screening for gritty mix - how to tell proper size screen

9 years ago

I picked up some insect screen due to a post I read regarding someone using this to screen with. Prior to opening any packages, I searched the forum and found this may not be the proper screen size, since I see folks ordering sieves from the internet, etc. I purchased Phifer (pictured) insect screen and cannot find the size. Anyone know if this is too small, or what I need to do? My new specimens will be here today and I want to do this right. Hoping I can find something local, assuming this isn't the right size. I have turface, repti bark and granigrit Grower size. The strainer Stuff is confusing to me. I normally fix IT stuff, not pick out strainers. Need this broken down into zeroes and ones. :)

Featured Answer

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

9 years ago

Based on the ingredients you mentioned, the insect screen is all you need. Use it to screen the dust out of the bark and grit, and screen the Turface, using what does pass through the screen for something else, like hypertufa projects or as an addition to the 5:1:1 mix to increase water retention if you need to.

Ideally, like Rina mentioned, bark in the 1/8-1/4" range is best, but a good fraction of the Reptibark usually runs to the larger side of that range, so most growers use the whole bag of bark after removing the dust, even if it is a little larger than ideal. My experience is, that doesn't represent a problem as long as the other ingredients are size appropriate, and in your case they are.

I made 2 sets of 5 screens - one set about 12 x 12, the other about 24 x 24. The sizes are, aluminum insect screen, 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2.

Comments (8)

Kristiina DiOrio
9 years ago
I'd say this is far too fine to get anything to pass through it. I have a 1/4" hardware cloth and the pieces are still pretty small.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
9 years ago
That would be ok to screen turface-perlite-grit to get rid of the 'dust'. (I use kitchen sieve for that!) It says "insect screening", so it would have small openings, suitable to sift out the dust & smallest particles. For bark, 1/4" would be better.
You could make your own using 1/4" hardware cloth (this is Home Depot, but many stores carry it):
hardware cloth
This may be smallest (in lenght) piece you can buy, unless you find some hardware store that would cut less.

Or, you may consider buying screening set like this:
click here
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Bama_Joe
Original Author
9 years ago
Just picked up the 1/4" cloth (I owe ya!). So, how do you sort to ensure things aren't larger than 1/2"?
Bama_Joe
Original Author
9 years ago
Sweet!! Will order the foliage pro tonight (safe for all cacti and succulent at manufacturer instructed dose?).
Bama_Joe
Original Author
9 years ago
The repti bark needs to be soaked as well? If so, I will crank up the ro/di.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
9 years ago
Foliage pro is great. Less in winter (maybe 1/4 of recommended dose).
Some don't fertilize succulents...

Bark should be soaked if dry.
Recommended to rinse chicken gravel & perlite (if using).

Rina
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
9 years ago
The manufacturer's instructions for fertilizer dosage vary quite a bit. IOW - there is a RANGE that covers dosages, not just one specific dose for all applications.

How you fertilize and how much you use has a LOT to do with your soil choice and how you water. I prefer to fertilize during the winter with a very low dose of fertilizer every time I water; and I can do that because I flush the soil every time I water. It works great - I never have deficiencies or toxicities, and the ratio of nutrients, each to the others, is always very close to that at which the plants actually use the nutrients. There is a lot of value in fertilizing that way because you can have the lowest EC/TDS (roughly, the fertilizer solution strength) possible w/o deficiencies, which is just about exactly where you want to be.

You won't have trouble wetting the gritty mix, even if the bark is completely dry. The reason is, the Turface never becomes hydrophobic unless it's coated with algae; so when you water, the Turface sucks up the moisture very quickly and the surface of the Turface and grit become wet, too. IF the bark has become hydrophobic, water vapor diffusing from the internal pores of the Turface and from the surface of soil particles is absorbed by the bark, which breaks it's tendency toward hydrophobia in just a few (10?) minutes.

Dry soil is easier to plant in, but after I get the planting situated, I pour water through the soil until it runs clear from the drain hole. That's so I don't end up with a thin layer of sludge on the bottom of the pot. Keeping your soil free from particles smaller than .100" (a BB is .177") means NO perched water and well aerated soil from the top of the soil to the container bottom, no matter how shallow the pot, which offers more potential than soils made of the same ingredients but with a smaller particle size .... within reason, of course. As soils become TOO porous, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep them moist, so you're looking for lots of water retention w/o having to resort to interparticulate (between particles) water to get it.

Al