Seed and cutting compost

[David_Janet]

Do the French use seed and cutting compost because we can't seem to find it in the garden centres round here?? Anyone know what the French call it, or any suggestions for an alternative??

Dull and drizzly here today (Sorèze in the Tarn) so not much gardening going on so please don't reply telling us you have glorious sunshine, especially if you're replying from the UK!!!

Thanks

[Alexis]

Terreau pour semis.  Reboutage is for cuttings.  Not sure about the spelling there though.

[Catalpa]

Alexis - have you found an equivalent to horticultural 'sharp sand' and if so, a) what's it called and b) where did you find it?

Yours in hope!

Carole

[Ron Avery]

Down here in the SW we get it from Builders merchants, its called building sand,.

Smooth sand is hard to come by and costs a premium, so sharp sand is the normal building sand and it does the trick

[Catalpa]

I've always understood that builders sand is potentially contaminated with minerals and / or chemicals. These are unlikely exist in levels sufficient to damage established plants but are likely to substantially diminish the success rate when trying to get cuttings to strike.

Carole

[Alexis]

Sharp sand is not something I have ever looked for.  If you don't fancy ordinary builders sand, have you thought about river sand?  Failing that how about the sand used in aquariums?  Pet shop sand too for chickens.  Talking nonsence here!!

[Ron Avery]

[quote]I've always understood that builders sand is potentially contaminated with minerals and / or chemicals. These are unlikely exist in levels sufficient to damage established plants but are likely to sub...[/quote]

This is not the yellow UK builders sand that stains and which cannot be used in sand pits etc. This is French building sand,  maybe where you live its different, we are in 12.  This stuff is usually mixed with lime to make mortar, it is exactly the same as UK sharp sand,  it is kept out doors and gets washed by the rain, so I doubt it contains harmful minerals.

I struck all my geraniums cuttings in a sand/earth mixture last year with excellent results out and it did the grass a treat also but I doubt that you can anything to take in sand alone surely it has to be a soil/compost mix

[Washy]

Agree with the builders sand, I have been pinching the sand from my husbands building pile for years now for the garden.  I wash it but I know it has stood in the rain for some time, I just do this as the cats have probably discovered it as well.  Have had difficulty finding seed compost but now tend to make my own mix with the finest compost I can find and sand topped off with vermiculite.  Finding compost that does not contain fertilizers I find very hard so fanatically I also wash the compost!!