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Horticultural Grit

alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
in Tools and techniques
 Monty Don is very often shown using generous amounts of horticultural grit which I think is quite costly. 
Until I get my lucrative break into telly does anyone know if horticultural can be bought in larger, most cost effective quantities than the bags found in garden centres for £5 to £6.
Thanks. 
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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    It can be ordered for delivery from some places ... but it’s flippin heavy!

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I've seen the pretty Alpine Grit in GC's for £5 for 2.5Kg
    I usually pay about £4-5 for a 25Kg bag of ordinary horticultural grit
    CPA Horticulture sell it at £130 for 850Kg if you're talking Monty quantities :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    I sometimes use budgie grit from the pet shop. Similar to hort git - probably not as good but cheaper.
  • Helen P3Helen P3 Posts: 1,152
    I too buy 5-10mm washed grit/ gravel, which is much cheaper than the "horticultural" stuff. 

    I admit that I always thought it was Carol who loved her grit, not Monty.  He does use some for his cacti and sacculants, but for most other uses I think he uses perlite and/or vermiculite.  Unless I'm misremembering, again!
  • Zoe P2Zoe P2 Posts: 848
    Helen P3 said...

    I admit that I always thought it was Carol who loved her grit, not Monty.  He does use some for his cacti and sacculants, but for most other uses I think he uses perlite and/or vermiculite.  Unless I'm misremembering, again!
    Carol certainly does!
    Monty does use grit for his cacti and succulents; you're not misremembering.



    I have a dream that my.. children.. one day.. will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character

      Martin Luther King

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    But Monty lives on very soggy land with loads of rain, so it's fair enough that he is dedicated to grit. You can play GW bingo and cross off every time he says the word "drainage".
  • WibbleWibble Posts: 89
    Grit is about £2.50 for a small (20kg?) bag at most garden centres near me. My local builder’s merchant also sells it (or grit that is so similar that I can’t tell the difference!)in bulk - £40 for a builder’s bagful (about 850kg I think). 
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    @Wibble, grit sold in bulk at a builders merchant is unlikely to be Horticultural grit, which just means it has been washed free of any sand/lime/impurities as far as I know, which is why it's much dearer.  I've often wondered about getting some and washing it myself if it's that much cheaper, has anybody ever done this?
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    Well has anybody?
    I bought some eyewateringly expensive stuff this morning and I'm going to need a lot more.
  • rowlandscastle444rowlandscastle444 Posts: 2,612
    I've bought various batches of the horticultural grit, and have been horrified at the cost - especially as I get through it so easily. I must admit that I have mainly purchased it online, and have watched couriers struggle with the 20kg bags.

    But I have to also admit that it's been worth the money. I'd previously assumed I could do just as well without it, but have been proved wrong.

    No, @plant pauper I've not bought the builder's merchant stuff, but a couple of times have got it from a certain well known DIY store. But only 20kg bags. I've often wondered whether it damages the car putting a couple in the boot, but I guess it's no different from putting a body in the boot occasionally!!

    I don't think I'd want to go through the process of washing large amounts, and at present, don't have the storage space.
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