Screen on the bottom of large pots for Al's gritty mix

13 years ago

So, any advice for how to do this?

I have one 8" in particular which has holes on the sides at the base as well as through the bottom.

It isn't as easy as I thought it would be to just kind of make a "cup" of screen and put it down in there.

I could cut little squares for each port, but with a pot like this there would be nothing to keep them where they should be.

Anybody know of any ways to affix the screen to the bottom of a pot?

My pots are plastic, BTW. But I'm very seriously considering whether I have the money to buy clay ones for my last couple plants. Of course, a clay pot is likely to only have a single hole, thus obviating the difficulty; but still, I'm curious...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
13 years ago
I am using the plastic nursery pots salvaged where ever. I have found that cutting off a mesh bag like onions are sold in, and putting it in the pot, adding enough gritty mix to hold it in place, while I plant the plant, works well. Al
monet_g
13 years ago
Aluminum screen should hold its shape better than fiberglass. (Not sure which you are using.)

I have done the same thing as Al. Position the screen and slowly add your mix making adjustments as necessary.
Related Discussions
Screen Sizes for Al's Gritty Mix
Q
Comments (4)
Just a footnote ... I read that, when using pine bark in the gritty mix, the size range could be increased to 3/8"-1/8". By doing that, I increased the usable portion of a 1 1/2 cu. ft. bag from 11 quarts to 19 quarts. Not saying that will be the result with all pine bark products. Some brands will contain a higher proportion of pine bark fines; others will have a larger proportion of the small 'nuggets'; etc. It so happens that over 30% of the Jolly Gardener product I use was too large (over 1/4"). Increasing the size range to 3/8" cut that loss in half. Given the low cost of pine (compared to Reptibark) and depending on how much gritty mix you use, increasing the size range may not be worth the time and effort. Of course, I'm one of those penny pinchers, so ... : )
...See More
Al's 5:1:1 Mix vs. Al's Gritty Mix for Tropical Fruit
Q
Comments (5)
Yes you can, and in the short run 5-1-1 in may actually perfom better than the Gritty mix. But it will wear out quicker (break down) than the gritty mix. I tend to think of annuals going in the 5-1-1 mix, and perinnials in gritty mix. If you are going to be up-potting in a couple of years go with what you have. Either are a better choice than most anything you can find in most garden centers. Gritty mix makes future repots a dream, tip the pot over and you have bare roots.. Grading the pine bark is not fun, I hate it! A major concept of the gritty mix is based on particle size, larger particles have less surface area (by volume) and thus less water retention. 1/4 to 1/8 inch seems to be the optimal size, although due the screening process of pine bark and the thin strips I will let most 1/2 and under get in the mix (under 1/8 is not good either). If you are looking for Turface MVP check a local irrigation supply house, the stuff was designed for baseball diamonds so look in that direction. The dust is not good for the mix (particle size) The gran-i-grit is intended for chickens to help them digest grains. There are many other products other than gran-i-grit that will perform just as well. Look to a local farm supply house for the rock. Rock dust is not good for the mix (particle size) Gypsum is available at the big box home improvements stores. Gritty does dry out quicker than potting soil so you do need to water a bit more often. It is extremely difficult to overwater with gritty mix, that includes mother nature overwatering. Root rot is probably the number one killer of potted plants. After water, air is the most important thing you can give roots (most plants), more important than fertilizer. Gritty mix excels at this without drying out the root system. Gritty mix is heavy stuff, an advantage of heavy is the pot is less likely to tip from heavy winds. Al is a smart guy, it is such a simple concept.
...See More
Al's Gritty mix- Screening and Particulate size
Q
Comments (35)
Hello! Al recently posted on the ideal particle size in the "CONTAINER SOILS - WATER MOVEMENT and RETENTION XXII" thread (as below). "Particle Sizes (ideal) In a perfect world, the mineral fraction for use in the gritty mix would range in size from 1/10 - 5/32" (.100 - .156", or 2.5 - 4.0mm). The bark fraction would be slightly larger to allow for some breakdown over the life of the planting ........ from 1/8 - 1/4 is about ideal (.125 - .250" or 3.25 - 6.25mm)." How much can we deviate from this for turface and granite? Minimum size - based on posts above, this is 1/16 inch. I've screened using .100 inch for this batch of gritty mix, but I could screen using a 2.0mm (~0.08 inch) sieve if that's not too small so less product is wasted. Also, as I've completed this batch of screening and washing, I'm thinking of only doing the 2.0mm screening of the leftover product together with the next batch. Is that okay or would it result in too high a proportion of fine particles to larger sized particles. Maximum size - is .200 inch ok? I've screened using this size. If this is too big, the next largest sieve I have is 3.0mm (~0.12 inch) and I'm concerned this will result in even more unused product. Stay safe during this period everyone!
...See More
Is Al's gritty mix or 5-1-1 mix really any better than other mixes?
Q
Comments (32)
@Nil13 made reference to the Whitcomb 311 mix, which is an earlier historical attempt to create a more coarse potting soil for container plants. I think it is extremely helpful to read a document written by Carl Whitcomb that explains how he came on this formula by accident. Essentially what happened is he accidentally left nine test pots under a bench and everyone forgot they were there. They had successfully nearly killed all of their test plants by watering in a normal potting soil mix and the unwatered plants started to do very well. What I have started to realize is that any plant can do well in many different soil mixes, if you are able to carefully control the watering. This explains why so many people on this forum claim gritty mix is not as good for their succulents as their (fill in some random horrible soil with lots of small particles) mix. Inevitably those people are growing their plants indoors. They have enormous experience with their plant type and they know exactly when to water the plant. So that is the case of a very skilled gardener compensating for a very bad soil. What gritty mix does for me is let me grow succulents outside in very abusive weather conditions, without the plant dying. A plant can get a week of rain and it will still drain well. During Summer, gritty mix will tolerate a bit of overwatering, although you still really need to pay attention to not overwatering. Whether you make your 511 mix with perlite/peat, or with two parts Turface, or with lava and pumice, is probably in the big picture not going to be the deciding factor in whether your plants grow well or not. Success can be add with any of those mixes because the size of the particles allows the roots to breathe and prevents capillary action of water from bring the perched water table to the top of the pot and drowning the roots. Fine-tuning how you make 511 is a question of matching the plant type to the moisture retention of the soil and to the watering habit and climate exposure. Any 511 variant is going to do better than almost any commercial potting soil because of the larger particles used in the majority of the mix.
...See More
jodik_gw
13 years ago
You could always temporarily glue the screen pieces in place, just so they'd hold while you added the medium... a bit of rubber cement or spray crafting adhesive... nothing elaborate.
susan2010
13 years ago
Assuming the holes on the sides are near the bottom uf the pot, maybe try a long band of screening as a "collar" around the circumference of the pot? You can even use tape of some kind to hold it until you fill.
Joe1980
13 years ago
Yep, all good ideas. I also use aluminun screen; it's fairly cheap, and comes in a roll, with plenty on it. As mentioned, it holds it's shape, so you can cut it and bend it any way you like. Be careful with glue; it will work, but the kind you use is important, because you don't want anything that can leach when you water. Silicone caulk would work good too. Just a little dabble here & there will hold anything, and it's made to repel water.

