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Safe sand

Where can i get safe sand or perlite in northern VA?
 
I got silica blasting sand at my local farm supply store.
 
home depot and lowes stocks a lot of safe sand in the summer months. look in the outside areas. they aren't there all year round so you may have just not noticed before. at least, that's how it is up here in MA. perlite can be found at most hydroponic shops or garden centers i've visited as well. HTH
 
"Safe" doesnt necessarily mean "safe for CP's" ;)
What is "safe for children" to use in a sandbox or something, might be deadly to CP's..because mineral hardness in sand is perfectly safe for humans, but not for CP's..

Are you sure you even need sand?
if you want sand for growing VFT's or Sarrs, I wouldnt bother..you dont need it.
(dont need perlite either)

Scot
 
Yeah what would be a good mix for sarrs and vft? I was about to move my sarrs to sand/peat. I have them in cedar mulch/peat and don't think they like it too much. I did pure peat in my bog and it decomposed too much and rotted plants. Stagnation is a problem now in my tray method I'm temporarily using till I get the new bog setup. So I would be curious on mix to use too.
 
When I first starting growing CP's (VFTs and Sarrs) 17 years ago, I used pure peat with a top dressing of LFS for a few years..seemed to work fine.

then I got a computer in 1997, and started joining CP forums about 2000..
on the forums, lots of people talked about using mixes of peat and sand, and peat and perlite..so I tried them..

peat+sand = hated it..very heavy, compressed into the consistancy of a brick..not impressed, and saw no purpose, need or benefit to the sand.

peat+perlite = hated it..perlite floats to the surface, and is really ugly. not impressed, and see no purpose, need or benefit to the perlite.

so after those two seasons of experimantation I switched back to..pure peat with a top dressing of LFS! ;)
been working fine ever since..I wont switch again.

I use pure peat for 95% of the pot..the top dressing of LFS (Long Fibre Spagnum) is used so the rain doesnt splash the peat around and make a mess, and for looks..pure peat has a consistancy of regular soil and can splash around in a heavy rain..the LFS makes a nice neat top dressing.

I do two or three seasons with the peat, then repot in new peat. used peat goes into the gardens.
I should do two years, but im on three years right now since the last repotting..plants are fine..I will repot next spring.

Scot
 
To quote Jerry Addington's website:

After a long career in horticulture one thing is clear
to us that may surprise some newbies - starting out it seems all one has to do is learn the best way to grow a certain plant and follow that recipe to success. Gradually one discovers that there are almost as many "best" ways as there are sucessful growers. Some practices work great for one person and not another. Climate can be a big factor and so is personality.

Local "cultures" of cultivation practices evolve as enthusiasts share information. "Truth" we hold self evident may be contigent on factors specific to local conditions. We keep our fly traps and sarracenias sitting in water constantly year round - a practice excellent cultivators in the southeast have informed us would rot out plants in their climate. We treat cephalotus the same way - works for us. Others strongly dissagree. Our best cultural advice is to consult many sources and find your own way.

This has been my experience also. What works for some people may not work at all for others.

"Safe" media for the majority of carnivorous plants means chemically neutral or mildly acidic (pH somehwere in the range of 3.0-5.5), nutrient poor and free of fertilizers. "Safe" sand would be quartz or silica, preferably "silver/white", colored sands means impurities in the quartz/silica which may leach out in acidic conditions. Silica/Quartz sand should be rinsed thoroughly to remove any salts that are often used in the grinding/milling process. Let some of the rinsed sand stand in water overnight then test the pH of the water.

"Safe" play sand sold in hardware and garden centers just means it has been washed to remove any small dust particles. It may not be silica/quartz sand and therefore not chemically neutral. Read the label. Construction sand could be anything, quartz/silica, limestone, granite, mixtures etc. and is usually not identified as to what it is.
 
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NAN,
You bring up a point I am constantly reminding people about, & one that seems to ALWAYS be forgotten & overlooked.
Jerry Addington & You indeed hit the nail on the head!

Experienced growers here have learned, (often the hard way) ... that what works for one person may not work for others! Watching people here repeatedly getting into an argument/discussion about what is "right" (or possible) & what is not, gets a bit annoying, as there are many growers here who's minds are closed, or at least too "full" of what they already 'know"!

Oh, I think I need to go back to the greenhouse for a while again! :sorry:

Before I go however, JB:
In my experience, the planting mix (or not a mix) that you use to grow your plants in, will need to be renewed every few years. Unless it is inorganic (like sand or rock) it will decay or change in some way. Indeed, as was mentioned, I also take my "used" peat or mixes and use it for other plants or in the garden, as it works great for them at that point!
Re-doing your planting mix will in fact give them new growth (a kick in the butt so to speak) & is also good for your soul!

I have found that having a form of drainage (I usually create a more "controlled method" than just poking holes in the bottom of my bog/container) ... as I have found that by allowing the water to sit & get stagnant allows anaerobic organisms to grow & eventually create a Witch's brew that will become a stinky soup; that is not good for your plants. :ohno:

Besides the planting materials, by having a method of renewing or exchanging the water (thru drainage, water movement, recirculating, etc) or oxygenating the water to prevent stagnation, the planting mix will stay fresher, longer! (Perhaps try doing a search here on TF to find any possible info about different methods people are using. I am not sure what is available, but assume you may find something that could help if needed.)

Okay, I better go! I can see that I too still need more fresh air (or water) & time away with my plants.
Take care all & good luck with the plants!
:water:
 
  • #10
Sand or perlite not only adds drainage but also reduce the amount of peat used. I do not know what the environmental situation with peat is in the US but here in Europe peat extraction is being heavily regulated, with it getting increasingly difficult to obtain it in the UK. In fact, none of the major garden centre chains sell pure Sphagnum peat. This has led to some growers trying to reduce the amount used and find alternatives or use more 'fillers', such as perlite. Personally I dislike perlite, though there is no doubt that it is a good drainage and aerating product, so if I use it then I usually use a top dressing of either Sphagnum moss or pure peat. I very rarely use sand now, as being a natural product it can be vary variable and I have had 'bad' sand on more than one occasion, which CPs took exception to.
 
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