How and when to add pumice to the soil

When it comes to plant care, the emphasis is on ensuring that plants get the right amount of sunlight and water. But even so, your plant doesn’t really thrive unless you get what you need from the soil.

In some cases it may be helpful to add another material, such as pumice, to the mix. Here’s how and when to add pumice to the soil:

What is a pumice stone?

Pumice is a lightweight, porous rock that forms when a volcano erupts so strongly that magma foams and then cools rapidly, leaving bubbles in the newly created stone.It’s a popular modification to the soil, thanks to its ability to regulate and give it some structure.

other advantage of pumice include:

• Prevent soil compaction
• Prevent soil from flooding after heavy rain (or watering)
• Steadily release water to the soil
• Aseptic — free of diseases and pests

When to add pumice to your soil

Pumice is a useful additive to the soil for most plants because of its ability to improve drainage, but it tends to be especially useful for plants that require large amounts of water or very small amounts of water.A few Examples of them include::

• Fern
• Taro (Monstera, Philodendron, etc.)
• Caudexes
• Peperomias
• Succulents and cacti

How to add pumice to the soil

There are no strict rules regarding the addition of pumice to the soil, Some guidelines:

• Common use: 10-15% pumice for normal soil mixtures
• Tricky plants such as Monstera and Calatheas: 30% pumice
• Ferns and other water-absorbing plants: less than 1/2 of pumice and 1/2 of soil
• Cacti, succulents, and codex: Mix pumice stones with non-moisturizing substances such as sand

Also, if the mix didn’t work right the first time, you can always go back and make adjustments later.