Joe
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
13 years ago
I face this issue all the time because I use cut down (ht) nursery cans as training pots for bonsai. Since I own a class company, I have unlimited access to screen material, but it's inexpensive & won't break the bank if you want to try this:

I cut strips of screen about 2" wide and several inches longer than the pots diameter. I position them so they cover 2 holes each, on opposite sides of the pot. This means the strip runs up the side to cover 1 hole, then across the bottom of the pot and up the opposite side to cover the hole there. I use a thin stick that's flat on the end to hold the screen in place temporarily, and I just place a small pile of soil on the screen to hold it secure while I fix the other 1-2 screens in place in the same manner. The screen strips are reusable if you wish.

You can also do the same thing using 1 piece of screen for each hole, but I find the '2 for 1' application easier.

AL
rain1950
13 years ago
When working with odd style containers, I like using 2 layers of landscape cloth. Placed in the bottom; wetted and let the soil mix hold it in place.
susan2010
13 years ago
For house plants, I have used a coffee filter. I poke a hole for the wick, and at each drainage hole of the pot, after it's filled.
mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma
13 years ago
I use fiberglass mesh sheetrock tape. Its very strong yet flexible and has an adhesive backing that sticks well to plastic and clay. You can find it at any home improvement store.

Here is a link that might be useful: drywall tape
marshaul
Original Author
13 years ago
Wow! Lots of great ideas.

I ended up just doing the "add a little bit, adjust, repeat", but I think next time I'm gonna have to try a few of these suggestions, which sound like better ideas yet.

Al, your strips sound easier and better than what I ended up doing.

mksmth, I also kind of want to try that fiberglass mesh sheetrock tape.

Thanks, guys! This forum is great.

Screen on the bottom of large pots for Al's gritty mix

Comments (10)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

monet_g

Related Discussions

jodik_gw

susan2010

Joe1980

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

rain1950

susan2010

mksmth zone 7a Tulsa Oklahoma

marshaul
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Screen on the bottom of large pots for Al's gritty mix

Comments (10)

Related Discussions

marshaulOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

marshaul
Original Author