Grit of various types and size

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

The picture below shows a few different types of additive type grit; as opposed to a full mix of Kanuma or Akadama.

RIMG0506.JPG

Left to right, top to bottom

1.Crushed Brick 1-2mm 2.Crushed Brick 2-5mm 3.Crushed Brick 5-7mm 4. Crushed Brick 7mm +
5.Zeolite 2-3mm 6.Zeolite 4-6mm 7.Perlite
8.Blue metal 3-5mm 9.Propigation Sand 1-2mm 10.Brown Pebble 2-3mm

The Crushed Brick is available in Canberra and comes with fine dust that needs to be sieved out so I thought I would show it to you in various grades.
Zeolite was a 2-6mm grade that I sieved into two grades whilst also getting rid of any fine dust.
Perlite as is from packet.
Blue metal as is.
Propigation sand/quartz from Ted Poynton Melbourne.
Brown Pebble from Jacksons Minicrete at Canterbury Rd, Lakemba, Sydney.

These can be added to your best high quality bagged potting mix or in other ways.

I use both sizes of Zeolite and the Brown pebble as surface decoration. I don't use the brown pebble in any of my mixes (not sharp enough) but some people do.

A few people in Canberra have been using the Crushed Brick with good results and I am about to repot my small PJ Fig into a mix of crushed brick and perlite(Osmocote in mix of course). I will let you know how it goes.

I used a 50/50 mix of the propigation sand and 4-6mm Zeolite(without Osmaocote) to successfully rescue a dying Scots pine.

Grant

[Luke]

A few people in Canberra have been using the Crushed Brick with good results and I am about to repot my small PJ Fig into a mix of crushed brick and perlite(Osmocote in mix of course). I will let you know how it goes.
Grant

hey grant, thanks for the post. i am repotting a PJ fig into a grow box today also... when you say 'Osmocote' your referring to the slow release fert pellets?
What is better for PJ figs? 'general purpose or australian native Osmocote? i have both.
Also... im working out a soil mix on ingredients i have left after saturdays mass potting . this is what im thinking.. 1 part aquarium pebbles, 1 part perlite, 1 part bonsai soil, plus what little i have left of crushed expanded clay balls. this sound ok?

edit - good to hear about the Scots pine!

cheers
luke

[Bretts]

Great stuff Grant. I noticed in the newsletter the Canberra guys have started using crushed brick. I started using crushed terracotta this season and like it alot.
Your zeolite looks more like diatomite than the stuff I use. Maybe it is just the colour in the picture but zeolite is a more consistent red that I get from Ray.
I have never used the perlite but you have inspired me to try it.
I am finding propagation type sand very usefull in my mixes lately.

[Grant Bowie]

A few people in Canberra have been using the Crushed Brick with good results and I am about to repot my small PJ Fig into a mix of crushed brick and perlite(Osmocote in mix of course). I will let you know how it goes.
Grant

hey grant, thanks for the post. i am repotting a PJ fig into a grow box today also... when you say 'Osmocote' your referring to the slow release fert pellets?
What is better for PJ figs? 'general purpose or australian native Osmocote? i have both.
Also... im working out a soil mix on ingredients i have left after saturdays mass potting . this is what im thinking.. 1 part aquarium pebbles, 1 part perlite, 1 part bonsai soil, plus what little i have left of crushed expanded clay balls. this sound ok?

edit - good to hear about the Scots pine!

cheers
luke

I use the general Osmocote for Figs. I also ferilize Fig with liquid Powerfeed or Nitrosol every two weeks if I can.

Figs will grow in just about anything as long as it is not too fine. We are also experimenting with NOT packing in the mix with figs to keep it even looser; minimal packing the mix in with chop sticks.

Grant

[Ron]

...Brown Pebble from Jacksons Minicrete at Canterbury Rd, Lakemba, Sydney.

..... the Brown pebble as surface decoration. I don't use the brown pebble in any of my mixes (not sharp enough) but some people do.

Thanks for all that info,Grant.

When I first started buying my bonsai supplies last month, I bought a 500ml plastic tub (like you get takeaway potato salad etc in) of surface decoration brown pebbles at Bunnings for $5.95. I guess it's a tad cheaper in bulk from Jacksons. I've since bought a large sack of maybe 5k for $10 at a bonsai nursery.

[Grant Bowie]

Great stuff Grant. I noticed in the newsletter the Canberra guys have started using crushed brick. I started using crushed terracotta this season and like it alot.
Your zeolite looks more like diatomite than the stuff I use. Maybe it is just the colour in the picture but zeolite is a more consistent red that I get from Ray.
I have never used the perlite but you have inspired me to try it.
I am finding propagation type sand very usefull in my mixes lately.

