Pumice Stone is one of the most well-known ingredients in soil amendments and when you consider its characteristics, it’s easy to see why.
Pumice is essentially whipped volcanic rock that contains large amounts of air bubbles which makes it ideal for use as a soil amendment.
Pumice is perfect for plants that require effective and excellent drainage and better air circulation.
Additionally, pumice is pH neutral and maintains soil structure better even than perlite, and allows microbial life to flourish and promote better plant nutrition.
Using Pumice for plants can even assist in stopping water run off and also increase soil absorption in sandy soils thereby optimizing fertilization.
All in all, pumice is a versatile amendment that can greatly benefit and improve a plants growing environment and allows growers to achieve a better yield more quickly.
Dirtco Horticultural Pumice
The Dirtco Horticultural Pumice boasts that it is some of the best quality and most uniform pumice available.
Ready to use and specifically chosen so that all stones are of a uniform, similar size that helps even drainage and balanced aeration.
Able to help plants and soil retain water but conversely helps improve drainage and prevents waterlogging, this pumice is packaged in a novel pot with a screw-on top.
Being sold in two different sizes (2 Quart, and 4 Quart) and with each chip approximately half an inch, the Horticultural Bonsai Pumice provides the perfect balance of gas exchange, draining capabilities, and moisture retention.
Capable of improving root and plant health and optimizing your growing environment this nontoxic, sterile, and pH neutral soil amendment helps maintain soil pH levels whilst encouraging strong and healthy plant growth.
Perfectly affordable and one of the best-reviewed pumice stone soil amendments available, it is easy to see why this product has been receiving the recent incredible praise it has.
Pros
- Improves root health
- Competitively priced
- Highly rated
Cons
- Needs better packaging
Superfly Bonsai USA Pumice
Superfly Bonsai USA Pumice is one of the best-rated pumice products available on the market today.
Coming in a 1.25 bag, this dry quartz pumice has an amazing ability to retain the correct amount of water and still allow the roots to get sufficient aeration.
Manufactured by Superfly Bonzai, USA Pumice prides itself on being made up from the most uniform premium white pumice (although some batches may also contain a very small amount of cinder, that naturally forms around pumice).
Incredibly light and amazingly microporous, this Pumice Stone helps plants absorb water and nutrients allowing them to get everything they need to grow to their maximum potential.
It’s important to remember that pumice comes in varying sizes and as such it is critical you select the right size pumice for your specific plants.
Pumice Stones with a smaller particle size are more adept at holding water than larger ones and the USA Pumice by Superfly Bonsai has a particle size of 7 MM, which is classified as within the medium range, meaning it holds water but still allows for aeration.
Pre-sieved before bagging and available in a hard-wearing resealable bag that makes it easy to store and distribute the pumice amongst your plants and soil.
Pros
- Pre-sieved
- Resealable bag
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
Cons
- Some growers have found the pumice to be finer than they anticipated
Gantessa Stone Gardening Pumice
The Gardening Pumice Soil Amendment by Gantessa Stone is a pumice stone that has recently been garnering some incredible reviews.
Coming in an 8 quarts-sized bag, this half-inch, pre-screened, soil amendment provides exceptional moisture retention which allows your plants to stay sufficiently hydrated to better induce strong growth.
Safe to use with all types of gardening beds, plants, and growing media, the Gantessa Stone Gardening Pumice Soil Amendment is ideal for ultra organic growing and gardening.
Lightweight but still permeable, this product will not wash away or compact with time, meaning that it continues to provide an excellent growing environment for an extended period of time.
Perfectly capable of being used by itself or even in your own personal porting mix, this Pumice Stone is surprisingly versatile and can promote beneficial effects in almost any environment.
Exceptionally affordable, we highly advise purchasing this great product whilst stocks last.
Pros
- Well priced
- Versatile
- Safe to use
Cons
- Stone size may not be to every growers requirements
Nature's Footprint Pumice
Made by those great folks at Nature’s Footprint, the Nature’s Footprint Pumice Soil amendment is a premium grade pumice stone that doesn’t break down over time and can be used again and again.
With a neutral pH and able to provide excellent drainage as well as boosting water retention and improving aeration, this highly positive and versatile soil amendment is amazing value for money.
The Nature’s Footprint Pumice Soil amendment doesn’t rot and doesn’t shrink or compact with age and makes it super easy for you to control nutrients in your growing environment and ensure optimal conditions.
Unlike some growing media, this pumice stone makes a poor host for insects, fungi, and nematodes and doesn’t give off strong distracting odors, and won’t discolor.
A great alternative to vermiculite and perlite, this affordable, versatile, and easy-to-use product can even be used in potting mixes as well.
Pros
- Provides excellent aeration
- Good drainage
- Reusable
Cons
- Some customers have noted fine particles mixed in with the pumice
Tinyroots Horticultural Pumice
If you are on the market for a truly high quality and premium pumice stone then look no further than Tinyroots Horticultural Pumice Soil Additive from Bonsai Outlet.
