Author Topic: Where to find small granite chips  (Read 6081 times)

CTMIAMI

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Where to find small granite chips
« on: October 09, 2013, 10:34:55 AM »
Does anyone know where to find small granite chips for potting mix. In the Miami-Dade area.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2013, 10:39:24 AM by CTMIAMI »
Carlos
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Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #1 on: October 09, 2013, 11:58:15 AM »
Gran-I-grit is the one that I know of.  From previous threads I've heard that it is not available in south Fla.  The company that makes it is out of North Carolina.  I've only found one place in all of the Houston area that carries it.  I called the company and found the local distributor and there is no other place in my area that carries it.  I forget the company name at the moment, I can get it you want it.
Grower grit is chicken grit and it is a good substitute (what Gran-i-grit really is for), same size and lack of water retention property and inorganic.  The problem is cost, for about 7lbs of grower grit you can end up paying as much as the 50lb bag of Gran-I-grit.  If you are not looking for volume, pay the extra and eliminate the hassle.

davidgarcia899

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2013, 07:44:40 PM »
how small do you want them? Most places that sell sod in Miami also sell granite chips. I think its usually $250 for 7 yards. Or maybe its 15 yards, I forget, a dump truck full. Or you can buy smaller bags.
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CTMIAMI

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2013, 08:08:18 PM »
I just want some 50 lbs to mix in potting soil. Need to be less than 1/4 inch. I wonder if places that sell poultry feed sell similar products  like gran i  grit?
Carlos
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davidgarcia899

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2013, 08:12:42 PM »
oh less than a 1/4 inch ya not what I was thinking. Ya I would try the feed store they might have something like that. Or try some place that sells sand, or Atlantic fertilizer.
- David Antonio Garcia

Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2013, 09:43:32 AM »
From what I've seen, most of the chicken grit is in the 5 to 7 lb range,  I have seen some 25lb but it is about a buck a lb., with the exception of Gran-I-grit, about 25c a lb. 
I don't know what your specific application is, but Al's gritty doesn't have to be granite.
It is about it being inorganic, non-porous, and the right size.

The next large quantity that I know of is oyster shells that are also used for chicken grit.  The sizing is a fair bit more inconsistent.  Oyster shell have calcium and ? in them.  I don't really know about whether or not they break down over time and if any calcium released in usable, or over-usable form by the plant.  The gritty mix recipe does call for adding gypsum.
I've tried calling local rock and stone sales that is used in construction and landscaping, no luck.  There just doesn't seem to be any demand for 1/4inch and under graded rock. Give it a go, maybe you will have better luck in your area.

I'd love to find another option, my supplier is a 1.5 hour roundtrip. I bought a dozen bags last time to save on trips, so I'm good, for now.
Good Luck.

puglvr1

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2013, 04:37:31 PM »
Though I live in Central Fl...I have purchased them from Feed stores...some of them will special order the 25 lbs, I've not been able to find the 50lbs bag anywhere...

Make sure you don't get the baby "chick"  Grit, they are too small.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/products/manna-pro-0806980236-insoluble-crushed-granite-poultry-grit-for-birds






Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2013, 05:17:25 PM »
Pug is correct, I believe chicken grit comes in three sizes.
Chick, Grower, and Turkey.  I may have the other two names wrong, but you want the grower size.

Yup, used Manna Pro too.

I bought cherrystone grit one time, it was actually more perfectly round than gran-I-grit (still mo pricey).  Round is what you want, less surface area.  But really starting to split hairs here.

CTMIAMI

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2013, 08:30:22 AM »
I found these granite chips in a local nursery that sells rocks,  at $3.50 a bag is OK, larger than what I wanted but would do the job. Also can be used to make a layer at the bottom of the pot to keep roots dry.  Will add weight to the pot to keep the wind from knocking the plants down.

Also got some coarse silica sand used by sandblasters it is supposed to be PH neutral and does not have nutrients or anything else. SO I planted my new Moro Orange on Flying Dragon on a mixture of
5% granite chips,
15% sand
10% perlite
70% Miracle Grow potting soil. (This has bark, perlite in it)
More or less.

On the chicken grit. I was not sure I went to the feed store and the grits had, in addition to granite chips a lot of other stuff that I was not sure what it was.  I continue to look for finer granite chips but I think the above mix should work. What do you think?
Carlos
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zone 10a Miami-Dade County

Mark in Texas

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2013, 11:20:27 AM »
I found these granite chips in a local nursery that sells rocks,  at $3.50 a bag is OK, larger than what I wanted but would do the job. Also can be used to make a layer at the bottom of the pot to keep roots dry.  Will add weight to the pot to keep the wind from knocking the plants down.

Also got some coarse silica sand used by sandblasters it is supposed to be PH neutral and does not have nutrients or anything else. SO I planted my new Moro Orange on Flying Dragon on a mixture of
5% granite chips,
15% sand
10% perlite
70% Miracle Grow potting soil. (This has bark, perlite in it)
More or less.

On the chicken grit. I was not sure I went to the feed store and the grits had, in addition to granite chips a lot of other stuff that I was not sure what it was.  I continue to look for finer granite chips but I think the above mix should work. What do you think?

Sheesh, wish you were here.  Granite everywhere, even my farm road is "paved" in crushed red granite.  Having said that, my tropical soil mix is 50% inorganic. I picked up a load of washed coarse builders sand at a materials yard, about 4.5 cu. yds., and stockpile it to mix with coarse vermiculite.  You can buy large bags of perlite or vermiculite at some lumber yards or nurseries.   Easiest and cheapest way to haul this kind of stuff (including manure) is to rent a 4.5 cu. yd. dump trailer from a rental yard.  Has a plug that plugs into the rear plug of your pickup which operates the electric hydraulic lift.  Pull up to your spot, pop the rear door, pull up on the handle and voila, you've got your fill where you want it.   You and your friends can  haul a lot of chit in one day! :)   

I think your mix looks fine.  Some commercial growers and nurserymen including myself add pine bark for the organics, dolomite lime for the Mg and Ca, and slow release food.  I use the Polyon brand.  My organics consists of pine bark and compost.

