Cost effective source of grit

Anyone found a particularly cheap supplier or shop for hort grit? It’s not cheap stuff and goes quickly. I’ve switched to sharp sand for drainage but still like grit for topping off.

 

Not sure what "North Grit" is. I tend to pick up a bag of horticultural grit when ever and where ever I get a few bags of compost. If I think it's a good price I'll get a couple.

 

There is not many quarries in the UK that mine purely for horticultural grit as there is not the demand. However there is sand quarries everywhere as it is needed for the building trade. So for me to purchase bulk loads of sharp sand is considerably cheaper than grit for 2 reasons, sand is cheaper than grit but the cost for delivery is considerably less due to it being sourced very local.

 

My local Travis Perkins sells limestone grit (5-10 mm, nice and sharp) by the tonne bag. The nice staff there helped me to test the pH by shaking it in water and using pH paper, and it was neutral, so no impact on plants. Obviously it's more expensive if you buy 25kg bags, but still cheaper than garden centre stuff.

 

I mostly do what NigelJ does, but it is an expensive way of doing it, often there there is an offer buy, say, three bags get a discount .
I really depends on how much you want and what size.

 

May be of zero use and don’t know how much it costs but neighbours down the road keep loads of ducks and chickens. I have been given and used the grit they use for their fowl and it works pretty well. Might be cheaper than horticultural grit. I use it when sowing Meconopsis seeds as they like pretty sharp drainage and I get very good results…..usually.

 

I just popped two dustbins into my van and drove down to a nearby quarry and filled the two with grit for a fiver. Do you think I was overcharged?

 

But hauling them out of the car could cost you in physio fees!

 

Ah, but I'm retired and the more physical and mental work that I do, the better. I will not go quietly into the night!