bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Substitutes for crushed lava?

Turface is OK if you get the stuff that is fired at a high temperature. There is a trait that both Turface and Lava stone have in common that Chicken grit does not have; a cation exchange capacity. This is the ability for a soil component to hold on to the ions deposited by fertilizer (the short story). Schultz makes a product that is for all intents and purposes Turface. If you can't find the lava I would consider using this. I do not know about Pumice, I don't have access to this stuff but I doubt it's CEC., glad to be proved wrong if anyone knows for sure.

4-Mar-2008	#14
Vance Wood bonsaiTALK ArchMaster Join Date: Sep-2002 Location: Roseville Michigan Country: USA USDA Zone: 5/6 AHS Heat Zone: ? Posts: 2,438	Turface is OK if you get the stuff that is fired at a high temperature. There is a trait that both Turface and Lava stone have in common that Chicken grit does not have; a cation exchange capacity. This is the ability for a soil component to hold on to the ions deposited by fertilizer (the short story). Schultz makes a product that is for all intents and purposes Turface. If you can't find the lava I would consider using this. I do not know about Pumice, I don't have access to this stuff but I doubt it's CEC., glad to be proved wrong if anyone knows for sure. __________________ The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa