Are Your Plants Often Rotting Due to Waterlogging? Then, You Should Start Using ‘Sharp Sand’

The sand particles you see on the beaches are often soft, powdery, and velvety. It’s unsurprising given that they are constantly blasted by wave currents. But not every sand is just as smooth. Not every sand is pampered as much as the beach sand. In a stunning contrast to these soft sands, there are sands that are gritty and coarse, often resembling crushed glass. As long as they prick the skin, they are unlikable. But the moment someone pours them into their garden bed, the brittle sands cast magic upon the plants, by preventing waterlogging and boosting growth, as experts revealed in a conversation with Real Simple.

What is ‘Sharp sand’?

In simple words, sharp sand is a sand that has not been pampered. Also referred to as “horticultural sand,” sharp sand is a gritty type of sand, typically consisting of crushed quartz, sandstone, or granite. It comprises both large and small particles, which gives it a texture quite similar to horticultural grit of builder’s sand. “It's known to be ‘sharp’ because of its jagged edges per grain, which is much different than the softness of regular sand or play sand,” Tammy Sons, a horticulturalist and founder of TN Nursery, explained to Real Simple.

Improved soil drainage

While the pampered beach sand lacks the skill of holding the soil together, this gritty sand helps the soil remain compact and, therefore, improves drainage. Thanks to this grittiness that the soil doesn’t become too heavy or waterlogged. As a result, water and oxygen are able to seep deeper into the soil; otherwise, the plant would have rotted or perhaps died due to a lack or excess of nutrients.

Game-changer for propagating plants

A Reddit user, who goes by the moniker u/SIMPLIFYGARDENING, shared that “sharp sand” proved to be a “game-changer” in propagating his carrots. “I recently experimented with a unique method of growing carrots - using sharp sand with a compost core - and the results were too good not to share,” they shared in a post, adding, “This method has been a game changer in my carrot-growing endeavors. Not only has it made the process more efficient, but the quality of the carrots has been remarkable.”

Root development

The Reddit gardener explained that the particles of sharp sand enable plants, carrots in this case, to grow straight down, leading to longer and more uniformly shaped roots. Michael Clarke, a horticulturist, landscape architect, and founder of Yardwork, added that the sand also makes digging easier, thereby allowing growth. “It also makes digging and planting easier and increases air flow within the root zone to allow for better root growth and plant establishment.”

How to use ‘Sharp sand’ for your plants?

The Reddit user mixed the sand in a compost core and planted the carrot seeds inside this blend, but Sons suggests that the sand works best when blended with clay-heavy beds or potting mixes, as well as root-cutting compost or seed-starting trays. This, she said, compacts the soil, without compromising on its fertility.

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