Grit of various types and size

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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by bonscythe »

Hi Grant,
This is a great thread for us newcomers aswell, thanks for the pics/info :!: :D
I noticed the perlite in the picture is the really fine, almost rounded particle grade. I bought some of this in small quantities from hardware stores and after reading a number of posts on here regarding particle size, got the impression that uniform sizes/shapes were bad for bonsai (in general) :shock: so I stopped using it and opted for the uneven shape/size perlite.
I haven't done any real comparitive study but I do still have some of the fine/round grade sitting around and want to make use of it.
Is fine grit only necessary for small/young plants or for aged/'growing-on' plants aswell?
Cheers :)
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by craigw60 »

I am very interested in the crushed brick great to use a recycled product in our mix. Is it available in Melb. does any one know ?
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Mojo Moyogi »

Craig, there is place in High St Thomastown, not far from my Dad's place that has sells crushed brick. I will try to get their number.

Cheers
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

bonscythe wrote:Hi Grant,
This is a great thread for us newcomers aswell, thanks for the pics/info :!: :D
I noticed the perlite in the picture is the really fine, almost rounded particle grade. I bought some of this in small quantities from hardware stores and after reading a number of posts on here regarding particle size, got the impression that uniform sizes/shapes were bad for bonsai (in general) :shock: so I stopped using it and opted for the uneven shape/size perlite.
I haven't done any real comparitive study but I do still have some of the fine/round grade sitting around and want to make use of it.
Is fine grit only necessary for small/young plants or for aged/'growing-on' plants aswell?
Cheers :)
Have a look at the following photos. I wouldn't call the Perlite uniform. It seems to vary from about dust through up to about 7mm. I won't sieve it unless I was wearing full protective gear as the dust is a bugger.

A picture of the prop sand as well. I have a lead for it in Canberra and will check it out on Friday. Any other sources would be good to know about. Looks like it might be plus 1.2mm or so up to about 2.4mm. I having been trying to get info today from the local suppliers

Grant
Perlite bulk purchased many years ago.JPG
Close up.JPG
Quite variable to me.JPG
Propigation sand as from Ted Poynton.JPG
Prop sand Comparison.JPG
perlite Comparison.JPG
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

Rule of thumb for grit size is larger particles for larger trees, smaller for smaller.

Then with age; larger for younger(to encourage bulk growth) and slightly finer for older(encourage finer growth).

In MHO

Grant
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Watto »

Thanks for the info Grant, much appreciated.
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Gumnuts »

where do you get it???

I havent seen crushed brick aournd sydney. Maybe I am not looking hard enough.

Does anybody know of a souce around the hills??

Grant, I will in canberra next weekend where do you buy it down there?

Many thanks
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Bretts »

Try the landscapping /soil suppliers. If you find one that stocks it it will be cheap as.
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

Gumnuts wrote:where do you get it???

I havent seen crushed brick aournd sydney. Maybe I am not looking hard enough.

Does anybody know of a souce around the hills??

Grant, I will in canberra next weekend where do you buy it down there?

Many thanks
Its from a recycler out near the airport.

Grant
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

Grant Bowie wrote:
Gumnuts wrote:where do you get it???

I havent seen crushed brick aournd sydney. Maybe I am not looking hard enough.

Does anybody know of a souce around the hills??

Grant, I will in canberra next weekend where do you buy it down there?

Many thanks
Its from a recycler out near the airport.

Grant
Hi all,

The name of the company is ACT Recycling. They call the product Crushed Brick Dust; that jsut means it is under 7mm. You will have to sieve the product to get the grain sizes separated and get rid of the fine dust.

Grant
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by bonscythe »

Grant Bowie wrote: Have a look at the following photos. I wouldn't call the Perlite uniform. It seems to vary from about dust through up to about 7mm. I won't sieve it unless I was wearing full protective gear as the dust is a bugger.
Thanks for those photos Grant, now I see the difference. That is more like the perlite grade I have been using.
I have this finer stuff too, which I don't like the looks of so much. No rocky shaped pieces, all spherical :?
thanks also for the age:particle-size description! :D
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by NBPCA »

Gumnuts wrote:where do you get it???

I havent seen crushed brick aournd sydney. Maybe I am not looking hard enough.

Does anybody know of a souce around the hills??

Grant, I will in canberra next weekend where do you buy it down there?

Many thanks
I am not sure about crushed brick in Sydney, however there was a good supplier of the quartz sand/gravel at Dural near Ray Nescis. Martins I think, and they may have had some bagged; not just by the trailer load.

I just checked Sensis and it is 272 New Line Rd, Dural. Martins landscape/soils. I haven't been there for years but if someone could check it out and let us know that would be good.

Grant
Last edited by NBPCA on March 4th, 2010, 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

Hi all,
More components of potting mixes for various bonsai.
RIMG0600.JPG
Top row left to right.
1. Akadama large
2. Akadama medium
3. Akadama small
4. Akadama fine
5. Osmocote in small dish
Bottom row left to right.
6. Kanuma large
7. Kanuma medium
8. Kanuma small
9. Clay balls small
10. Brunnings peat moss( Yes Brunnings, not Bunnings)

Grant
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

Hi all again,

At a recent workshop a friend was using a mix of two of the above components; 75% small clay balls and 25% peat. He was using it on a Fig that day but it is his current standard mix. He would use finer clay balls at 25% instead of the Peat but currently doesn't have any. I believe it is in stock at Bonsai Environment at the moment and you can also get it at Ray Nescis if you order it.(please correct me if I am wrong)
Clay balls small.JPG
Brunnings Garden Peat.JPG
Bag of Peat.JPG
75 percent clay balls small and 25 percent Peat.JPG
Potting mix for Fig or anything.JPG
The beautiful Five Needle Pine in the NBPCA is his so he knows what he is doing.

Grant
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Re: Grit of various types and size

Post by Grant Bowie »

5%20Needle%20Pine%20-%202%20April%202010%20-%20resized.jpg
Five Needle Pine refered to.

Grant
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