Hi. I used a regular insect screen that I stapled on to a frame when I sifted a bag of turface MVP. It was a pain, I tell you and I never did it again. As an alternative, I just get crushed pumice which can also be difficult to find in some areas. Crushed pumice is a bit pricey on Amazon but considering how irritated I got sifting turface, I decided it was worth it. Napa floor dry and turface are also interchangeable.

Chick grit #5 (for chicks up to 10 weeks old) is smaller than poultry grit (for chicken 10 weeks and older). I also had a hard time looking for poultry grit of any size so I just use pea gravel. The pieces are significantly larger but it turned out to be less important than getting the powdery bits out of the other ingredients.

The individual components of the gritty mix are there for their varying ability to absorb and retain moisture. The granite holds only as much moisture as would stick to its surface while turface or pumice will hold as much water as will be trapped in their pores. The bark fines, on the other hand, will expand a little bit as they absorb water and keep it longer.

As an example, all my adult adeniums are in a substrate made up of 5 parts bark, one part pumice and half-part pea gravel. If I am using chicken grit, I would put in one part of that. I have a couple of aroids in the same mix and some tropical plants in bark and turface only.

There is really no hard and fast rule--the magic of this substrate is that it can be liberally adjusted depending on your watering habits, instead of the other way around.

Also, I suggest using pots with multiple holes. I drill two or three more holes in my pots if they only have one. And I do not top-dress my pots, I think it interferes with the aeration.

Goodluck with your future fruit trees. I hope this helps!

Pagan

Hey, guys just wanted to definitely recommend when sifting this stuff use a breathing mask the particles go everywhere and it's defintely not good for your lungs. I used Gorrila Glue to seal all the cuts from reoving "Root Rot" wasn't easy but wasn's as bad as I thought...This was the only poultry grit that was granite that was found locally.

Found the Purina Chicken Grit at Red Barn Supply, In Loxahatchee Florida.

I really have no concept of the sizes of those things so I can't tell.

Aquarium Gravel (pet supply stores) works as a sub for the granite grit.

Fake....you could dusting that rotted area with powdered Cinnamon after the dead tissue is removed....let it callus over and then replant into the gritty mix. The Cinnamon powder kills off all the bad stuff. It smells good too.


Frank

I'm glad you got your gritty mix together finally, flgrown1. I forgot to mention the mask, I wore one as well.

That was actually flgrown1's plant with root rot, bronxfigs. I use cinnamon powder on seedlings too though. It works really well when used early. I just really do not like how it smells lol.

And thanks for the aquarium gravel tip. I'm going to need another bag of crushed granite this spring too. Who knows, it might even happen, this so-called spring.

Pagan