Bonsai Jack's gritty mix works wonders!
Gritty Mix...someone on this site has gone to great extremes to "scare" succulent livers away from Bonsai Jack's Gritty mix #111. My succulents took off like rockets as I changed each from my own mixture to # 111.
The only thing I've not tried is propagating in it. I will post pics soon. The greatest improvement was to my lithops. They no longer stretch. (Low light was not the cause) too much organics in the soil was. Our succulents grow on rocks, in sand and in the poorest of conditions. What a difference Bonsai Jack's has made!!!!
The only thing I've not tried is propagating in it. I will post pics soon. The greatest improvement was to my lithops. They no longer stretch. (Low light was not the cause) too much organics in the soil was. Our succulents grow on rocks, in sand and in the poorest of conditions. What a difference Bonsai Jack's has made!!!!
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@plantstate thank you for posting on this topic. I have many of my succulents in BJ gritty mix, which represents not an insignificant investment as the quality and regulated size of the ingredients undoubtedly presents high costs in materials for BJ. I’ve been using it for about 3 years now and i still don’t know what to make of it. The benefit of the mix is that it seeks to more faithfully mimic the substrate of the arid environments that succulents inhabit. Peat and coir based mixes are kind of like giving potted plants candy; they provide water retention which plants if there going to be in a container and unless they water logged they also permit oxygen to reach the roots. However, as succulents are from arid environments, coir and peat present a challenge because they retain water for too long on roots that have not evolved to have moisture around them. Hence there are products for succulents but I have not found one that is ready to go out of the bag without significant amendments (like adding 50% perlite to a cactus mix). In concept, the gritty mix is superior to anything else on the market. My uncertainty about the mix is that I struggle knowing how to care for succulents in this mix in central south Texas, where we had like seven Roy something days over 100 degrees so far this year. Yesterday the local NPR affiliate commented on how the 95 degree high yesterday felt “chilly.” Bonsai jack does have information on its website about how to water. Soak and dry method. I got that. They also have somewhat of a brand ambassador in “succulents and sunshine” influencer, and she advises soak and dry method too. BJ says to water every three to seven days. This quite a range. It’s not like my noises meter is going to work the same in this kinda mix either. Knowing that wet feet are the kiss of death , has made me risk averse to watering with the frequency I probably should. @AnthuriumQueen seems to have this figured out for her succulents (she is in my area) and her succulents always look like they went to finishing school lol. She told me how often she waters hers, which was within range of what BJ recommends, but I don’t she uses BJ. Perhaps I need to get over my aversion to watering at least every week. I guess the main concern for me is that with succulents being as sensitive as they are to wet feet, I wish there was more guidance on using their unique and propriety substrate solution because a range of 3-7 days whether you’re going succulents indoors in Iceland or outside in south Texas as the guideline doesn’t instill much confidence. I otherwise like it though
Texas is too hot for BJ Grit straight from the bag. I have to mix Sandy soil with Pumice (volcanic stone) to keep mine looking decent. If I place them in straight BJ, they’ll freak out.
You’re in Mass. I lived nearby. Totally different environment.
I do t think Bonsái Jack is bad. I think they need a disclaimer or warning that it should be mixed with Sandy soil for hit and humid places that stay in the triple digits all summer.
You’re in Mass. I lived nearby. Totally different environment.
I do t think Bonsái Jack is bad. I think they need a disclaimer or warning that it should be mixed with Sandy soil for hit and humid places that stay in the triple digits all summer.