Gritty Mix - Ingredient Sources - Tampa Bay
chopstick80
12 years ago
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irun5k
12 years agoCarol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Substitutes for ingredients in Al's gritty mix
Comments (40)Lol - because they grow so fast, I use the 5:1:1 mix for brugs & datura. There is no way I would go 2 years with these plants in the same soil. They really need root work beyond potting up every year. Those are also one of the few plants that I give a little extra Mg to - both in the ground and containers (I grow them in the ground as annuals & take cuttings every summer to winter over for next year's plants). The 5:1:1 mix is very good for houseplants and holds up much better/longer than peat/coir/compost-based soils, but the gritty mix would still perform a little better. I always judge what soil to use by how long the plant will be in the same soil. Even though the 5:1:1 mix is much more durable than most packaged soils, I still hold pretty tight to the rule: 1 year in the same soil = 5:1:1. 2 or more years in the same soil = the gritty mix. In the end though, it's whatever you feel is the best choice for you. I'm not selling (you on) soil recipes, I'm selling the importance of aeration and durability in your soils, and showing you various ways to achieve those ends. After I've helped folks understand those points, it really doesn't matter to me what they choose to grow in, though it always pleases me to learn of people having improved their effort:reward ratio because of something I might have shared. ;o) Take good care. I know you'll do well! Al...See MoreSFBayArea: NeedSources for ingredients of Als 511 & gritty mixes?
Comments (16)RE: GREENALL MICRO-BARK I found Micro-Bark at the 'Green Thumb Nursery' in Los Gatos, CA. It is typically in-stock. http://www.greenthumblosgatos.com/ I'm still searching for a local 1/4-1/8 granite source ... will post if I find one nearby. ~ TR Here is a link that might be useful: Green Thumb Nursery - Los Gatos CA...See MoreTampa Bay area nurseries - mix/sell a decent bulk potting mix?
Comments (20)I'm not sure what you have in mind for using the potting soil exactly, but I have my own special mix made that I use for my rare cycads. With plants that are worth what these are worth, getting the best soil is well worth the extra money. You mentioned drainage, well, that is the most important thing in growing cycads. That, and having a mix that doesn't break down real fast and get mucky over time. Also, I don't want insects getting in my mix (ants and termites love pine bark)and I don't want my pH to go acid in a year. My mix is mainly Canadian peat, well point sand (very coarse sand, almost small rock)I do use cypress saw dust and also perlite. If you can't find anything good, I am 2 minutes off I-4 in Lakeland and have my soil professionally made for me by a place that has a computer mixing it and I buy 30 yards at a time. If you are just wanting to put up some things, I could spare 1/2 a yard or something like that....See MoreHouston - Sources for Gritty Mix Ingredients
Comments (2)I'm glad you found SW Fertilizer already. I had talked to one of their Soil guys a few years ago and explained the two mixes, he was trying to work out how to best to do Bonsai and was very grateful for the head start. But their grit is the Oyster-Shell product as you already found out. Steinhauser's, either the one in Alvin on Hwy 6, or the one out West on I-10, has the Gran-I-Grit in stock all the time. PetCo is where I usually get fir bark, but my own drought-killed pine trees have kept me supplied with bark recently, what a mixed blessing... And if you haven't gone in to Wabash Feed on Washington St yet, you are in for a real treat and I envy you. Get you some Micro-Life fert there or at SW Fert, and thank me later. :-) Potting some volunteer Panzarella Lemon babies this weekend that sprouted from fallen fruit, so stopped in to refresh myself on the Recipes. Let me know if you want a few of these, they are ridiculously huge fruit and very tasty if seedy. Rick...See Moreloufloralcityz9
12 years agoilovetogrow z9 Jax Florida
12 years agotomncath
12 years agoirun5k
12 years agoirun5k
12 years agopuglvr1
12 years agoirun5k
12 years agothonotorose
12 years ago
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