There are, and I am not sure about prices since I never bought any - but it may possibly cost even more (add cost of ingredients, labour for mixing them, store profit...). Check out Bonsai Jack, repot me and there may be few others I do not know about.

I have seen small baggies with the mix locally - just enough for a 4" pot for CDN $6!!! I think that is a rip-off. But buying in small amounts is always more expensive, so maybe I am wrong... Price will also depend on exact ingredients. I know ppl around here buy LechuzaPon that is supposedly very good. It will cost (in Canada) more than grit & turface, but less than pumice. You need to compare cost in your location.

If you have just few plants, that may be way to go. I mix my own since I buy material in bulk and have many plants.

I realized that I was not clear enough - I am not sure if you can find mix made exactly as Al described. Lechuza-Pon is very inorganic; other 2 sellers I mentioned make mix with some organic materials IIRC. Here is example of what Bonsai Jack uses as ingredients and you can order according to your own recipe

I am not associated with any sellers I mentioned, never used their products (I am too cheap to pay for premixed + shipping...making my own is much less expensive). I was just trying to give some suggestions to chrissyd...

Many ppl are using mix as Karen suggested and report good results.

I used to make my own gritty mix and quite honestly it was such a pain to me that I realized I was putting off repotting too much. I switched to Lechuza Pon and love it. I rinse it in a sieve and am ready to go.

I've heard of bonsai jack, never Lechuza Pon, tho. I'll have to eventually try one of the professionally made mixes, see how I like it. I ended up with the same thing I have been using, C&S mix and perlite. And I had to drive 30 min just to get that. Seems like unless I order it online I'm gonna have to wait for warmer weather when garden supply stores re stock just to get the ingredients for the gritty mix.

What are the differences, pros and cons of the pumice vs perlite? I never see pumice, either. Maybe I'm looking right past it somehow... More likely I'm just deprived out here in the middle of nowhere!! Perlite always seems to rise to the top and separate itself, ya know? Is that something I'm doing wrong or is that just the way it is?

Chrissy

I can' find pumice easily either. That is why I use perlite. They have very similar water holding capacity. Perlite is long lasting, but pumice lasts longer. Pumice is more expensive than perlite. Perlite is very light and some ppl do no like it since it will eventually 'travel' to the top. I use it a lot 'cause I can't get pumice. I use top-dressing of gravel on top of the mix and that keeps perlite from floating. So all my plants, not only succulents, are in mixes with lots of perlite in it. I buy it in bulk.

Do you ever confuse little tiny pieces of perlite with mealybugs?

I totally hate perlite - terribly unsightly stuff. I use a gritty mix - I buy bags of coarse grit from a builder´s merchant. €2 buys a bag I can barely lift. I use teracotta pots as well - one other reason is I like my pots to be heavy, as my plants live outside in the sun. If I were to use perlite (or even peat) in plastic pots they would fly around every time the wind blew.