knife River (which I think is a national corporation). My first load a number of years ago was delivered by my contractor who brought 2-3 yards. Now that I have a 3/4-ton truck, that's not an issue. This size of gravel doesn't take up much room if space is a problem. I have used granite grit and am also pleased with it but can only get it in the 50-lb. sacks, so I use it for top dressing on tufa troughs where I want 'pretty'. Robin in much sunnier, mellow Coquille, Oregon, but we still need rain! Hansen Nursery robin@hansennursery.com -----Original Message----- From: pbs [mailto:pbs-bounces@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net] On Behalf Of SHOAL CREEK SUCCULENTS Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2019 10:09 AM To: Pacific Bulb Society Subject: Re: [pbs] soil amendments - clay fired kitty litter brands in the USA In my general growing mix, I've used clay fired kitty litter. It broke down too soon and I would not recommend. I do use Turface, Turface MVP specifically. I use it alone for most of the seed I germinate, to almost eliminate fungus gnats. In other seed that I wish to get to a larger size quicker in the growing season, I use it as a 1:1:1 with perlite and a peat based soil mix. On my bulb mix, I add coarse sand and bone meal to the above. I try to repot every year, although every other year is more realistic. Everyone has their favorite mix though. I think one needs to consider what they are trying to accomplish, understand their environment and know the pros and cons of each component of a growing mix. Best regards, Lisa On Sun, Nov 17, 2019 at 11:44 AM M Gastil-Buhl <gastil.buhl@gmail.com> wrote: > In response to Bern's question > "Does anyone use as a soil amendment a clay fired kitty litter that is > similar to Akadama in their potting medium that is available in the USA?" > > I have not tried the fired clay and here in California pumice and scoria > are reasonably priced and work well for me. So this a tangent, not an > answer. > > Recently I did some online research what growing media are used by two > other specialty growers that might apply to some of our bulbs that need an > airy fast-draining, long-lasting, water holding medium: growers of Lithops > and Bonsai. Apparently they have more time to video and post to YouTube > than us species bulb from seed growers. Akadama looks promising, although > expensive, so I can see why you are looking for an alternative. The fired > clay spherical pebbles look interesting. I have not tried Turface. Turface > looks cheaper but gets mixed reviews from Bonsai growers. Has anyone tried > those? > > Watching all those YouTube views of others' growing conditions I realize my > successes may be due more to dry-summer wet-winter moderate temperatures > and sunlight with breeze but not too much wind than to any particular > practice of mine. I grow everything outdoors. Others are growing under > lights in a basement or windowsill. > > Gastil > Overthinking all aspects of bulb growing > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…