Thank you greenman28, loveplants2, and rooftopbklyn for your help

10 years ago

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions regarding Al's gritty mix. I finished potting everything I wanted to re-pot this weekend (ended up with 32 pots)! There's more to do, but isn't there always? I'm just happy that I completed my goal for this weekend.

Here's a few pictures to share:

Once everything is rinsed, the mix is amazingly clean to work with. I think a little more planning on my part would have made the whole experience more enjoyable. It's just too much to do all the sifting, rinsing the dirt off the plant's roots, and potting them back up over a couple of days. I still have mulch in the back of my truck that I need to unload and sift. I just ran out of steam!

Next time, I'm going to take your suggestion Josh, to start sifting the pine fines a couple of weeks in advance. I need to get some storage containers to keep the separated fines in so they're ready to use whenever the urge strikes. One for 1:1:1 size and one for 5:1:1 size.

This is so exciting. I'm so glad I stumbled upon a blog that referenced Al's mixes. I think this will be a game changer for my potted plants.

Thanks again and Happy Gardening!
Annette

This post was edited by ifionlyhadabrain on Mon, Sep 16, 13 at 7:22

Comments (5)

Skyway Gardens
Original Author
10 years ago
Here's a story book I made at Photobucket.com with all the pics I took this weekend. Just click on one of the photos below. I hope you can see it, it's still in Beta mode.

{{gwi:49916}}
Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
10 years ago
Hi Annette!!!

I see that you had a great time making this mix. It isn't easy, but it will get better in the way you go about making your mix...
I see your hard work paid off and will continue to do so...

Bravo for all of the detail and the continued effort you put into making this your best!!! Many give up on a good thing and you went right to town and I am very impressed with what you have done

I also but the five gallon buckets from Lowes an I use them with the covers to protect the sifted fir bark. The other is for the Turface that I have already sifted . I fill those container and work from them. My last containers with the gran-I -grit I just don't sift that at all. I may rinse it, but it is fine to use right out of the bag as well as Cherrystone. This might make it easier for you as well.

The strainer I use for my Turface is a little kitchen strainer that I found at Walmart. Here in this post I have put together for the other forum you can see the strainer . I do have some other larger screens that my DH copied from Al's screens. But my DH used 2x4 instead of 1x4 to build my screens, lol they are a little heavy, but they work well..

Hope to see more pics... The others pics at the top of the thread aren't working tho.

I would love to see what you did!!

Remember. I like to use the five gallon and buy the lids. It keeps it fresh. Then when you need a scoop here and there, it is so convenient to use.!!

Take a look at how I bareroot my Adeniums. It might help!!!
... It really easy!!

Here is the link

Pretty work... Strong work as well!!! ;-)

Take care,

Laura

Here is a link that might be useful: Barerooting Adeniums...

This post was edited by loveplants2 on Mon, Sep 16, 13 at 9:06
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rooftopbklyn (zone 7a)
10 years ago
Looks great Annette! And Laura, now you have me wanting some Adeniums, something I never really thought about before. Last thing I need, a new variety of plant to collect!

-daniel
Skyway Gardens
Original Author
10 years ago
Laura,
Funny you should say that about your screens - I copied your post to a Word document I started on the gritty mix. LOL!

So I don't need to screen the chicken grit? Just rinse it in the colander? That's good to know. Plus, that would save me one Advil later!

I am going to get those Lowe's buckets with the lids. I have a small place and they're skinny and I can stack them too.

Your Adeniums are beautiful. I think the Star Wars character is Jar Jar - they have the same mouth. It's funny, of all the plants I've had I've never had an Adenium (desert rose, right?). After seeing your pictures, I think I'm going to have to get one. I like the one with the darker red flowers. They kind of remind me of the pony tail palm with their big bulbous trunk.

You're in V Beach? I was just in the area in July. My husband is at Wallops, as are a lot of people from Kennedy Space Center. I'm going to go to the Norfolk Botanical Garden next time I make a trip up there. Is it nice?

Have a great day,
Annette
Skyway Gardens
Original Author
10 years ago
Daniel,
I hear ya - I was just thinking how there are different types of plant people - people who specialize and become experts in one type of plant, people who only grow plants for food, organic people, people who don't even know plants exist on the earth, and people who collect any plant that catches their eye. Of course, I fall into the latter category.

I realized I was a collector a short time ago when my husband and some friends were hanging out talking about classic Harleys. Now they're hard-core Harley dudes, but one of the guys has all different sorts of bikes and parts so I asked him why he had it all and he replied, "I don't know really, I just like them all and when I see one I like and it's a good deal, I get it." He said, "I guess I'm like you are with plants, I'm a collector."

I like to consider myself a Jack-of-All-Trades, Master-of-None. I know just enough to be dangerous, but my plants love me, the hummingbirds and butterfles love my garden, and that's what brings me happiness and peace after a stressful day. And that Scarlet, is all that matters :-)