Al's gritty mix questions
kwie2011
9 years ago
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LilBit7765
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLilBit7765
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
al's gritty mix substitute questions!
Comments (8)I want to modify [the 511 mix] a little bit. I don't like peat moss. Me neither! However, the mixes are not only about individual components but also about how they work together as a mix. Peat is only 1/7th of the 511 recipe, and because bark and perlite and not overly water-retentive, you do need something to hold more water and nutrients. There will be plenty of air in-between the particles of bark and perlite, more if you use coarse particles and less but probably still enough if you use finer particles. If you'll allow me a comparison... I am a financial advisor, and when clients tell me they do not like bonds (it is most often bonds they do not like, because of the low interest rates and good recent stock returns), I enthusiastically tell them "me neither!", but that probably everybody should have at least some because they play a role (providing diversification/hedge and down market protection). So, yeah, peat sucks (quite literally), but at 1/7th of the volume it's not going to be what determines the performance of your mix, and it does play its distinct role. I would (and did!) start with the strict 511 recipe because so many people have used it successfully for so long, and only modify it later in a thoughtful way if for some reason something does not work for me. An investing analogy again is index mutual funds, which is basically investing in the same proportions the market in its aggregate wisdom decided to invest. (Who am I to think that I can do better than all these smart people?) Then once you really learn the ropes and see how the mix behaves in your personal cultural growing conditions (something the market cannot know!), feel free to carefully modify the proportions going forward....See MoreAl's Gritty Mix Questions
Comments (32)I'm not new to these mixes. I just want to make sure they are made exactly correct. I'm in my 40th year of growing cacti in pots. I'm very aware of nutritional needs. I even had to do the chemical equations in college. I wasn't very good at it though :) I barely passed my biochemistry classes. "Drew, pumice isn't a direct substitute for granite" Al mentions it in his original discussion about the gritty mix. He makes it sounds as if it can be, but it is unclear, he could have meant as a substitute for turface. I'm not going to use it for the experiment. I have #2 granite. I want to try the bonsai mixture with pumice, but I guess that should be another experiment. I may add another plant with pumice to see what it does. Darn, I'm up to five plants now! When you say you screen 1/8 to 3/8, do you mean that is the size you want? Thanks for the info. An EBay seller sells prescreen at 3/8 and 3/16. I thinking both may be good depending on the size of the pot. I actually would like to use it in small pots, and large pots. Where can I get screens this size? Any hints?...See MoreAl's 5:1:1 Mix vs. Al's Gritty Mix for Tropical Fruit
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 Moremixing the al's gritty mix questions.
Comments (1)Volume!...See Moredellis326 (Danny)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agokwie2011
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSuzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agokwie2011
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLilBit7765
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLilBit7765
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoLoveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodrew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJoe1980
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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