I did it by hand...which probably isn't a "good" tip. Maybe somebody else can offer something easier.

I mix greensand and lavasand together (50/50). Works much better but I don't use rotary spreader though. I just throw them around instead. I'd need big rotary spreader with large opening to do the job if they figure out how to get them down through the opening.

Too bad Lowes in Houston don't sell them. Much cheaper. I believe it's $3.58 for 40lbs bag that I buy in Dallas-FT worth area. I've been to SF and they seem really overpriced. Check out Wabash feed store off Washington by Memorial Park (you take i 10 toward downtown from 610 west, take TC Jester exit, go right to washington, take right on washington, you should see Wabash on the left??) Not sure what the prices are like compared to SF on organic products. Microlife fertilzer looks very interesting that I saw at Wabash store.

Thanks Lou. I should have posted first, as I ended up spreading the greensand by hand. I still need to put down the lavasand. As I live in Katy, I usually by my grains from Katy Feed & Tack which is very cheep. SF had a fantastic selection, but you are right about the prices. Will the lavasand work in a rotary spreader?

I haven't done that. I bought lava sand mainly to break up greensand to make them more spreadable by hand. It would take forever to do it by rotary speader (mine holds 20lbs). I'd need a really big spreader that can let stuff out quickly.

Honestly, I don't know what lava sand is for. I haven't found anything conclusive to show that lava sand actually does something. I use greensand for iron because I live right on top of crushed limestone soil. Supposedly greensand is best for fixing iron cholorsis problem in my situation.

dao4686 -

Have you found any other sources for grains or other organics? Depending on what I need I use Katy Feed, Williams City Farmer down in Rosenberg and Southwest Fertilizer. I was looking for other places as Southwest Fertilizer is a little pricey from my experience and what I have gathered here. They do however, tend to have a good selection.

I've used Katy Feed & Tack and Southwest Fert for almost all of my needs. I did have a look around Wabash Feed store and thought they had fantastic stuff and more reasonably priced than Southwest Fert. Houston just isn't as far along as Austin or San Antonio. Most of my neighbors and coworkers think I'm some sort of crackpot hippie.

Lava sand and other rock sands are used primarily to break up heavy clay soils. Gypsum also helps in this process and also adds sulfur to the soil which aids greening of plant leaves.

Sounds like the greensand got wet (or its so humid in Tx that it clumped). I put down 40lbs a couple months ago and it was just like play sand (very fine and dry). My drop spreader on its highest setting only took 2 passes to get it on my front yard (~2000sq ft).

I plan to put another 40lbs down in about 2 weeks.

When greensand is dry, it is a joy to work with. When it gets wet, it's like working with silly putty. The trick is to purchase it from a store that keeps its supply of green sand housed inside, where it can't get wet.

Carla