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How to use vermiculite?

CraighBCraighB Posts: 738
in Plants
Hi all,

I need to repot some perennials and I intend to mix up equal parts of jack's magic MPC and john innes no2 adding some vermiculite to it for drainage.

I would usually use perlite however I am out and I have a big bag of vermiculite left over and would like to use it up. So would this mix be ok for most plants? I am worried the vermiculite will hold on to too much water and the plants rot?

Thanks
Craigh

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 11,200
    I wouldn't usually bother to add either for repotting perennials, but don't see any harm in adding some vermiculite to the mix if you want to. I usually just add H.grit as it's cheaper.
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 738
    I wish I had bought some grit now as I realised just how much cheaper it is on a recent visit to the garden centre so next year I will stock up on grit instead :)
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,341
    I think they're pretty much identical as far as drainage goes.
    Perlite holds on to water too, but like vermiculite allows water to run through it. Maybe just don't use as much.
    Perlite lasts a lot longer than vermiculite. Vermiculite holds on to nutrients and releases them slowly (good for seedlings), I don't think perlite does
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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