Does anyone have an inexpensive source for lava sand? HG recently said, lava sand is very inexpensive...as little as one ton per acre produces dramatic results. Last time I searched, the least expensive I found was 72 dollars per ton in railroad car quantities. Any better sources out there?[/quote]

Wow, that's half the price I'd get it. Then again, the only sources I've used are the 40-lb bags at garden centers for about 3-4 bucks a bag.

Where ARE you getting it that inexpensively?

finding and price are not biggest issue. How can you put it out. It is usually damp and sticks together. If it is dry then I am afraid to put in my broadcast spreader for fear it will eat up the parts due to its abrasive nature?
Bob Bard

I often put it out mixed with Green Sand. Together, they make a nice spreadable mix.

Once in a while I'll use Dry Humate in stead of Greensand.

The Ent

Applying dry humate and lava sand always present problems for me. I always seem to get as much humate on me as on the soil. The only way I seem to get lava sand out is either by tossing shovels full, or literally by hand (tossing like feeding the chickens)

Mixing with humate (dry) sounds like a great idea. Theoritically it should cut down on the dusting of the humate and reduce the clumping of the lava sand. In real life application, how did it work?

As to the original poster's question, where are the best prices to be found, bagged or tons?

I'd still like to know where he gets lava sand for just 72 bucks per ton. I normally see it for 3-7 dollars per 40 lb sack. But THIS rate is less than a buck-fifty for 40 lbs.

When I mix the humate and the lava sand, the resulting compound seems to work better than either spread individually. You don't get the absurd amount of excess dust from the humate, and the lava sand consistency works better for the broadcast spreader. Since you don't need Humate as often as other things, Green Sand is a good mixer for Lava Sand too.

In a pinch, you can use the product Volcanite that has Green Sand, Lava Sand, Granite Sand, Zeolite and a couple other trace mineral sands already mixed up and spreads easily rihgt out of the bag. Costs more like 10 bucks for 40 lbs of it, though.

Thanks, I'm going to give the humate/lava sand mix a try. I read somewhere else on the board that mixing corn meal and lava sand has a similar effect.

Good tips.

Living Earth Technologies has very competitive pricing for bulk materials in the DFW area (prices per cubic yard):
Lava Sand: $80
Texas Greensand: $80
Compost: $30
Cedar Mulch: $32
Most other kinds of mulch (pine bark, red, pecan, etc): $30

Their minimum on any of this stuff is 1/2 yard and you need a pickup to haul it. The Dallas location (I've never been to the others) is like a big drive-through restaurant for dirt! You pay at the window as you enter the place, drive to the right bin (through MOUNTAINS of compost, etc), they dump in your stuff, and out you go! Aside from having relatively cheap pricing, it's loads of fun ... er, tons of fun ... well I can't seem to describe it without a pun, so let's just stick to "it's fun!"

Their locations:
1901 California Crossing, Dallas
5032 Split Trail Road, Plano
3150 South Beckley (I-35), Lancaster
1520 East I-30, Rockwall

They seem to be open mostly during the week, 8 - 5 kinda hours. They MIGHT be open Saturday mornings for a couple of hours, but that's it on the weekends.

You'll likely be in line behind an 18-wheeler, but they sell to individuals (like me), too. Just be sure to exit their yard on the opposite side of the building from which you pay (so you don't have a confrontation with one of those 18-wheelers!

And by the way ... my experience is that Lava Sand weighs about 2000 pounds per cubic yard, so for lava sand the "per yard" price is the same as a "per ton" price. And, at $80 per ton/yard, the prices IS less than 1/3 of what you'd pay buying by the 50-pound bag.

Hope that helps!
haw
hawhite@earthlink.net

And where do you buy dry humate in the DFW area? Thanks

meggie-
How much do you want and where do you live?
Tony M