I understand that you can find pumice in CA for reasonable prices. In fact, Dry Stall is sold out there and it is pumice. I can't get it here so I have never used it, but others swear by it. So keep that in mind.

I get my Manna Pro Poultry Grit in 50 lb. bags from the Tractor Supply Company. They may have a place near you. www.tractorsupply.com

I, too, quit using the bark mostly because it doesn't hold up in my wet summers. But I used to get it at PetSmart. They usually carry 4-qt bags, but can order a 24 qt bag for you. Its more economical, too, at $13.50 for the big bag.

Swap bark for pumice and adjust your mix accordingly to your conditions - here is some very good pumice with low dust, good sizing, and reasonable pricing:

http://www.generalpumiceproducts.com/

Use the gritty mix reciepe as a model and do what you can. Here pumice is everywhere. Bark is a non-skip ingredient in Gritty Mix as it is a source of nutrients for your plants along with charcoal.

Bark is supposed to be cheap filler only, I've discussed this with Al several times. =)

I do agree to use it as a model only.

Rob

Bark could be skipped and many of us do not use it at all. I do not think it is source of nutrients - most succulents grow in very gravely and lean substrates in habitat. There is likely no bark and no charcoal there. I hardly ever fertilize my succulents, but if nutrients are needed, they can be supplied by fertilizers.

I am sure yo have seen photos of fantastic succulents ewwmayo grows using mostly inorganic mix.

Why the charcoal? I've never used that.

I have found that in my climate with the hot wet summers and high humidity pretty much all year 'round, bark breaks down into compost within a year. Then it holds too much water and my plants have rotted. Removing the bark and cutting back on the Turface works much better FOR ME. (I wanted to emphasize that my conditions are not the same as CA.)

I think the idea of charcoal is similar to grit - low water retention, long lasting, and relatively inert.

Personally, I do not see any special horticultural benefit to charcoal (typically heavily overpriced for orchids) but others swear by it.

There are many different types of charcoal, and it is used for many different things. From fuel to art to medicine to filtration to cosmetics and more. It is also supposed to help in turning unproductive soil into carbon rich soil as pre-Columbians used it for. It is widely used in filters too (aquarium enthusiast will know) and in filters for masks. It is advised to use in terrariums in order to absorb any smell from standing water/saturated soil. I am sure there are other 'benefits' mentioned but I do not have a list:) If I had it, I would use it as ewwmayo suggested as a part of the gritty mix - but will not run out to buy it for plants (I inherited a bottle of it from my sons aquarium rage, and added to some mix - just to use it up. Didn't notice any change in growth of few plants that got that mix...)

My epiphytic orchids grow in bark - that is what they cling to in habitat. But it is completely alien to, and has no place in, the mix that my desert cacti grow in.

However I digress, Tom was originally asking about sourcing gritty mix components in quantity. The coarse grit that makes up 50% of my mix I actually buy in a builder´s merchant - I get a bag I can barely lift for €2. If that is any help at all.

Thank you for all of the replies. It turns out that there is a tractor supply down the road about 14 miles in Galt, CA.. I've been wanting to go to the fea market in Galt anyway so I will head there tomorrow.

There is a guy on Youtube that uses uses clay balls in his gritty mix and even shows how the roots of his succulents grab onto the clay balls. What do you all think of that I believe they are hydroponic clay balls like these https://www.amazon.com/Original-HYDROTON-Pebbles-Hydroponic-Expanded/dp/B01MTYNPY6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527911826&sr=8-4&keywords=hydroponic+clay+balls

Tom, I don't know about clay balls, but I buy Manna Pro poultry grit from my local Tractor Supply store on a regular basis. At my house, it goes into just about everything. It's so consistent, you don't even need to sift it -- but I do recommend washing it before use. You can make a very viable and gritty growth medium with just sifted C/S soil, perlite (washed washed washed) and Manna Pro. I have lots of Sansevierias growing in exactly that, and Gasterias and Haworthias too.

Clay balls - Lecca, hydroton - are widely used in hydroponics. They could be used in a mix, BUT are usually too big (pictured are 8-16mm, that are too big). They may (?) be more expensive than grit or even pumice or turface...I buy chicken grit in 50lb bags for about $10, and turface for just under $20, also in 50lb bags (those are Canadian prices, likely less in US).

I'm not too keen on Al's mix. I don't live in the same climate at Al for one thing. I have different issues. Consider your climate and what you have available and if possible check with others in your area to see what they use...as a guideline. See what works and what doesn't. Everyone has a unique situation...one size fits all doesn't work for me.

Laura - 1:1:1 doesn't work for me either here. It's really more a concept and not a recipe. 1:1:1 also retains much more moisture than most succulents prefer.

As ewwmayo said...when I mention gritty mix, I am talking about mix that is fast draining, mostly (or totally) inorganic, made of ingredients of approx. same size and I do not use bark or soil...there are many ways of making gritty mix - concept is great, and important. I use what is easily available.

I buy my bark from calwesttropicals (they may have a different name now) but they have very reasonable prices as long as you dont order the heavy substrates.

I have been meaning to switch to a fired clay instead of bark but bark is easier to get my hands on atm.