I do not always have access to pumice so I mix it up with whatever grit I have hanging around. Expanded shale. , washed 1/4 Decomposed granite , course red lava sand, perlite. I am not anal retentive. I am more of the "what's in the frig" kind of gardener. I do not know if you are in Florida, California or Texas. The quantities will be important to your location and how humid you are. I know Floridians who grow in 100% grit, and inland Californians who use more humous in the mix. Its a mixed bag here in Texas as U sit under the remnant of Hurricane Harvey who might be leaving 20" on me. I have also gone all summer often without summer moisture. Not this year.

I just answered your query on the tropical fruit forum. You'll be waiting for quite a few years to get fruit, if ever.

Hoping someone here can help - A year and a half ago I started a project to try and raise citrus from seed to fruit in NY by giving them better than usual growing conditions in this area. To that end I installed a small 8x8 greenhouse with decent insulation and basic heating to grow them in. Although the greenhouse sits in a far north corner of the prop and therefor receives plenty of sunlight through out the day, I purchased an LED fixture to give them supplemental light as well - especially during the shorter winter days - hoping to try and speed up their maturity by providing better conditions. The LED was an expensive 1000w equivalent with modes for different light spectrums and timers - specifically I purchased this light - KindLED K51000. The problem was and still is that no matter how high i place the light above the plants and no matter how low i set them (Ive gone down to 10% of their capability) the lights seem to scorch the plants and actually appear to be stunting their growth . I have tried them on and off for the past year and a half, and although the trees are overall flourishing, it is mainly when I REMOVE the lighting that they do well. When the lights go on - as is during winter - they simply seem to scorch the leaves and prevent them from growing. Needless to say it has been frustrating as I want to be providing the trees with more red spectrum lights and overall would like them to acclimate so during the winter i can give them much longer daylight hours. The light company was at a loss to explain why this should be happening (in fact originally they attempted to sell me 4 fixtures that they said I would need to light my 8x8 space well!) and are insistent that it must be some other factors causing this. But I have been experimenting with them for a year and a half and it is absolutely clear that it is the lighting that hurts the plants. Ive received some advice from botanists I am friendly with but none had real experience with LED lighting - they seem to think that its TOO much light for the plants since the greenhouse is well lit without them. This might be plausible, but even during the winter - during periods when they were ONLY on during dark/nighttime hours - they still caused the burning. Also, the company as well as a marijuana grower I consulted who does have experience with the lights claim that theres no way the lights could be "too much" for the trees. The light hangs at most , about 3 feet from the tops of the plants and I place the taller ones off to the side so they only receive indirect light. Additionally, I have tried placing light diffusing cloth (double layered) over the lights to make them less extreme - and STILL had the burning. So for now, I have taken them down altogether in the hope that my plants are just too young for such intense lighting , but I really want to know whats going on especially as the light was such an expense and I'm currently getting no use from it. So, any ideas?

Yes Mike. It is a very handy tool. The bent tip makes it really useful. You can grab the base of the plant and jiggle the base to loosen the roots and pull it out. Very useful when reaching in tight spaces especially for succulents. In bonsai the back of the tool that likes a little spade is useful to tamp down the soil, smooth it out and tamp down moss on the soil. I have two of them because my wife seems to like it too and it disappears from my tool box from time to time. Come to think of it I have two of most tools.