Horticultural Grit...

I'm new to planting and have been advised to get Horticultural grit!
I don't know where to start! There are so many variables and brands!

- Do I really need it?
- Does buying more expensive make it better
- What brand/type would you advise

Thanks Lizzie

 

What are you growing, some plants need better drainage so you add grit.
But for most plants you can use compost straight from the bag.

I often use sharp sand from builders merchants.

 

You can add Sand as @ pete suggests or grit, but the important thing to know is that many sands or grit/small gravel sold particularly in the diy shops may contain Lime which most plants do not like.

For this reason Horticultural labelled Grits /Gravels /Sands are Lime free, or at least contain very little.

A cheaper alternative to Hort. Sand, you can buy the builders merchants sand known as Sharp, Grit or River Sand. but its sold in 20kg bags for about £4.

Perlite is an alterative / addition to sand or grit as it also opens up the compost and allows easier drainage.

 

It depends what plants you're growing. I use grit for my cacti and succulents, and also for things like Rosemary, Lavender etc which need good drainage but I don't add as much for those as for the cacti.
I don't know about the different makes, I just buy what's available. It isn't worth stressing too much about it.

 

Apparently my soil is 'claggy' not quite clay. I've usually just done potted plants in planter/tubs (small town garden) and have recently moved so have actual garden to plant in - so wanting to do hardy borders and some seasonal bits. Not doing anything currently due to this very chilly weather! It is a mine field if you don't know though! Thank you

 

Clayey soil will break down with the addition of compost and rotted vegetable matter, it also improves the fertility.
Adding grit will breakdown clay, but you will be, IMO, better adding it to the whole border if its all claggy.
Over a period of time you can change your claggy soil just by emptying out all your old potting compost on the beds and digging it in.

But as previously said, it really depends in what plants you want to grow.

 

Would ask if you saw the garden earlier in the year, did it have plenty of good looking plants or just neglected ?

One common mistake in a new property, is to get out digging the borders which could destroy any perennial plants in there, often better to wait until mid to late spring to see what plants actually come up, you might have some really good ones in there already.

 

It does not really matter about the brand, they will be be packed for them by a third party.
I purchase sharp sand local, bulk loose loads, they are a huge set up with numerous quarries, they bag for builders merchants but also for the retail sector. Tarmac and Hanson just to name two have a network of quarries, which they will produce sands, grits, aggregates, etc etc for the construction and retail sectors.

So basically, when it comes to horticultural grit and aggregates, then sometimes the contents can actually come for the same quarry, it's only the brand or packaging that is different.

 

I have always been given to understand that “horticultural “ grits have been washed to remove natural salt , which could harm susceptible plants and that builders grits etc haven’t ?

 

Thanks everyone - so the 'horti' part suggests cleaner/cleaned product hence the potentially higher price?

 

I've always had a theory about that.
I think years ago that might have been the case, but I tend to think these days most building aggregates have to be reasonably pure.

I've been using builders sharp sand for years and never found a problem.

 

I've even bought builder's bags of grit ie 600 kg! It was supposedly limestone, but the nice lady at Travis Perkins helped me to do a test with pH paper and it was neutral. And cheap. Whereas I've done the same test on some horti grit from a very reputable supplier - supposedly quartz and yet it came up around pH 9!

 

Builders grits and sands are also washed. I get sharp sand in for JI compost, on the invoice I am billed for "washed concreting sand" even soft builders sand is washed.

 

Making "proper" concrete these days is a fairly precise recipe I believe.
Even the mixing water has to be to a certain standard.