Gritty Mix Storage

16 years ago

Reading in the archives today, I learned that the gritty mix can be stored "for eons" -- if dry. So now I need to ask about wet gritty mix . . .

I will be using water in all my screening. Yesterday I stared working with the bark only, in small amounts, (the only way I can manage this project) and I've set aside the amount of bark needed for each pot in a separate plastic bag. My plan was to add the remaining two elements from future screenings to each existing bag in the same way -- wet -- and then to do the mixing in the bag (maybe by massaging the bag or rolling it around). But I may not need to use some of these bags until later in the winter -- or possibly even the spring.

Will this be a problem? If so, is there any other way of managing my "a little bit at a time" operation? If I have to dry everything before storing, how can that be done in the easiest and quickest way?

Claire

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Comments (4)

jodik_gw
16 years ago
Hi, Claire... I think how you store your mix will largely depend on what you have available for storage. I use small 2 or 3 gallon buckets with covers. I get them through a friend of mine who works at a grocery. The bakery part of the store gets dough and frostings in these buckets, and he saves them for me.

I also save and use the gallon buckets from ice cream, and sometimes I use the largest freezer type ziploc bags. Rubbermaid makes some interesting covered storage units and tubs... I think it'll all depend on what you have access to.

I don't need large amounts of medium all at once, so I mix small batches in a bucket. I either stir and mix with my gloved hand, or I use a rigid soup ladle or spoon to move the ingredients around to mix.

When I rinse an ingredient, I allow it to dry before storing it. The air in my home is very dry, so it doesn't take long... although, you could hurry it along with a hairdryer, if you wanted.

Just some ideas...

I don't really know whether it's wise to store any ingredient wet... I usually don't, just in case. I don't want any mold or anything to develop. I'm not saying it would... I just don't want to take a chance. But that's just me.

Anyone else? How does everyone store their ingredients? Wet? Dry? Small amounts in what types of containers?
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
16 years ago
I usually dampen the gritty mix when I make it to keep dust down and to help the other ingredients I might add (gypsum, Micromax .....) stick to the soil particles instead of settling to the bottom. The dampness also helps break apart the gypsum prills & disperse it.

I usually make 2 bushels at a time and store it in those big tubs with rope handles. They hold about a bushel or a little more, I'd guess. The soil is so air-porous that it dries quickly in these containers - within a week or so. I don't usually bag it up, but at that point you certainly could, and it would keep indefinitely.

I KNOW that toxins CAN build in pine and fir bark under anaerobic conditions, which is why wind-rowed mulch products are turned frequently. That said, I've often bagged leftover 5:1:1 mix and found it still quite damp just a few inches down when I went to use it in the subsequent spring - with no apparent ill effects. I'm not sure what the exact point of my rambling is here, other than perhaps it's best not to tempt fate; so trying to make sure soils are dry if you're going to store them in such a way that anaerobic conditions become a consideration.

I think that for the gritty mix, just leaving the top of the bag open would probably be enough unless the soil is soaked, in which case I would wait for it to dry before bagging it.

Al
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clairecathy
Original Author
16 years ago
Al and Jodik,

Because I'm trying to avoid dust as much as possible (health issues), I've actually submerged and soaked the bark before draining away the water in a sieve (to avoid agitation). So I will open my bags and set them out on the patio and after they have dried out somewhat, I'll transfer them to a single large, uncovered plastic container to dry out further. And instead of trying to mix the three elements for each pot before storage, I'll keep them separate and mix before potting.

It really helps to keep reading in the archives, but even then, I have to keep asking questions. So, thanks so much for "filling in the gaps."

Claire
jodik_gw
16 years ago
It's our pleasure to help, Claire... or to offer any ideas or suggestions we may have. Sharing is what gardening is all about! :-)

Al has a great idea... dampening the ingredients for gritty mix when making a batch. I really hadn't thought about it, but it would definitely help keep the ingredients mixed a little better. Excellent idea.

I usually mix the ingredients together as I use them, putting together just enough for the pots I'm filling. Any leftovers stay in the covered bucket for the next batch. Otherwise, the ingredients are left separate.

I don't suppose there's a wrong way to do it... I just stick with what's easiest for me.

But for the sake of storage, I'd definitely allow the ingredients to dry... whether you leave a bag open, or a cover off a container... I'd allow any moisture to evaporate before closing any container.