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Just got my gritty mix ingredients! Now some questions..

Just received my gritty mix ingredients! I'm using MannaPro poultry grit, and turface and pumice from Eastern Leaf. Including picture below. I have a few questions related to the mix.


I'm wondering if the size of the turface is too small? I thought I'd read something about the turface size being similar to the other ingredients of the mix.


Do I need to both sift and rinse all components before potting up my plants?


Lastly, I think I have read that some people have experienced one of their components getting moldy while being stored. What is the best way to these ingredients? All three came in bags that are closed like ziplock bags. Also, when I opened the bag of pumice I could feel some moisture on the inside of the bag.


Apologies for asking some questions that have probably already been answered in this forum. I can't find some of the helpful threads I read a month or two ago.

Comments (6)

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    What is top center - grit? It looks quite large comparing to other 2...

    Anything wet/moist stored in ziplock bags or even bucket with lid has potential of starting to mold - ingredients should be dry. Or store them in something that will breathe.

    Katherine (SC 9a) thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • Katherine (SC 9a)
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Hi Rina, thanks for responding! At the top is pumice, sorry should have said that in my post. Clockwise from left side is the grit, pumice, turface. So the pumice seems to have the largest pieces and also the most variable size also. Here is another picture of the pumice:

    And thank you, I'll make sure that they dry out before sealing it up!

  • robinswfl
    6 years ago

    I use exactly these ingredients (in various combinations, usually 2:2:1 pumice, manna pro, Turface) in many of my succulent pots. I am neurotic; I sift the pumice to eliminate the dust, and I sift the Turface to eliminate the really small pieces. Most often, I find I can use Manna Pro poultry grit without sifting because the size is so even. But, I do wash everything to wash away dust. If ever I use perlite instead of pumice, which I do in heavier pots that include soil, I seriously sift that (with a mask and goggles) and wash it too.

    I store sizable amounts of this stuff. I have never had mold. I generally put the sifted ingredients in different size containers from the dollar store. You could also use emptied plastic coffee cans/lids, or empty jars you have from your kitchen. I do find occasionally that a little moisture seeps into the pumice jar. But I don't find mold. Personally, I don't care if the pumice is a tad damp. Most of the time, the ingredients are going into clay pots which dry out fast here in FL. I'm going to guess that plants in SC will dry out pretty fast too. Good luck.

    Katherine (SC 9a) thanked robinswfl
  • Katherine (SC 9a)
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks for the info! :) I was thinking I would rinse with my fine mesh strainer (same thing as a sieve I believe). I suppose I hadn't thought about whether or not that would be sufficient for all three ingredients. I do have a colander I could use.

    I need to do a little more research on proportions to use. I was thinking of starting with 1:1:1. Though, I understand that turface holds the most water of the three, so in glazed pots I will probably use a smaller proportion of turface and in terracotta pots I'd do a little bit more (not more than the 1:1:1 ratio though). I will need to do some more reading.

    I imagine it will also take some experimentation to get it right. I don't plan to repot all my plants immediately until I get a handle on the watering and such and seeing how my plants react. Right now all of my plants are in 50-60% turface and C&S soil except for a few new ones. I have mostly echeverias and haworthias, and i also have some young jades (4 bought in the same pot) and portulcaria afra variegata (6 that came in the same pot). I keep them all inside, but on days when I am home in the afternoon, I move some outside for several hours from about 2-7. Pretty humid here right now. My porch doesn't get any morning sun, so that is one reason they stay indoors.

  • Katherine (SC 9a)
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Hi Robin, thanks for the info! As I was doing some reading typing my last post I started leaning toward the same ratio you mentioned 2:2:1. Perhaps I'll start with that. For now I'll probably store the supplies in the bags they came in, inside away from the humidity. Once I use up more of the mix (I got 5 quarts of the turface and pumice) I'll downgrade to smaller containers. I'm not too worried about mold, but I did want to make sure I wasn't missing some crucial detail about proper storage! :P