Incredibly versatile and able to be used with everything from cacti, succulents, and bonsai plants this uniform, one-quarter inch, white, pumice stone contains no dyes, no chemicals, and no artificial colors.
Available in a large but portable two-quart bag, the Tinyroots Horticultural Pumice Stone excels at providing excellent drainage and is incredibly easy to use and maintain.
This product also allows you to retain the right amount of moisture need for your plants whilst also optimizing the aeration to keep your plants oxygenated, healthy, and strong.
Pre-sifted to a uniform size and boasting that it is entirely dust-free, this is a professional grade pumice that is hand mixed, pre-dried and bagged.
The Tinyroots Horticultural Pumice Soil Additive comes in a fantastic resealable bag that makes for easy distribution and is perfect for storage.
Pros
- Hand mixed
- Versatile
- Multiple size bags
Cons
- Cheaper brands available
Guide to Buying Pumice for Plants
Now that we have gone over each specific Pumice Stone in more detail and discussed its pros, cons, and features we now need to ask ourselves some more general questions.
Whilst these questions may at first seem simple and obvious, in actuality, these questions will help us clarify the positive attributes of each product and help us inform our purchasing choice.
Additionally, these more general questions will allow us to figure out which product deserves the hallowed title of Best Pumice Stone and more importantly which Pumice Stone is right for you.
Pumice Stone Size
All of the Pumice Stone we have reviewed is available in different size bags and as such, this is probably the first thing to consider, as the size of the bag will inevitably affect the cost.
Keep in mind, that this Pumice Stone is more often than not used as a soil amendment, and as such a little can quite often go a long way.
Of course, we always advise readers to purchase slightly over the amount they have worked out as this will save you having to reorder in the event that you got your calculations wrong or there is some sort of unexpected wastage.
Pumice Stone Grade
The grade, or individual size of the pumice chips, is an important consideration as this will affect drainage, aeration, and the quantity of pumice that you add to the soil.
Some of the Pumice Stones we have covered are quite small (less than 1cm) whilst others are far more chunky and larger.
Both of these Pumice Stone grades have their uses and their own specific place in creating an optimal growing environment and it’s up to you to research what specifically you require from a soil amendment and therefore what size grade you need.
Safely Packaged?
This can sometimes be perceived as an inconsequential concern but the type of bag really does make a significant difference on how easy it is to use and distribute the Pumice Stone and more importantly how easy it is to store the product itself.
Many growers who have purchased Pumice Stone that arrived in subpar bags have had to deal with the time-wasting annoyance of a bag splitting and spilling out over your growing environment, not just irritating to have to pick up but potentially detrimental to growth if you happen to not clear it all properly.
By purchasing Pumice Stone that arrives in a sturdy, hardwearing, and resealable bag, you eliminate this issue and can be secure in the knowledge that you are using the Pumice Stone sparingly and reducing wastage.
Pre-Sieved Pumice Stone
As you can see from the individual product reviews, many Pumice Stone suppliers like to promote how their Pumice Stone comes pre-sieved, and rightly so, no grower wants to order a specific grade of Pumice Stone to be left holding massive non-porous rocks or alternatively nothing but dust and sand.
However, as with all things, the amount you pay for any given product normally dictates the level of care and attention put into that product, so it’s important if you are wanting to purchase the cheapest possible Pumice Stone available to keep your expectations reasonable.
Pumice Stone Quality
High-quality Pumice Stone will inevitably cost more than products selling themselves as a bargain or basic Pumice Stone.
Now, depending on your specific needs and how exact your soil amendments need to be to improve your growing environment, a basic or less expensive Pumice Stone with its potentially different grade and quality may be just fine.
However, if you are wanting high-quality, standardized Pumice Stones that perform to your exact specifications then you should be prepared to pay more as this level of quality usually comes at an additional cost.
Price & Value for Money
The last but probably most important consideration you need to think about is that of price.
How much are you willing to pay and what are your expectations of the product you will receive?
If budget isn’t an issue then you are in a great position whereby other considerations will help influence your purchasing decision, however, if you are on a budget and want the best value for money it’s important that whilst trying to find the best product possible, you stick to the budget you have in mind.
Setting a budget, sticking to it, and keeping your expectations reasonable whilst also considering the above topics we have covered should stand you in good stead for finding the perfect Pumice Stone to suit your needs.
Recap
After we have considered all of the above factors including product price, size, longevity, and of course quality we have come to the conclusion that the best Pumice Stone is the USA Pumice soil amendment from Superfly Bonsai.
Able to provide excellent aeration whilst at the same time optimizing drainage conditions, this reusable and hardy pumice stone is competitively priced and comes with some excellent reviews.
Growers have been incredibly enthusiastic about the fact that this pumice Stone comes pre-sieved in a resealable bag and comes with a one hundred percent satisfaction guarantee, so if you are not completely happy you can get a refund.
An effective and versatile product that helps growers get the best from their growing environment, the USA Pumice soil amendment from Superfly Bonsai is well worth the money.
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