Hi Alan, The pictures in my most recent posts (of Jan 30th) are not my plants. I am not sure if the grit is just a topping or represents the entire growing medium. Sorry. My own preferred germinating medium of late ... for Amaryllids ... is usually a mix of perlite, small pumice and gritty DG (decomposed granite) with NO organic material. I like to top that with just the DG to deter the pumice and perlite from migrating to the top (which unfortunately, is not always successful.) I usually add a little organic material to the overall medium with the first transplant to a larger container. Ken Blackford San Diego, California USDA zone 10 --- On Tue, 1/31/12, Alan O'Leary <aoleary@esc.net.au> wrote: I notice in these photos and previous ones of your own potted plants there is a fine gravel or grit - is this just a topping on the growing media or does the entire media consist of this? Alan O'Leary