Potting Mix? Al's gritty mix or...?
Michael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years ago
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newtoucan
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Pot a Meyor Lemon Tree using Al's Gritty Mix
Comments (2)Cutting the roots before planting to me would be a matter of preference... I think some due this quite often. I persoanlly do not. I do remove ALL soil to bareroot and rinse most out with an easy jet stream of water from a hose.. Sorry, not sure of the other questions..:-( Mike..:-)...See MoreAl ~ Josh ~ Mike ~ Help needed in another forum. :-)
Comments (7)Thanks Josh! Yes, Al had been there but I wasn't sure what to tell him about amounts. I need to make new mixes this season too :-/ dreading the sifting. lol... We just cannot find decent granite here.. at least couldn't 2 yrs ago when I was searching, so I had switched to the pumice. Hate perlite. ! lol......See MoreLocal sources for Al's gritty potting mix
Comments (4)i, too, have been slowly tracking down these ingredients... http://www.mulch4you.com/ Bolling Forest products (in Longwood) carries pine fines. In place of Turface (and MUCH cheaper) you can use a product from Napa called Floor Dry Part (number 8822). It's like $5 for a big bag. They can get it overnight. See this discussion: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/houseplt/msg022208173404.html and for the crushed granite--well, i'm going to use crushed limestone, which you can get from lowes as paver base for a couple dollars a bag....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 MoreMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agoHoundhome
9 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agokriklaf
9 years agogreenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agokriklaf
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agogreenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agojojosplants
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years agonewtoucan
9 years agoMichael O (USDA Z9 San Tan Valley AZ)
9 years ago
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)