I don't do neither. I use a totally different mix from every day garbage and waste.

1 part crushed brick or clay pots 1/4 to 3/4 inches in size

3 parts coarse sand up to 1/4 inch.

1 to 3 parts potting mix depending on how wet your variety of citrus can tolerate and the dryness of your climate. You also need to determine the moisture demand of your tree. Since you already got your supplies you could wet screen and then spread the mix on a sheet and air dry it to perfection.

Check out the link on citrus growing experiments since the important thing is whether the tree grows well and not how the screening was done

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/citrus/msg0320572518736.html

This post was edited by poncirusguy on Sat, Nov 16, 13 at 22:26

Hi Christy...

I screen mine dry....You are right..It is a shocker to see how much dust comes of it..:-)

Mike

Thanks for the help poncirusguy and Mike!

I am actually disappointed in a recent purchase of perlite I got. I got a huge bag of what is suppose to be SUPER COARSE perlite, and the screening I have to do is insane. The fine particles are so bad in this bag, I cannot do it without a mask or even in the greenhouse because of the heavy dust. I do not even get that type of dust with Miracle Grow perlite! And it is smaller, if anything that Miracle Grow.

So maybe with perlite, I will just stick to MG. It may cost more in the end, but if I get more perlite out of it than dust, it might pay to get it instead. Unless I finally find a brand that is good.

Thanks again! Christy

Use a mask for screening any dry ingredients - perlite, turface, bark, et cetera. That dust is BAD for your lungs. Very bad.

I've done both, depending on the situation. In general, I like to spray the Perlite to knock the dust down. When I screen bark, I usually do so when it is dry...but then I add water to the screened bark to get it moist for mixing. The bark should be moist when mixed to prevent dry spots - which will be difficult to evenly wet once in a container, and can quickly lead to patches of dead roots.

Josh