Nguyenty - it looks like your Turface has already been screened? The #5 gravel looks very good - about the same size as the granite or cherrystone I use. You're better off with the granite fraction being a bit too small than the Turface fraction, because the granite holds so little water comparatively. I think what I would do is use it as is. I wouldn't fertilize at each watering because I suggest you DO water in sips, with an occasional flush until the roots have colonized the soil mass. At that point, with an established planting, it becomes less likely you could over-water. I would also suggest you insert a wick through the bottom of the pot at the perimeter (if plastic), and after flushing the soil or watering, tilt the container at a 45* angle with the wick down. This changes the shape of the soil that CAN be occupied by perched water to an inverted triangle, better said - a triangle standing on an apex - and reduces the volume of excess water a planting CAN hold; and, the wick increases the effectiveness of the strategy significantly. ..... not lecturing or being snotty. Think of it as a reminder to anyone following along ~ The reasoning behind the gritty mix: it provides a soil with little or no perched water that retains it's structure indefinitely. If anyone is going to build a soil similar to the gritty mix but lacking these two properties, there is little sense in going through all the effort when something like the less expensive and easier to make 5:1:1 mix would serve as well. Really glad to see you made the effort. I hope you let us know if in the end you think the dividends justify the diligence. Al

Hi all, Last year, I made some 511 mix using the gritty mix components. I had the gritty mix ingredients readily available but I didn't think I could water every day, so, I used the 511 ratio with the fir bark, granite, and turface thinking that the 5 parts of bark would retain more water. I may not have accomplished my goal, or I may not have the correct watering/fertilizing schedule. I may have may some other mistake, as well. I would appreciate any comments from those more experienced. Thanks in advance to all who have time from re-potting to answer. I use my modified 511 mix for 2 very young citrus, one Meyer Lemon, and one Mexican Lime. These had nearly died off the first winter due to frost as well as having been in overly large containers (halved wine barrels) in potting soil with very little drainage. They responded well to being in the new mix, I also put them in smaller plastic containers about half the size of the wine barrels but these may have been too big as well as far as watering goes. The mop string was moist at the bottom of the container but the mixture may have been dry where the plant roots actually were. Over the summer, however, the leaves started turning yellow. I had been fertilizing with MG 12-4-8 and occasionally with Epsom salt. At the end of the summer, I added a liquid Bloom product for citrus and the leaves responded but no flowers. This winter they have done better. I kept them from frost and have continued with the same water/fertilizer (once a week) and they are both now producing blooms and fruit. Very mild winter here this year. I'm concerned that with the advent of summer conditions, I may not be watering enough or have the proper fertilizer. The plastic containers the citrus are in have a decorative lip which is breaking off from my moving the containers under cover at night, and I'm starting to lose the soil at the top. I'm wondering if it is too late to re-pot now or would it be better to wait until later in the spring? Also, If I could re-pot now, would it be a good idea to use a smaller size container so as to avoid having the top of the pot dry out and the bottom still be moist? My other container plants are blueberry bushes which seem to be doing well in this mix except for one which went into the mix without removing the original soil. (I don't know what I was thinking!) Again, I wonder if I can re pot this one bush and remove the old soil or is it too late for that? With the mild weather conditions, these have been in bloom almost all of Feb. The blueberries were in smaller containers so I think the amount of water they got over the summer was the correct amount. I also used vinegar with the fert. After reading again the idea to use the wood skewers, I think that may be more helpful than the mop string at the bottom. Thanks for any advice. Ande

Thank you for all of your helpful replies. I just realized that I wasn't actually using a dowel, but a bamboo stick, which is probably more water resistant and harder to see. So I'm going to go get a dowel and try it that way. All of my plants are either in plastic, resin or fiberglass pots, so no real terra cotta. I'm going to give it several weeks to see how much watering and then reevaluate. I have to go away for a week at a time so might have to up the turface content on the mix to hold water longer if the plants dry out too fast. While I trust my housesitter to get the plants under lights, which have huge drip trays,there are far too many other plants where if the drip trays ran over it would be very, very bad. With regular potting soil, most plants were going 1-1/2 to 2 weeks, which means too wet. If I can stretch it to 6 or 7 days, it would be perfect, but we'll see. I think it's confusing because the top of the gritty mix looks totally dry by the next day. I think I'm going to have to do a wilt test for sure before I'll really know and feels safe.

Paul, I read reviews that specifically said tomatoes (and peppers) did really well in gritty mix!! D: --I was planning to fertigate at maintenance strength (1/4 tsp/gal) with foliage pro, as I do basically all my plants (hoping this is correct re:my understanding of AL's recommendations). But if the master himself says gritty is overkill, I'll look into whatever might be more suitable! I'm pretty new to all this, just want my plants to have the best stuff and to thrive, even if they're not fancy. I have this vision of a gorgeous tomato plant with piles of pretty orange fruit on it if I do everything right. Unfortunately the only "ground" I have to work with is a screened concrete patio, so it really is containers or nothing. Gritty mix *has* been appallingly expensive, but I also figure it will last a really long time and I can rinse and re-use it for other plantings as long as it's structurally sound? It has certainly saved the life of my peace lilly which was a gift from my husband and means a lot to me, so the money has been worth it for that alone. Can I go with something much cheaper in my tomato container that will still drain resonably well? The selection of bark on Roberts Flower Supply is amazing, but I'm afraid to even look at the shipping costs! : /