{"title":"Pumice for Cactus and Succulent Soil","description":"\u003cp\u003eSUCCULENTS, INCLUDING CACTI, love a soil that drains well, but holds onto moisture and nutrients long enough to meet the needs of the plant. That means a carefully balanced combination of soil type (grow media) and watering frequency. This dynamic, greatly influenced by climate, is the key to thriving succulents. Pumice, with its natural frothy-stone, nook-and-cranny-riven character, is widely used by succulent enthusiasts because it allows them to easily create and maintain that ideal balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIdeal Physical Form Factor\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePumice is a naturally-occuring (volcanic origin) foamed glass stone. On a micro level, pumice stones are sponge-like in form factor (riven with holes and hollows of various sizes) yet, being amorphous silica glass, doesn’t absorb moisture and swell, but rather retains moisture by virtue of its physical structure— 1) held within the tiny-to-microscopic pores in the foamy-stone, 2) caught on the rough, irregular surface, and 3) caught and held in the spaces between the tiny stones themselves. This type of moisture retention is ideal for controlling drainage rates. One simply adjusts the stone size blend to dial up the desired drainage rate. This same structure provides the vital aeration spaces needed by roots to expel and absorb gasses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eControl the Drainage Rate with Particle Size\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy adjusting the particle size profile, pumice soil can meet the moisture needs of a wide variety of plant-types in a wide variety of climates. A pumice-soil profile can also be blended to square with how often one likes to water. Pumice soils made up of larger particle sizes drain more quickly that those consisting of smaller particles. Small stones pack more tightly together and, consequently, hold more moisture for longer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOther Considerations\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePumice soil also finds a sweet spot in terms of weight. It is a lightweight stone, yet substantial enough not to blow away. It also provides enough weight to anchor a light pot, yet is easy on shelves and racks. The nooks and crannies on the surface also provide ideal habitat for beneficial soil microbes. By adding a quality liquid fertilizer to the water itself (common among bonsai enthusiasts), one can meet the plant's nutritional needs and avoid the use of potting soils, composts and problematic organic media altogether—pumice does not decompose or rot. Pumice is also a great media for rooting cuttings and offsets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePumice can also be used to amend succulent and cactus garden soils. Drainage rates can be greatly improved, and, where puddling tends to create problems, and top-dressing of pumice stone can insure the crown of the plant does not come in contact with soggy dirt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRutsu\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Rūtsu™ branded pumice grow media (pronounced \u003cem\u003eroot-sue\u003c\/em\u003e) is available in three grade sizes to provide succulent, cactus and geophyte enthusiasts with the flexiblity to blend the ideal inorganic soil for each plant. The \u003cstrong\u003eRūtsu Eights\u003c\/strong\u003e™ and \u003cstrong\u003eRūtsu Sixteenths\u003c\/strong\u003e™ grades are dried, screened and graded to contain no fines. The \u003cstrong\u003eRūtsu Fines\u003c\/strong\u003e™ media provides the grower with a way to blend the precise amount of pumice fines into the other grades if and as needed to meet the water needs of a particular plant.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"rutsu-pumice-grow-media","title":"Rūtsu Eights™ Pumice Grow Media","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRutsu Eights\u003c\/strong\u003e. Naturally pure pumice stone, dried, screened (graded) for use as a soilless soil media. Stone Size: range of 3\/8 to 1\/8-inch pumice stones.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hess Pumice Products","offers":[{"title":"5 lbs. (bag)","offer_id":28262561054800,"sku":"","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 lbs. (box)","offer_id":28262531235920,"sku":"","price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"45 lbs. (full-sized production bag)","offer_id":28262531301456,"sku":"","price":23.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"150+ lbs. (contact us)","offer_id":28262531432528,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1180\/4954\/files\/rutsuEights.jpg?v=1730247552"},{"product_id":"rutsu-pumice-grow-media-rutsu-sixteenths","title":"Rūtsu Sixteenths™ Pumice Grow Media","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRūtsu Sixteenths\u003c\/strong\u003e. Naturally pure pumice stone, dried and screened (graded) for use as a soilless grow media and as a seed and cutting propagation media. Stone Size: range of 3\/16 to 1\/16-inch pumice stones.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hess Pumice Products","offers":[{"title":"4 lbs. (bag)","offer_id":28262570262608,"sku":"","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 lbs. (box)","offer_id":28262570295376,"sku":"","price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"40 lbs. (full-sized production bag)","offer_id":28262570360912,"sku":"","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"135+ lbs. (contact us)","offer_id":28262570491984,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1180\/4954\/files\/rutsuSixteenths.jpg?v=1730247478"},{"product_id":"rutsu-pumice-grow-media-rutsu-fines","title":"Rūtsu Fines™ Pumice Grow Media","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRūtsu Fines\u003c\/strong\u003e. Naturally pure pumice stone, top-screened for use in Cacti and Succulents soil media blends. Provides inorganic, water-retentive fines for adjusting the drainage rates of Rutsu Eights and Sixteenths medias. Stone Size: ranges from 1\/8-inch stones to powdery fines.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Hess Pumice Products","offers":[{"title":"5 lbs. (bag)","offer_id":28262575243344,"sku":"","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20 lbs. (box)","offer_id":28262575276112,"sku":"","price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"45 lbs. (full-sized production bag)","offer_id":28262575341648,"sku":"","price":23.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"135+ lbs. (contact us)","offer_id":28262575472720,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1180\/4954\/files\/rutsuFines.jpg?v=1730247520"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1180\/4954\/collections\/cactus-collection.jpg?v=1771934960","url":"https:\/\/pumicestore.com\/collections\/pumice-soil-succulents.oembed","provider":"The Pumice Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}