Deep underground, in the fiery heart of a volcano, water mixes with molten rock. Due to the buildup of pressure, a violent, spectacular release eventually occurs. The trapped water in the viscous, overheated rock flashes into steam and blows the magma into a foamy stone that cools and hardens. Ultimately, it falls to the earth as pumice. It is a foamed glass stone that is hard yet crumbly. The perfect combination of properties that makes pumice powders and aggregates incredibly useful for a variety of applications.
The value of pumice for infrastructure and industry dates back at least 2000 years. Roman engineers knew that by adding fine-grained pumice, or "pozzolana," to their hydrated lime cement, the result was a strong, durable concrete. About two millennia later, a large part of their concrete empire - roads, aqueducts, temples, stadiums, piers - still stands defiantly against the test of time. Today, pumice powder is still used to enhance the strength and durability of concrete, but it is also widely used in a variety of industrial processes and product applications.
Pumice, pumice stone, is a chemically inert porous volcanic mineral that has formed from volcanic eruptions. It is completely natural and is also used in hydroponics, construction, geothermal projects, green roofs, filtration, absorbents, and agriculture/gardening.
Many ornamental and vegetable growers have switched to using pumice in recent years. "The combination of environmentally friendly cultivation, the affordable price, and the overall cultivation performance of this product is what often leads them to decide to switch to using pumice."
Pumice can be used both as a substrate and as an "ingredient" in a soil mix for plants. In agriculture, and especially in hydroponics, pumice can be used as the main substrate. The use of pumice as a substrate has many advantages. It is naturally strong and lightweight. It absorbs and releases moisture very well. So if the plant is overwatered, the pumice will absorb the water, and in times when the plant needs water, it can easily draw it out.
Additionally, pumice is completely natural and environmentally friendly because it is mined naturally and is not a product produced by a process. It can be used immediately. Well, almost immediately. The only 'negative' aspect of pumice is the fact that it needs to be cleaned before use. However, this can easily be done by soaking it in water. This also needs to be done when reusing it. This also makes it a sustainable product.
Pumice granules are also available clean, which are perfectly suitable for direct application as a substrate when sowing or growing your tropical plants. You can obtain clean pumice granules from me that come from the volcanic region of the Eifel in Germany. This has been purified and is immediately usable as a substrate. It is also possible to mix these granules with coconut fibers or sandy soil.
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