Topic: gardening sand ??

[5rod]

hi all
can you help on this one.
i would like to grow begonia frow seeds next year.
Q . cant find this sand at the moment could i
use wash sandpit sand from bq or could ibuy
sharp sand and wash it out.
                        5 rod ;D

[Tee Gee]

In my opinion.I think it is all a case of terminology!! (so that they can charge you more)

Depending upon what mix I am am making up I use one of three products and they all come from the 'building section (not gardening section) of B&Q.

e.g.

Garden section = Silver sand = Kiln dried sand in Building section.

Grit sand in garden section = River/coarse sand in Building section.( for concreting not building)

Fine grit in garden section = Ballast in Building section.( this can be seived to give either grit only plus grit sand as previous item.

I had it out with a B&Q employee re what's the difference between the products in the garden section which cost about three times as much as similar products in the building section.

If you heard the waffle about salt content, pH etc you wouldn't believe it. I left him to his opinions and headed up to the building section 8)

[Duke Ellington]

I asked the same question in our local garden centre and was told that the builders sand has a very high lime content and the horticultural sand doesn't have any lime. My OH is in the building trade so tends to have various bags of builders sand  and grit left over which I have been using. Nothing bad has happened .....Yet!! :-\

Duke :)

[5rod]

thanks for help off to bq
                     5rod

[tonybloke]

make sure you get 'sharp sand' NOT 'builders sand'   ;)