Is this sand safe for growing?

KTG808 · Apr 12, 2024

So I found this old bag of black sand around my house and read how sand can be used to improve drainage for plants. Mixed it with some peat, compost, bat and seabird guano. But after doing some research I’m not sure if it’s the safe kind to grow plants for consumption. I tried finding info about it but there’s not much written on the bag and most of the words are scratched. I think it says “Basalt Sand”… Can anyone tell me if it’s toxic? I already potted a few seedlings with the mix, but if the risk is too big I’ll pull them. I just wanna make sure the plants grown in it will be safe to smoke/consume.

RGWD0202 · Apr 12, 2024

If you don’t know what it is I probably wouldn’t use it. But I believe Basalt sand is ground volcanic rock and may be beneficial, but unless you know for sure I’d probably keep it out. Even if it is safe if you don’t use the proper amount it could do more harm than good.

KTG808 · Apr 12, 2024

RGWD0202 said:
If you don’t know what it is I probably wouldn’t use it. But I believe Basalt sand is ground volcanic rock and may be beneficial, but unless you know for sure I’d probably keep it out. Even if it is safe if you don’t use the proper amount it could do more harm than good.

I can’t find much info on this propak product other than it’s main use for landscaping, but yeah I found it’s made from volcanic rock. I read it’s bad to inhale but so is soil dust, so maybe it’s fine? Being a product of Hawaii I was hoping it was made natural, but because of it’s construction use I’m not too sure or if I’m just overthinking…

I wonder if I’d be able to save the seedlings by carefully removing them and putting them in the soil mix I usually use. They’re the first 3-way cross I’ve made of original blueberry/mac1/cereal milk, so I was hoping to see how they turn out while testing the new sand mix. Thankfully I still have more seeds.

KTG808 · Apr 12, 2024

I got to chat with customer service about the product. Asked if it was safe for growing plants for consumption and told them I was using it for drainage in a soil mix. Basically told me its bad for drainage, but couldn’t find anything about it being harmful.

Glad that’s outta the way.

GNick55 · Apr 12, 2024

you use sand about inch or so at the bottom of a pot with ideally drainage holes just above the level of sand and roots will grow into it,..

KTG808 · Apr 13, 2024

GNick55 said:
you use sand about inch or so at the bottom of a pot with ideally drainage holes just above the level of sand and roots will grow into it,..

Thanks, I’m just testing out what I have for now, cuz I haven’t tried growing with sand and figured might as well put that bag to use. For these I put a couple handfuls of perlite at the bottom of the pots first, before putting the sand mix then mixing them together for better drainage… also made extra holes in my pots. Seemed to work well for one that I had to transplant into a bigger pot, cuz the roots started growing right through the holes like crazy. But that one was just with all-purpose soil, I notice the sand mix feels a lot denser so I’m probably just gonna stick to my regular soil mix now.

katraiter · Apr 13, 2024

KTG808 said:
So I found this old bag of black sand around my house and read how sand can be used to improve drainage for plants. Mixed it with some peat, compost, bat and seabird guano. But after doing some research I’m not sure if it’s the safe kind to grow plants for consumption. I tried finding info about it but there’s not much written on the bag and most of the words are scratched. I think it says “Basalt Sand”… Can anyone tell me if it’s toxic? I already potted a few seedlings with the mix, but if the risk is too big I’ll pull them. I just wanna make sure the plants grown in it will be safe to smoke/consume.

That almost looks like a sand substrate for a saltwater fish tank , used to have one way back , or sandblast sand I wouldn't use it

katraiter · Apr 13, 2024

KTG808 said:
So I found this old bag of black sand around my house and read how sand can be used to improve drainage for plants. Mixed it with some peat, compost, bat and seabird guano. But after doing some research I’m not sure if it’s the safe kind to grow plants for consumption. I tried finding info about it but there’s not much written on the bag and most of the words are scratched. I think it says “Basalt Sand”… Can anyone tell me if it’s toxic? I already potted a few seedlings with the mix, but if the risk is too big I’ll pull them. I just wanna make sure the plants grown in it will be safe to smoke/consume.

Ha ha I found this it's used to mix with concrete paver base ?? Here is a link https://www.citymill.com/0-5-cu-ft-3-4-in-basalt-rock

KTG808 · Apr 13, 2024

katraiter said:
Ha ha I found this it's used to mix with concrete paver base ?? Here is a link https://www.citymill.com/0-5-cu-ft-3-4-in-basalt-rock

Lol yeah that’s one of the sites I came across. The one I got customer service from was Home Depot. I guess that explains why its so compact when watered.

Is this sand safe for growing?

Is this sand safe for growing?

KTG808

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