Post by fredg on Oct 19, 2015 15:06:41 GMT
As the title states this is a B&Q product, Recycled Glass Paving Sand 20Kg. Glass is inert so I thought I'd get a bag and see what it's like.
In the bag it doesn't look like glass, there's quite a bit of "sand" in there so as this is an unknown quantity it needs to be washed off. Washing also shows up just how much plastic etc is also in there so the pieces of thin sheet plastic also have to be washed out. Two hours later I'd completed the washing of the entire bag and had a full 10 litre bucket and perhaps a couple more litres of clean glass. There are also still pieces of other materials in there but I don't think they represent a threat to the plants. If it was absolutely desperate to get them out it could be done manually.
Here's some small samples, before and after. I'll let you work out which is which.
My investment in less than 12 litres of usable material is £2.70p and two hours of my time.
I also use Granite Grit Sand which has to be washed and that will give about the same volume for cost and time washing.
Then there's Westland Potting Grit which I use unwashed which comes in at around £5.00 / 20Kg. This is more coarse than the other two so really it's better for some uses to add a suitable sand, if available. I have a "Guaranteed Lime Free" one ready to try, we'll see if it is.
One of the possible conclusions there is that I'm worth about £1.15 an hour
I think the glass will be used as a surface dressing on a couple of pots of VFT seedlings in the spring to see how it looks. In the meantime I'll continue with the potting grit and try the sand in it.
In the bag it doesn't look like glass, there's quite a bit of "sand" in there so as this is an unknown quantity it needs to be washed off. Washing also shows up just how much plastic etc is also in there so the pieces of thin sheet plastic also have to be washed out. Two hours later I'd completed the washing of the entire bag and had a full 10 litre bucket and perhaps a couple more litres of clean glass. There are also still pieces of other materials in there but I don't think they represent a threat to the plants. If it was absolutely desperate to get them out it could be done manually.
Here's some small samples, before and after. I'll let you work out which is which.
My investment in less than 12 litres of usable material is £2.70p and two hours of my time.
I also use Granite Grit Sand which has to be washed and that will give about the same volume for cost and time washing.
Then there's Westland Potting Grit which I use unwashed which comes in at around £5.00 / 20Kg. This is more coarse than the other two so really it's better for some uses to add a suitable sand, if available. I have a "Guaranteed Lime Free" one ready to try, we'll see if it is.
One of the possible conclusions there is that I'm worth about £1.15 an hour
I think the glass will be used as a surface dressing on a couple of pots of VFT seedlings in the spring to see how it looks. In the meantime I'll continue with the potting grit and try the sand in it.
not here it isn't