I've never used that but its also what Goodness Grows uses and recommends on their plants

Is that similar or the same as the product called PermaTill? Does anyone know? You would still include some organic (e.g., composted pine bark, compost or chopped leaves) amendment, right?

esh, you are right, the granite grit is for drainage only and to completely amend soil you do need to add organic matter. The granite grit shouldn't change the Ph of your soil by any significant amount. The only place I have been able to locate grit is at some Feed & Seed stores. You might check the Bonsai forum for sources. Wish I had a truckload of it.

Would stone yards have granite grit? Also, does anyone know if this is the same stuff that is called fines?

Tara Dillard sugested stone yards, but I did read in some posts elsewhere on GW to buy it at feed stores, I may go check out the pricing at both and I'll let you know what seems cheaper. Tara Dillard did say to add some compost as well, but she made it sound like the grit was even more important than the compost, or it could be that she just really emphasized the one over the other since adding compost is pretty common knowledge. She was talking about how every really serious gardener she talks to even in Europe talks about grit yet no garden centers sell it despite the variety of other additives they carry.

I use both. I never ever add the granite grit to acid loving plants. For the most part, the acid loving plants don't mind the clay as much. So they just get organic ammendments. But the herb bed, the sunny rock garden and other places, especially where I am enouraging re-seeding get grit.
The pathway of thymes also has grit both dug into it, and layed on top of the soil to prevent splash back.
Grit is advised a lot of the time not only because it helps break up the clay, but it is a mole/vole buster! Chicken Grit is EXACTLY the same thing as what is sold as mole repellant at three times the cost. So digging it in around bulbs is a very good idea.

Springhill, if they are selling the stoneyard grit to chicken farms, then yes. This is the same stuff as "fines". Fines is one of the trade grades of chicken grit.

Perma Till is completely different. I thought it contained bits of slate?

GGG