Mark
« Last Edit: October 12, 2013, 11:25:31 AM by Mark in Texas »

CTMIAMI

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2013, 10:24:49 PM »
I just to find small pine bark around in one place. They no longer have it. That's why I used Miracle Grow potting mix since I would venture to say it has 15% more or less of pine bark.
Carlos
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Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #11 on: October 13, 2013, 10:08:04 AM »
I found these granite chips in a local nursery that sells rocks,  at $3.50 a bag is OK, larger than what I wanted but would do the job. Also can be used to make a layer at the bottom of the pot to keep roots dry.  Will add weight to the pot to keep the wind from knocking the plants down.

Also got some coarse silica sand used by sandblasters it is supposed to be PH neutral and does not have nutrients or anything else. SO I planted my new Moro Orange on Flying Dragon on a mixture of
5% granite chips,
15% sand
10% perlite
70% Miracle Grow potting soil. (This has bark, perlite in it)
More or less.

On the chicken grit. I was not sure I went to the feed store and the grits had, in addition to granite chips a lot of other stuff that I was not sure what it was.  I continue to look for finer granite chips but I think the above mix should work. What do you think?

I used to use sand, not good, too much suface area per square inch, it retains a lotta water.  Think of sand as tiny tiny rocks with a ton of surface area.
If you have the right particle size throughout the mix you don't need to put rocks in the bottom.  Rocks in the bottom have a limited effectivness. Remember that water adheres to surfaces of rocks (sand), there is a point in which gravity doesn't overcome the adherence to the surface of the rock.  So you can still have root rot with rocks in the bottom of the pot.
I prefer vermiculite to perlite, perlite floats to the top is the major reason, but the both perform pretty similar.  Vermiculite also expands and contracts reducing soil compaction.
The second best thing you can give roots is air.
 

puglvr1

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #12 on: October 13, 2013, 03:34:16 PM »
Coarse Silica sand ( not play sand) works pretty good also, get the #14...its the closest to the crushed granite and the price is a lot cheaper for the #50 bag. Down side is it makes the pot heavy  :(

Make sure you wear a mask to protect yourself from inhaling this stuff when you rinse/sift the fine dust...





CTMIAMI

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2013, 04:26:24 PM »
That is good information the one I have is #30 but 14 looks really good.
Thanks
Carlos
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CTMIAMI

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2013, 08:27:11 PM »
That is good information the one I have is #30 but 14 looks really good.
Thanks
PS There is a Standard Sand location here in Miami I will check with them.
Carlos
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Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #15 on: October 14, 2013, 09:18:27 AM »
Coarse Silica sand ( not play sand) works pretty good also, get the #14...its the closest to the crushed granite and the price is a lot cheaper for the #50 bag. Down side is it makes the pot heavy  :(

Make sure you wear a mask to protect yourself from inhaling this stuff when you rinse/sift the fine dust...





Size wise that looks pretty darn good.  I believe the idea particle size should be beween 1/4 and 1/8, not smaller not bigger.
Maybe just a tad on the small size, but good.  I would guess that the price is right too.
If you are using smaller particle sized rocks, you may want to increase your rock ratio, and less Turface for less water retention.

The law of dimishing returns starts kicking in at some point when it comes to tweaking the recipe and ingredients.

Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #16 on: October 14, 2013, 09:22:18 AM »
Down side is it makes the pot heavy  :(

It sure does, but on the advantage side I haven't had issues with the trees tipping over in the wind like I've had with other dirt mixtures.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #17 on: October 14, 2013, 09:41:07 AM »
Best container gardening link I've found to date - http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0316064615891.html?14

Doglips

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #18 on: October 14, 2013, 10:23:17 AM »
Best container gardening link I've found to date - http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg0316064615891.html?14

Yup, Al is a demi-god in my book.  He addresses all of the complexities in three pages and boils down the solution to an answer that can be given in an elegant single lined solution.  Like with so many things in life, the simple answer is the best. 

Just wish he could have come up with a simple solution for sourcing all presized ingredients!
The absolute worst part for me is screening pine bark, UGGGH!!!  Soooo tedious for limited yield.

I have dreams of a motorized screen tumbler to grade the material for me.  The time invovled in building it, the cost and the space require to store it makes it difficult to justify building for the volume I am making.  I guess a sore back hunched over a wheel barrow covered with screen is going to have to do.

CTMIAMI

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Re: Where to find small granite chips
« Reply #19 on: October 14, 2013, 01:51:07 PM »
Coarse Silica sand ( not play sand) works pretty good also, get the #14...its the closest to the crushed granite and the price is a lot cheaper for the #50 bag. Down side is it makes the pot heavy  :(

Make sure you wear a mask to protect yourself from inhaling this stuff when you rinse/sift the fine dust...





Price checked $6.60 per bag. Reasonable.

Size wise that looks pretty darn good.  I believe the idea particle size should be beween 1/4 and 1/8, not smaller not bigger.
Maybe just a tad on the small size, but good.  I would guess that the price is right too.
If you are using smaller particle sized rocks, you may want to increase your rock ratio, and less Turface for less water retention.

The law of dimishing returns starts kicking in at some point when it comes to tweaking the recipe and ingredients.
Carlos
 Tweeter: @carlosdlt280
www.myavocadotrees.com
zone 10a Miami-Dade County