Lava rock questions

[Filb]

So I've decided to diversify my potting medium choices by investing in some lava rock.
Now here's what I want to know:
Is the stuff used for landscaping of similar quality to that which is sold by orchid supply specialists?
Is there a certain standardization in grades of lava rock?

Because I'm cheap, I tend to not want to pay for shipping and thus don't necessarily want to purchase my medium from a orchid supply specialist online (there are none local).

Would that be something a hydroponics store would carry? If so I would need to be really specific in explaining it to them and would need some help with that from you guys (employees in these establishments oftentimes are a little spacey).

My gut tells me that the stuff sold for landscaping probably isn't suitable.
What are your thoughts?

[rcb]

I got my lava rock in a bag at Home Depot. Have had some plants in it for years.

The only thing I did to prepare it was hose it off to remove dust before using it.

Sorry didn't mean to ignore your questions, but I don't know the answers. I just know the stuff at Home Depot worked just fine for me.

[Filb]

Woohoo! I'll go pick myself up a bag the next time I'm at a HD or Lowe's.
Thanks Renee!

Now, more questions! Is stalite just a registered trademark for lava rock or does it have special characteristics?

[orchids4me]

I also get my lava rock from home depot and just rinse what I'm using at the time I'm ready to pot.

[otis 226]

Originally Posted by Filb

Because I'm cheap, I tend to not want to pay for shipping and thus don't necessarily want to purchase my medium from a orchid supply specialist online (there are none local).

I feel exactly the same way, at least for right now. I'd rather be spending my hobby dollars on plants and local supplies and not shipping

I'm going to go out and see about a bag of lava rock, as I have a catt that'll be needing a repot in a few weeks.

[Brooke]

Stalite is different from lava rock or LECA like Prime Agra or Hydroton. I use the landscape lava rock for all of my Mymercophilia and the old Schoms, now Laelia. These species are so big I couldn't afford to use LECA in 14" pots. I water less with the lava rock because the tiny holes hold more moisture than LECA.

If your local hydro store carries the LECA it saves you a fortune in shipping. You will have to water more often than a more common media of bark or sphag.

Brooke

[katrina]

Yep...me too...my lava rock comes from Home Depot. Like Renee, I rinse it well and that's it.

[Shannara]

Originally Posted by Filb

Now, more questions! Is stalite just a registered trademark for lava rock or does it have special characteristics?

Stalite is a product completely separate from lava rock that has properties very similiar to lava rock. There is a company named Stalite who mines this stuff in NC, which means it's a US product, which I like. It works the same way and aliflor, LECA, etc. but is very inexpensive, if you can find it. I bought an entire box of it at the last show I attended for $16.00 which was about 1 cubic foot. Most bags you see of aliflor are .25 cf. and cost twice as much, if not more.

If you can find it buy it. It is a really good potting medium which is porous, PH neutral, and the grey color is very attractive.

Shann~

[otis 226]

So, I got a .5 cf bag of lava rock at HD last week, and after spending some time with it and a small sledge hammer

got it to a size I think my little catt will appreciate, so as soon as bloom fades,we'll be trying out the lava rock, with maybe some charcoal for good measure.

Tony

[Amblnc38]

Yup, got my bag of lava rock at the BX here....my Brassia seems to love it.

Trust me though.....there will be a lot of dust! I had to rinse mine in my bathroom....I'm still cleaning up the red dust.

[ArtGeekMark]

If an orchid came planted in lava rock then it's best to stick to that medium when repotting? IE: I bought a huge Epidendrum floribundum x Encyclia linearfoliodes not very long ago. It came crawling out of a small 3 to 4 inch pot of lava rock (as you can see from the photo, litterally). The big red & rust pot is what I would like to repot it in and should I seek out lava rock instead of using bark mix? The spike in the photo is ending but a new spike has just started on the next stalk... I also have a new stalk growing at the base... do I go ahead and do it soon before the next spike goes into bud & blooms, or do I wait until that's done?






Thanks in advance for advice & tips!

[katrina]

It would depend on what works best for you in your grow space. I LOVE lava rock for my plants that like to dry fast but if bark is your medium of choice you can repot into bark. The nice thing about the lava is you don't have to remove every single piece. If some of it is attached firmly to the roots...just leave it.

Oh, and if it were me...I'd go ahead and do the repot now. That last pic is a new growth so it's a good time to do it and since you won't have much root disturbance w/tying to remove old bark...it shouldn't cause any trouble for your spikes/buds at all.

I just went back and looked at your pots. You're moving it from a very small pot to a rather large pot...you MIGHT be better sticking w/the lava. W/lava or leca (or other inert medium) used as a medium you can actually pot the plants into much larger pots w/out risk of root problems. Just a thought...unless you're planning on using some filler such as p'nuts in the bottom of the new pot...it might be too much medium and you could possibly develop some root issues. Again...just a thought.

