How to Use Lava Rocks in Hydroponics

If you're looking at different sterile media choices for a hydro garden, you might be considering one of these more obscure selections that can be effective in providing a home for plant roots.

Lava rock is a type of volcanic rock called a basalt. It's common in nature, especially in areas around the Pacific Ocean. Lava rock comes in various colors and shapes. Gardeners like it for its texture and permeability. Lava rock also absorbs heat.

So how do you use this grow medium in your plant environment?

Here are some steps to getting lava rock into your plant pots.

Select a Kind of Lava Rock Product

First, look for specific processed packages of lava rock that have the right grain size and coarseness for growing. You may have a combination of colors or solid color rock. You'll see that part of the drainage capacity for lava rock relates to the small holes in the surface of the rock. Because this rock is porous, it can serve as a good grow medium.

Soak Lava Rock

The next step will be to soak the material for several days. Experts suggest soaking lava rock instead of just using it dried, partially to prepare for cleaning.

Rinse Lava Rock

Rinsing off the lava rock helps to remove differentkinds of contaminants. By using sterile growing media and clean and high-quality water, you're promoting a more sanitary environment for your plants. It's necessary to rinse thoroughly using a jet or spray with enough water pressure to really get contaminants off of the surface of the rock.

Placing Plant Pots

Now your lava rock is ready to be placed inside the plastic pint containers that you use to house plant roots, which will grow down into the lava rock to get access to nutrient-rich water. Or the roots might extend beyond the plant pots and reach down into the reservoir.

These are some of the basic steps to using lava rock in a garden. You have to choose a grow medium with the right drainage, chemical properties and more. You have to also look at getting the right nutrient packages to make sure plants have what they need to thrive.

For more on all sorts of questions about hydroponics, check out the Dealzer website. We strive to answer the questions that beginners have about the process of hydro gardening, to that they get the most out of what they buy for hydroponics.