Gritty Mix Ratios - Differences & Preferences
SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years ago
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rcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B) thanked rcharles_gw (Canada)SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agoRelated Discussions
DIfference between 5:1:1 & Gritty Mix?
Comments (7)I grow lots of herbs in the gritty mix. I don't grow veggies in it, but everything else grows well in it (that I've tried to grow). I take that back, I've grown peppers in it, basil, rosemary, santolina (lavender cotton), oregano, lavender, parsley, thyme, .... If succulent plants like Coleus, Impatiens, Begonia, Geranium .... grow well in it, then most veggies should too. I've even grown lots of plants that form a caudex, as well as other plants that form storage root structures (dahlia, canna ....), so I expect that root veggies would probably do just fine, too. I usually use the 5:1:1 mix for all the short term stuff (like veggies) because it's easier to make & less expensive. Al...See MoreVolume/Ratio Calculating Al's 5-1-1 Mix
Comments (5)I can't speak for Al. I hope he or someone else who has used this mix for a while will chime in. I always followed the advice to add one tablespoon of lime per gallon of mix and I prefer to measure five gallons of bark to three each of perlite and peat. My formula was closer to what he describes as a small batch: Small batch: 3 gallons pine bark 1/2 gallon peat 1/2 gallon perlite 4 tbsp lime (or gypsum in some cases) 1/4 cup CRF (if preferred) You will notice this is actually 6-1-1. Al has said many times that these formulas are really more of a general concept. I suspect he didn't want new gardeners to get hung up on making exact formulas. I don't think you should repot anything you just put into the mix you made. It is fine the way it is. I was mainly trying to explain why there was a difference in your measurements between the two batches....See MoreRatio for Gritty Mix with only granite/turface
Comments (10)I've been growing in a turface/grit mix for several years now, with good results. I started with the mindset that if the bark has a moisture retention property averaging between the turface and grit, that a straight 50:50 mix would be about the same as gritty mix with bark. I've found that to be mostly true, and use the 50:50 ratio for plants that like a fair amount of moisture, notably tropicals. However, it holds too much moisture for plants like cacti and succulents that like drier conditions. That's where the 2:1 grit/turface, respectively, comes in. I've recently incorporated lava pebbles into my mix though, so I'm in the process of trying different ratios of each of the 3 ingredients. As for having a completely inorganic mix, well, I love it. It can indeed be used forever, but there is some chunks of roots left in the mix after a repot, so I like to repot in fresh mix. I then let the old mix dry out, then run it through a piece of 1/4" mesh, which sifts out a lot of the root pieces. The best part is not having to remove every bit of old mix, so whatever pieces are lodged in between the roots can stay. I think the mix looks more ship-shape without the bark too, and loos even better with red lava rock mixed in. An additional note to mention too is that the absence of bark removes the hydrophobic properties of that come with it when left to dry, making watering easier. Joe...See MoreAl's Gritty mix: sub perlite or polystyrene beads/pellets?
Comments (1)I don't have anything to add, other than the fact I've always been satisfied with the results I've been able to achieve using perlite in my media, but I understand your want to separate the components & to recycle them. I would think that if available, the PS beads would serve you well in that capacity, as well as in the capacity of reducing water retention. The pH of hort. perlite is generally considered neutral. Good luck - let us know how you fare! Al...See MoreSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agorcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B) thanked rcharles_gw (Canada)SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B) thanked Maria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)rcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B) thanked Maria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)SoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agoElena
7 years agobragu_DSM 5
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B)
7 years agorcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agoSoCal Stewart (San Diego, Ca Zone 10A/10B) thanked rcharles_gw (Canada)Pagan
7 years ago
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rcharles_gw (Canada)