Gardening supplies needed | Where is your favorite nursery?

0POSTS

11 years ago

I'm looking for the following items, I have been to tons of places and have yet to locate most of them. I found a couple of compost sellers, but that's about it. If you guys could share some of your go to places, I would greatly appreciate it!

Perlite (I have been told to "just use styrofoam!" on too many occasions.)
Vermiculite
(The above two I need large quantities of, Amazon is too costly)
Coir
Pumice
Horticultural grade sand

(Items below I have found from one or two sellers w/the exception of fish emulsion which I highly doubt I will find at all, but it doesn't hurt to ask, right?)

Compost
Cow/chicken manure
Fish emulsion

The Puerto Rico expat guide

Comprehensive and free

Read it now

Amy Renea Member

24POSTS

11 years ago

I was looking for all of that too!! Ordered powdered emulsions online and ended up using styrofoam. I have it seen perlite at an garden/home centers...

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

11 years ago

There is a big garden center on rr52 between San German and Mayaguez, last time we were in the island they had tons of plants and accessories. I am not sure if they have what you looking for but if you are in that area may be worth stopping by. Also, HD may be able to ordered if they don't have it in stock.

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

It seems everything is over in Mayaguez.

Thats a bit too far for us but whenever I make it out there I have a list of places to visit. Thanks for the tip. I have tried asking HD to order some stuff but I'm pretty sure unless they have a lot of the same requests it will go unfilled.

vegchef Active member

53POSTS

11 years ago

Do you know the name of the garden center on RR 52?

ReyP ViP

5509POSTS

11 years ago

I am not sure what people are suggesting you use styrofoam for. What are you trying to do? People has been planting in the island for thousands of years. Maybe we all collectively can tell you how we do it instead of introducing styrofoam of other non degradable stuff into the land.

What is it you are trying to do and what is the difficulty that you are having?

We have several farmer types here lets help Karen out.

adlin20 ViP

1057POSTS

11 years ago

vegchef wrote:
Do you know the name of the garden center on RR 52?

Unfortunate I do not, I will ask my sister in law.....

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

I found perlite and vermiculite!!!

Hydro Warehouse PR in Guaynabo has 4 cu ft bags. Not cheap but cheaper than amazon. Their number is 787 568 8008. He doesn't keep more than a few bags in stock so please leave me some.

1 member reacted to this post

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#10

They're suggesting I use it instead of perlite! 0_0 It's very common here. I did find perlite and vermiculite, so its all good now. (Info above) I have a container garden, mostly succulents and a couple of cacti I need those for. The other stuff is for some raised beds. I think I'm going to try and make my own fish emulsion, hopefully I won't get kicked out of the complex in the process. I ended up buying the coir from amazon. The pumice and sand are still on the list though, if anyone finds those please let me know.

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#11

Just an fyi, I found a couple of more places I am going to check out this weekend. I'll take some photos, some notes and let you guys know how it went.

CurlyGirlPR Active member

33POSTS

11 years ago

#12

Thanks for the info Karenqc! Been looking for these items myself, although we still have a ways to go before our raised bed is finished. It seems that the soil here at our condo is just as rocky as the soil we left behind in San Antonio

I'll do some containers as well.

I am going to attempt: serranos, jalapenos, and tomatoes in containers; lettuce, heat tolerant spinach, herbs, and okra in the ground...

I'd love to hear updates on your growing experiences.

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#13

CurlyGirlPR wrote:
Thanks for the info Karenqc! Been looking for these items myself, although we still have a ways to go before our raised bed is finished. It seems that the soil here at our condo is just as rocky as the soil we left behind in San Antonio I'll do some containers as well.

I am going to attempt: serranos, jalapenos, and tomatoes in containers; lettuce, heat tolerant spinach, herbs, and okra in the ground...

I'd love to hear updates on your growing experiences.

Yes, we have rocky soil as well, its usually the first couple of feet for us though. What municipality do you live in if I may ask?

I'll be sure to let you guys know, I have several places I'm visiting this wknd, including a compost/manure provider.

Costco has these great HUGE brown pots (lightweight material) for only $20 ea. They will probably run out in a month or so if you want to check them out.

Good luck with your garden and watch out for those pesky green horned caterpillars, they loved my tomatoes. I had to pluck off 2-3 a day.

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#14

Mission accomplished. I ended up going to a nursery I had been to a couple of times, Byron Pike Nursery in Florida. In the past they had told us they didn't have any. So either the guy we spoke with didn't know they had it or they just recently got a shipment. Either way they have tons of it now. This huge bag was $17, they also had vermiculite for around $6 for a small bag, I'm going to keep looking on that one. Their inventory is huge and as a bonus they had seed trays in various sizes for only a buck each. Prior I had seen them at around $8.

For the horticultural sand we gathered some quartz sand less than 1/2 mile from our house. I still need to test it for lime and calcium though.

Any questions, just let me know.

Image here: - m.imgur.com/AzWq2gZ

CurlyGirlPR Active member

33POSTS

11 years ago

#15

Glad you found some solutions! I am wondering where Byron Pike Nursery is. I did a quick internet search and see one in Arecibo...is this the place? We live in Aguada, so this will be a bit of a drive for me...I'll keep it in mind if we are ever in the area, though:) Thanks for sharing!

Karenqc Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#16

Yes, its in Arecibo, though I usually take the Florida exit since Im coming from the east. I wouldnt want to drive from Aguada either. Have you been to Govardhan gardens in Mayaguez? Http://www.organicfarm.net/

If he doesn't have what you need, he can probably point you in the right direction. Also, hydroponic stores will carry a lot of hard to find items as well, as I recently learned. I would think there would be at least one hydroponic store in the Rincon area.

1 member reacted to this post