[Shannara]

Katrina gave you great advice. I can't think of anything to really add to it. I know I commented on this orchid before, but I have to say again how beautiful it is. It is just so big and healthy! The new pot is very nice too.

Shann~

[ArtGeekMark]

Thank you all very much, we really appriciate the advice! Although the pot it's presently in is small the ball of air roots is huge, however I really need to leave most of these air roots out, as air roots and not burry them correct? Dumb question perhaps but I just want to get it right we love this one so much.

We really love this and the Encyclia Cindy (blooms visible foreground bottom right corner of third photo) we got the same day at work (yay employee discount!) They really became the King & Queen of our little collection and we keep researchin'!

[otis 226]

Awww...corgie....cute! Beautiful plant also Looks like a very nice repot.
Cheers,
Tony

[ArtGeekMark]

Thanks, that's our boy London, he just turned 2 this week!

[NewGrower]

Beautiful flowers I have almost killed Orchids in every other medium (it seems like) but rocks... I use some river rock at the bottom on the pot to add weight to it (they all seem so top heavy!!) and then mostly lava rock! Its cheap and easy to work with and its almost impossible to over water (which is great for newbies like me! haha) ... Like someone said before make sure you wash them off (it can be messy) I had to rinse mine out several times then I let it sit over night and rinsed it again (better safe than sorry!)

Good luck

[Greybeard]

I'm glad I checked this thread, it answered questions I may have in the furture because I have not used lava rock as a medium yet Very informative, thank you I have been lucky enough to find orchid grade lava rock at a local garden center, smaller pieces and smaller bag of course So I might give it a try

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Greybeard

I'm glad I checked this thread, it answered questions I may have in the furture because I have not used lava rock as a medium yet Very informative, thank you I have been lucky enough to find orchid grade lava rock at a local garden center, smaller pieces and smaller bag of course So I might give it a try

It's cheaper to buy it at HD. It's out where the river rock and sand are...it's a .5 cu ft back for just a little over $3. Rinse it well...and you're good to go. A nice mix of pieces...large and small.

[Greybeard]

Originally Posted by katrina

It's cheaper to buy it at HD. It's out where the river rock and sand are...it's a .5 cu ft back for just a little over $3. Rinse it well...and you're good to go. A nice mix of pieces...large and small.

I thought it might be cheaper that way, thanks for the price heads up. Liberty has the only chid with lava rock, a Den., not ready for repot yet but growing really good Thats why I checked out this thread

[Hummer344]

I get mine at the local rockery. A large bag, that I fill myself, cost less than $5. When I scoop it up and try and get the smaller pieces.

[koshki]

Maybe I'm catching my husband's case of male-patterned blindness, but I have not been able to find lava rock at Lowes. I did see a bag of broken bricks that I thought might work, but the size of the bag would have been a life-time supply!

Where the heck is that stuff?

[Filb]

Originally Posted by koshki

Maybe I'm catching my husband's case of male-patterned blindness

Katherine,
I found it outside in the garden area around the fencing and the like. Hope that helps!

[ArtGeekMark]

Originally Posted by ArtGeekMark

Although the pot it's presently in is small the ball of air roots is huge, however I really need to leave most of these air roots out, as air roots and not burry them correct? Dumb question perhaps but I just want to get it right we love this one so much.

So what exactly should I do with that giant mass of air roots besides trimming off any dead I find Do I put some in the medium and leave some out, or is it best to leave them ALL out as they are right now (minus whatever dead roots I find)??

[Dendian]

Personally I try to stuff all the air roots in the pot - it will probably grow some more air roots later. Make sure to get them good and soaked first - you don't want to snap them when you try to put them in the pot. Since you are going to use rock they probably won't be as unhappy as they would with moss or even soaked bark because it will let more air in.

[Shannara]

When it comes to repotting overgrown plants I will put the roots into the medium like Dendian does unless pushing them down into the pot will break them. Since my mix is well aerated I haven't see any issues with this. Repotting can be really intimidating, but after you repot a couple hundred you will feel pretty comfortable with it...lol.

Good luck!

Shann~

[plucker]

Lava rock is a great product but you have to flush it with normal water once a month or the sediments will sit on it and could give the plant an overdose at some stage.

[NewGrower]

When I recently repotted 3 plants (two Dens and a Phal) they only had air roots because the medium they were in (I got them from a friend) was awful, super rotted and one was even in soil! Some of them kind of fit in the medium but most were sticking out so far I just left them... I have been misting those air roots every day or so Good luck!