Unfortunately for me IÂll be working until about midnight (sshhh thatÂs where I am now not supposed to be spending time on garden web) so my ham and cheese sandwich will have to do until I get home. At which time I shall indulge in a magnificent scotch on the rocks and a tad splash of water. Oh itÂs Friday night maybe another will be in order, Oh itÂs winter solstice perhaps a third. hic hic Anyone going to be up after midnight, maybe I'll stop by and say hello.

The way the particle size distribution of the gritty mix is supposed to work ensures good water retention, but with no or negligible volumes of perched water to affect root health/function. It's important that the small particles be removed to accomplish this lest they filter in between the large particles, rendering the soil supportive of perched water and eliminating one of the most significant advantages of the mix. Another significant advantage is the aeration inherent in a well-made gritty mix, which would also be a casualty of neglecting to ensure the sizes of the particles are appropriate. If you don't screen the particles, what you end up with is a mix that will perform like a lot of other mixes, and whose only essential variance from most other mixes would be its structural stability, a derivative of the fact that it has a 2/3 mineral component and the organic fraction (bark) breaks down very slowly. This is one of the less significant attributes of the soil though, because inevitably a plant needs repotting long before there would be even a hint there was a hint the soil had structurally degraded. In fact, with a 2/3 mineral fraction, even if the entire bark fraction was to break down or gas off, the soil would still be perfectly servicable. I don't think I've ever really listed the attributes of the gritty mix, so: A) No or very little perched water - the most important (root health) B) Excellent aeration (root health) C) Extremely forgiving and easy to grow in D) Adjustable for water retention E) Serviceable indefinitely - won't collapse (root health) F) Easy to make, once ingredients are located & you're set up to screen I love to see people using it, but I have to be honest. If you can't find the ingredients or suitable substitutes, or don't want to screen them, I don't think it's a good investment of time/effort to make something that will perform similar to a from the bag mix. More important than a recipe, is the concept. The gritty mix is simply the best way I've found to implement the concept described in the thread I'll link to below. I honestly feel that an understanding of the information in the thread represents the largest forward step a container gardener can take at any one time. Root health is often overlooked or given short shrift; but it's very important to realize that a healthy plant is impossible w/o a healthy root system. Roots are indeed the heart of the plant, so it pays to keep them happy. ;-) Best luck. Have fun at the party! Al Here is a link that might be useful: Learn about soils .....

I just put chicken cheese enchiladas in the oven..and am about to start my version of spanish rice...and have some pintos that are in need of frying from this weekends meal. Everything from scratch but the corn tortillas. Even the enchilada sauce is..

The party is over! It was a great success. We had about 80-85 people there, and yes, tons of food left over! I planned for close to the right number(planned for 100), but of course I expected them to eat way more then they did! Here's a picture of the cake that Emi's oldest sister made for her party. This is only the second one that she's tried decorating and I think she did a lovely job. Not professional yet, but very pretty and imaginative!