Multipurpose Horticultural Grit Delivered to You
A multi-use gardening product, horticultural grit is used to improve soil structure and performance, add weight to plant pots, and as a quality mulch for plant beds. Both professionals and home gardeners utilise it as a multi-purpose product offered at a cost-effective price.
What is Horticultural Grit?
Horticultural grit, sometimes called alpine grit, is a gardening product made from finely crushed stones, typically granite and limestone, which give it a blended look. It will be washed through to remove all lime, ensuring it has a neutral pH that won’t disrupt your soil. The size of the stones will range from 1mm to 6mm, with a coarse, sharp feel.
Within the soil, horticultural grits’ varied and angular shapes will help to create pockets, which will fill with either air or water. It therefore can be used to increase the levels of both within a garden bed or plant pot. It is a cost-effective product that is simple to use.
How to use Horticultural Grit Within Gardening and Landscaping
There are several key purposes for horticultural grit, from breaking up soil to mulching plant beds:
- Aiding Soil Drainage: Soils with poor drainage can quickly become waterlogged, overflowing within a garden and harming plants. Mixing in horticultural grit within affected soil will aid its drainage capabilities, protecting the look and health of your garden.
- Aerating Soil: Soils that are dense and compacted will suffer, as oxygen is a crucial element of healthy plant growth. While tools like aerators can help, horticultural grit will create air pockets throughout your soil that persist.
- Working as a Mulch: Mulch is a suite of gardening products that are applied over soil, with both degradable and non-degradable options. Horticultural grit is a popular choice and can be poured around plants in a garden bed. It will work to preserve moisture within the soil, keep plant roots warm in the winter, and impede the growth of weeds. As it is non-degradable this can be used as a permanent addition, or removed when no longer needed.
- Adding Weight to Plant Pots: Many utilise horticultural potting grit within their plant pots to add additional weight, ensuring they remain upright during high wind.
- Improving Clay Soils: Issues with drainage and aeration are common in clay-heavy soils, making horticultural grit a popular addition.
Buy Quality Horticultural Potting Grit Today
We sell quality fine horticultural grit across the UK to professionals and keen gardeners alike, with both 500kg and 1000kg weights made up of 25kg small bags, alongside 750kg bulk bags. It will come in a varying blend of colours, usually black, white, pink, and grey, though sometimes there may be gold or buff stones within the mix.
Your Landscaping Essentials From Building Materials Nationwide
We aim to offer everything a gardener or landscaper could need from a single location, delivering quickly across the UK. We stock a range of decorative gravel, alongside soil and compost, bark chippings and mulch, and more.
For professionals, we also offer trade accounts which can completely streamline your supply process. Our dedicated account managers will source the exact products and materials you need through our network of suppliers, delivering them to you across the UK, fast and at a competitive trade price. Sign up for a trade account through our website now, or tell us what you need through the form below.
FAQs
What are the drawbacks of horticultural grit?
The sharp edges of horticultural grit can cause damage to plant roots at times, so care should be taken during installation. It also costs more than buying the materials within it separately.
What are some alternatives to horticultural grit?
Many opt to use sharp sand within their soil as an alternative, which is sometimes called horticultural grit sand. This will also improve the aeration and drainage of any soil it is mixed into. In terms of mulching or decorative uses, other small gravels like pea gravel are a suitable alternative. We sell both sharp sand and pea gravel through our site.
Can horticultural grit be used for decorative purposes?
Yes, some choose to also use horticultural grit for its visual features. Its lighter hues can contrast nicely with the look of soil, and it can also be used as layers, particularly within glass plant-growing containers.