I'm planning on planting a eucalyptus seedling soon (which should do well in the gritty mix, correct??) but the ingredients that are listed aren't exactly easy to find. I was wondering if they could be substituted for something not so hard to find.

Al

Josh

I found it tough to find everything I needed at first... but I've got it all now!

The bark does hold moisture, but the primary moisure-retaining ingredient is Turface.

Josh

Al

The PH is not a big issue, because I have a meter and was planning to hand water bonsai with a water/fertilizer mix around the 6.5 range.

If you can't find pine bark pieces at your local garden centers, look for it in PetSmart or any pet store that handles reptiles. Look for ReptiBark reptile bedding. It's the perfect size for use in medium mixes, and is already dust free. It's made of 100% fir bark, which is perfect.

I use some variation of the gritty mix for all my bonsai soils. I would also expect any significant fraction of vermiculite in any of my own soils to be a detraction from the way I intended them to perform, but YMMV.

Al

A national landscaping company called John Deere Landscapes carries both the Turface and Pine Bark Fines. The Turface is marketed by John Deere under the name of Turface All Sport. I spoke with Profile Products the manufacturer of the Turface line and they assured me that the Turface All Sport was actually the Turface MVP repackaged specifically for John Deere. John Deere Landscapes has a website you can check to find a location near you.

A national landscaping company called John Deere Landscapes carries both the Turface and Pine Bark Fines. The Turface is marketed by John Deere under the name of Turface All Sport. I spoke with Profile Products the manufacturer of the Turface line and they assured me that the Turface All Sport was actually the Turface MVP repackaged specifically for John Deere. John Deere Landscapes has a website you can check to find a location near you.

Josh

Al

I start everything from seed, though; will small seeds fall through the mix? How do I handle that? Or should I use the 5:1:1? Or something else? God, I am so excited; I am dying to see what I can grow this year.

Al

What exactly is Turface? I was imagining tufa rock powder, but now I'm thinking I'm way off base.

It's like kitty litter in that it's made from clay, except it's hardened by high heat so it will not disintegrate in water; kitty litter will disintegrate.

JoJo

natschultz!

Grit should not be given to cockatiels, ever. It can actually be very harmful. Just make sure the birds always have a cuttlebone and a diet of pellets and veggies.

I do not think it is fired clay, rather it is most likely crushed Quartz. It would be much more expensive to produce if it was fired (as clay itself uses finely ground Crystalline Silica as a major ingredient). I used to do pottery and ceramic sculpture, but the cost of fuel to run the kilns is why I no longer do ceramics.

Because the MSDS does not specify Alpha vs. Beta Quartz, just "Crystalline Silica" I'll assume it is not fired.

It is technically different than Diatomaceous Earth as well, which is Amorphous Silica.

If you are interested, here is a fantastic fact sheet about Crystalline Silica (one of the primary minerals in all rocks and soils):
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/silica/780292.pdf

BTW: My cockatiel was not harmed - he lived for 18 years! I no longer have any birds though, and unless I get chickens (to produce compost pellets and eggs), I won't be keeping any birds in cages (chickens would have a coop).

Al

As a general rule, I use lime in the 5:1:1 mix to raise pH and supply Ca/Mg. In the gritty mix, I use gypsum because it DOESN'T raise pH and to supply Ca (and S). Because Ca and Mg need to be present in soils in a favorable ratio, and you DO need a Mg source, when using gypsum I also use Epsom salts. Clear? .... or still fuzzy? ;o)

4 kinds of mint in the gritty mix, all pinched nice & tight:

Chocolate, pineapple, spearmint, and I forget mint. They'll grow equally well in the 5:1:1 mix, too.

Al

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

Also, up-Thread I mentioned that I substitute Pumice for Turface. I can see how
this statement could cause significant confusion. Let me iterate: Pumice does not
hold as much moisture as Turface, nor is it as consistent in size or internal porosity.
For this reason, I have to adjust the ratio of Pumice to Bark to Perlite to Quartz grit.

I just wanted to emphasize that it is *not* an even substitution.

If you want a consistent, high-performance mix without all of the guess-work, seek the
proper ingredients for Al's mix.

Josh

Al

I do have a couple plants from last year growing in a mix that includes pea gravel and they are doing well. Pea gravel has many different sizes of stone but ideally you want something a bit smaller and consistent.

You might also look for silica sand, used in older swimming pool filters. A bag of that is only a few dollars and might be a good substitite for granite.

Just some ideas, hope this helps.

The pea gravel I used last year had a large variety of sizes in the same bag, from about 1/8" to 1/2", probably one reason you shouldnt use it unless you have to.

One other option might be aquarium gravel from a pet store. Sometimes they have uncoated gravel for aquariums and if the size is more consistent then that might work as well.

thanks.