Pakistan Gardening Forum

Wondering what would be the best source of grit we all talk about. How about the marble chips? What about the simple bajri? Anything else easily available and better?

aykhan wrote:Wondering what would be the best source of grit we all talk about. How about the marble chips? What about the simple bajri? Anything else easily available and better?

It depends on what do you intend to use it for, for decoration use marble chips are best, they come in several sizes...And for better drainage go for regular grit used in construction, it is cheaper if you want to layer the beds with it prior to planting.

Actually I want better drainage in pots for plumeria, bulbs etc. Maybe Fine Bajri is what I need. However, would marble chips be better?

my personal experience and preference "Paind" in local terminology and same size marble could do the job, because bigger size could or definitely trouble when you hoe "godi" and its so cheep and easily available

Hamad

Khan sb, I think Farooq sb will the right man to give a comprehensive reply. It's not a matter of drainage alone; we will have to look at the chemical properties of the matter that we are adding. Marble chips, in my understanding, is mostly Calcium Carbonate which is not always good for plants that like acidic soils and might do certain chemical reactions with ammonium / nitrogen based fertilizers, when added subsequently. But I am no expert on chemicals and as I said, Farooq sb is the best man to give this advice. Common bujri is much better in my view.
regards

Khan sb, why don't you use bark or coconut husk..they serve the purpose and also provide with important nutrients like potassium...I do container gardening and for better drainage i use sandy soil mix and the bottom layer of all my containers are filled with either coconut husk or dried plant clippings...They decompose slowly and also provide additional nutrients to the plants..I used marble chips earlier but they don't work....soil doesn't dry out quick enough especially in the monsoon season which leads to rot.

Around 3yrs ago when I planted a couple of 2ft high sapling Chir trees in my garden I mixed the soil around them equally with fine bajri, rayt and hayl from rurri.

In the last twenty years nobody else has had any success with these trees in the whole of our village of 300+ houses. The saplings are now over 6ft high and doing really well.

The point I wish to make is that if you recreate the conditions that the plants favour then you have more chance of success, the alternative is to choose plants you know will do well in the conditions you have.

I agree totally with Tahir sahibs advice bark and coconut husk is the best things available locally if you wish to achive soil media that has an open texture

KBW wrote:Khan sb, I think Farooq sb will the right man to give a comprehensive reply. It's not a matter of drainage alone; we will have to look at the chemical properties of the matter that we are adding. Marble chips, in my understanding, is mostly Calcium Carbonate which is not always good for plants that like acidic soils and might do certain chemical reactions with ammonium / nitrogen based fertilizers, when added subsequently. But I am no expert on chemicals and as I said, Farooq sb is the best man to give this advice. Common bujri is much better in my view.
regards

I think KBW sb's suggestion is right. Coarse sand is far more inert than calcium carbonate towards acidic fertilizers. Others have suggested husk. It is up to you what you wish to choose. The only drawback with organic materials (husk etc.) it is that they will eventually decompose with time.

aykhan wrote:Wondering what would be the best source of grit we all talk about. How about the marble chips? What about the simple bajri? Anything else easily available and better?

GRIT
Why do you want the grit?
Obviously you have potting soil in mind. What is the role of grit in a pot?
Inert occupation of space in a pot,
To add weight to pot,
To improve drainage of pot,
To increase air porosity,
To improve available water capacity

Here are extracts from Kenneth Goergensen articals on the subject which may be of some help.





Arif

Further to above,
Uniform media (all particles inorganic and organic are of same size)Will have air porosity depending on the size of particles
If you mix grit with sand the drainage will be of the small size particles that is sand. If you add leaf compost, it will eventually break down to very fine particles and further reduce the drainage.