Hi Brett,

I imagine crushed terra cotta would be similar to crushed brick(and Akadama) in its water holding capacity etc.

Our Zeolite looks redder when wet but it a dusty pink with some grey when dry.

I haven't used perlite for a while but will use it for its light weight from now on(I have just developed a Hernia and am waiting for the surgery) as a percentage in the mix.

The crushed brick also feels lighter but you MUST sieve out at least the dust(ouch my Hernia is groaning). Tom Coogan(one of my long time mentors and friends) uses the crushed brick with just the dust sieved out but not graded. I tend to grade my mixes with coarser on the bottom and finer towards the top; and smaller grade mix for smaller bonsai of course.

30 -40 years ago you used to be easilly able to get Nepean Sand(which was in effect a propigation sand/gravel) but they mined it out years ago and it is hard to get good prop sand/gravel I have found these days. Thats why Zeolite and blue metal came into some use.

Grant

[Grant Bowie]

...Brown Pebble from Jacksons Minicrete at Canterbury Rd, Lakemba, Sydney.

..... the Brown pebble as surface decoration. I don't use the brown pebble in any of my mixes (not sharp enough) but some people do.

Thanks for all that info,Grant.

When I first started buying my bonsai supplies last month, I bought a 500ml plastic tub (like you get takeaway potato salad etc in) of surface decoration brown pebbles at Bunnings for $5.95. I guess it's a tad cheaper in bulk from Jacksons. I've since bought a large sack of maybe 5k for $10 at a bonsai nursery.

Aquarium gravel is OK as well if you can get it in bulk I imagine. I have been using Jacksons at lakemba for 40 years as that was near where I grew up. They also do lots of other decorative gravels as well.

Grant

[Bretts]

That's interesting about the zeolite Grant. I know it does come in various forms I have a bag of zeolite here(and have used in past years) that is used for oil spills and it is pure white and much softer than Ray's Zeolite. Apparently this white Zeolite is a few million years younger!
I will try to get a bag at the next Canberra club buy so I can compare it your stuff.

I think Grading the grit is a good idea as well. From recent studies it seems that a finer grit works better (more surface area in the confines of a pot) I was recently told that a coarser grade encouraged fat roots which in turn encouraged faster growth. A finer grade encouraged finer roots and finer growth. These soughts of statements seem to be dispelled at times but as you say It seems some species like the finer grades compared to others.

Still so much to learn But this little pictorial list will help many searching for grit.

[Grant Bowie]

Hi all,

I need to get some more of the 2mm propigation sand that I got from Ted Poynton last August. Does anyone know where I can get it or something very close?

Nice sharp edged quartz type if possible; not rounded river pebble like.

Next time I am in Melbourne or Sydney(or Hay for that matter) I can load up on it; especially if I get my new VW van soon. Its on order and has apparently landed on the wharves in Sydney. I've been a pedestrian since last November and I've worn out a few pairs of shoes.

Grant

[Bretts]

Would a 2mm zeolite be just as good?

[Grant Bowie]

Would a 2mm zeolite be just as good?

Dunno; I mixed the 2mm prop sand with 4-6mm Zeolite to get the desired result with my sick Scots pine. I haven't used a mix with more than 25% Zeolite yet.

It would certainly be the right sharpness but very expensive to prop sand.

Grant

[Bretts]

Yes I am not keen on 100% zeolite will have to ask Jamie on how his is going.

What about pool suppliers the sand that goes into the sand filter. The zeolite for that is 1mm maybe the 1mm sand will do the job you are after?

[Grant Bowie]

Yes I am not keen on 100% zeolite will have to ask Jamie on how his is going.

What about pool suppliers the sand that goes into the sand filter. The zeolite for that is 1mm maybe the 1mm sand will do the job you are after?

1mm is probably a bit small for what I am after.

2-3mm would perfect.

Grant

[Watto]

Grant,
I have noticed that in the crushed brick there is often an amount of crushed concrete as well. Would the lime component of the concrete make this useable on only some types? As an example it wouldn't be suitable for azaleas?

[NBPCA]

Grant,
I have noticed that in the crushed brick there is often an amount of crushed concrete as well. Would the lime component of the concrete make this useable on only some types? As an example it wouldn't be suitable for azaleas?

The exact same question came up at the last meeting of the Canberra Bonsai Society and while I haven't used it yet those here that have been using it don't have a problem with plants in general.

Amount of crushed concrete or cement seems minimal and I have sieve out the dust .

Specific to Azalea I don't know. I will test and let you know.

Grant