Keith, could you please explain why would you mix a topsoil with Al's 1-1-1 gritty mix? And by topsoil, what type are you looking into buying?

It seems like you are creating multiple threads revolving around the same topic. I believe there are many nice members giving you great advise, and it would help if you stick to 1 post and ask your questions -- that will be beneficial for the community as a whole as to not repeating threads and creating double entries.

Bernard

I would like to create a garden bed that drains well. Should I not be using topsoil with the gritty mix? Should i just use gritty mix alone with the soil that is already there.

Topsoil is good option just to layer over the GM and anchor your plants, not mix them into it. Just make sure you select PH neutral topsoil, such as gravels/rocks.

Keith

You were asking same question - as Bernard pointed out - and got some advice with even additional links to help. If you read link about how Harry did his fantastic rock garden, and/or other tips you got, it would help a lot. Did you actually read what was posted before? - and if you did - was there something you didn't quite understand?

Is there a reason why I can't continue to ask questions? Is it causing garden web to breakdown?

i mean, you can do whatever you want, but i think rina was operating under the assumption that you wanted help, not to annoy people......

Yes I do want help and we all operate differently from others. I don't mean to annoy anyone. I'm just thinking of new ideas and talking about them. It looks like there are hundreds of posts here and I can't believe my several posts are annoying the entire forum. I am sorry if I did.

Could you please post the link to Harry's garden?

could you post the harry link again? I can't seem to find it.

His post with photos is just about the middle of this thread:

-click here-

Great job Rina!

Keith -- everyone is here to help and its out of people's kindness to share information with you. If you don't respond to our questions or read our links posted, and asks the same questions again will just make things frustrating not only for you, but for others too.

Getting things done "the absolute right" way doesn't happen overnight. In fact, I still make mistakes here and there and killed a few plants.

sometimes, reading valuable information twice, thrice even multiple times helps you digest them, and trying them out helps you understand them better.

So in the meantime, if you still do want us to continue helping you, here's a list of things you can do to help us help you better:

1) snap and show us some photos of your plants. We can identify the plants and their cultivar for you, this way you can understand what your plants prefer ie, soil type, watering needs, light etc

2) the 1-1-1gritty mix is not an easy soil to assemble, it takes time, resourcefulness and $$ to acquire the components. Components are especially sparse here in the nyc, or pricey, unless you drive out to the suburbs or buy them online. Hence, which is why I suggested adding grit such as perlite/pumice into your soil if they are more easily attainable.

3) research, show us links on what type of topsoil you plan to buy. Certain rocks are not ph neutral, some have various minerals in them, some worse -- salt. Which could potentially mess up your plants roots. So explaining in detail is gonna to help.

bernard

Bernard

Thank you.

Just one thing - Keith did post photos of his plants on another thread (that's where it gets confusing...)

I wouldn't go to expense and all the labor to prepare gritty to be used for planting in ground. That mix is for containers. Drainage is different if planting in ground, but one has to be sure that it is still well draining.

Would it be best to just get a bunch of perlite or pumice? Or possibly turface?

You could: Over the long haul and for pigs I'd pass on the use of heavy perlite and turface use though and invest more of my time on amending the 'rock garden' area with sharp longer lasting materials such as pumice, course river sands, composted granite. granite chip granite stones, poultry grits, pea stones a bag or two ( or more) of sifted construction sand and other sized 'rock' type materials. ( see also link provided by Rina)

There will still be a need for the light to no organic matter as well. This material can be found in just about every pot you have already and would also be in the pots of them up and comers that are sitting on some shelf in the succulent dept of just about any place you find them.

Natural leaf debris from distant trees and other air traveled organic materials such as bird droppings from the sky will also add to the charm of this organic material that would in time ( or in my opinion) be more than plenty depending on what and how much of this natural debris stuff is around your area.

I just bought two bags of pea gravel. I'm going to mix that into my soil and see how well that does.

Keith

Pea gravel may work, or may be little on large side.

I find chicken grit #2 good size and inexpensive; coarse river sand; granite chips or sifted construction sand - these are all suitable. I already mentioned not to use play/fine sand. Personally, I prefer pea gravel as a top dressing. Do you have photo of it with something (like a dime or a quarter) in the pic to see the size?

When I made my raised bed this past spring, I added compost and pea gravel to topsoil. So far, I haven't problems.

Was your topsoil just from the ground or did you purchase that separately?

I used the soil from the bed. I made a small raised bed, and I plant a few succulents in it each summer. It's been very rainy this year, and the plants appear to be doing well.