vermiculite in MN

Can anyone help me locate vermiculite in MN? I live in Buffalo, which is about 30 west of the Twin Cities area.

Thanks!
Tami

Can anyone help me locate vermiculite in MN? I live in Buffalo, which is
about 30 west of the Twin Cities area.

Thanks!
Tami

Tami:

Welcome to the SFG Forum. Under the heading "General SFG Talk" there is a sub-forum called "Vermiculite Data Base". The Data Base lists two sources in St. Paul, two in Rochester, one each in Detroit Lakes, Minneapolis, Moorhead and Eagan.

We have a lot of fun on the forum and love to help and get help from the many talented and knowledgeable gardeners here. Please post often with your questions and answers.

Tell us about your garden. What do you have planted? How many squares? If you are starting out with SFG what drew you here and how did you learn about SFG'ing?

God Bless, and again Ward.

Thank you! I saw that database, but it was late and I didn't look hard enough, I didn't see the actual locations. They do show Buffalo Mendards on there though with the vermiculite in construction/roofing, but I emailed SFG and they told me not to use that (because there's a small amount of silica added to it). Has anyone used it and thinks it's okay to use?

A few years ago I attended a SFG class through community ed. I have had a 4x4 SFG for two years now and have planted lots of lettuce, beans, peas, tomatoes; last year I added two 2x2 beds and planted cabbage and zucchini in those. This year we moved some things around and the 4x4 bed will still be the same, but in the 2x2 beds I planted strawberries and we added two 2x8 beds, which I plan to plant many more things, but haven't done so yet because of this great MN weather we're having.

I got some organic starts from a buying club I'm in and I'm hoping to plant those this weekend. I have them in my kitchen now and I'm worried they're not going to last much longer.

this is the stuff i used from out menards

http://www.sungro.com/products_displayProProduct.php?product_id=49&brand_id=5

here is the msds
http://www.sungro.com/msds.php

as you can see all the horticultural grade vermiculite is on the same msds as the mica flakes vermiculite.

From my understand all vermiculite has some silica, which is basically just sand. It is CONCRETE that you need to watch out for, but that is the vermiculite typically sold at pool type stores.

The biggest difference I notices was the mica flakes had a variety of sizes ranging from very fine/fine to coarse/glitter. But I figure for $11/3cf versus $28/4cf, I'm ok

It IS the garden vermiculite that Menards has in Buffalo. I am the one that added it to the database. It is in the garden section. BUT---it is ordered by the building department-that doesn't mean it is the building vermiculite. When you go in the garden section it is directly across the aisle from the compost. It is coarse grade for $12.50. Trust me,-----I have bought 12 bags there already this past month

well thats cool that you guys can get the gardening kind! All i saw at our "Nards" was the small bags of vermiculite and perlite.

My BIL works at the Menards in Buffalo, how is that for a coincidence? He checked for me and they have the micaflake vermiculite in the building department. Near the insulation. No cement, it isn't nicely graded, but all of it is larger than the medium graded stuff I was able to find for my first batch. I went and got some at my local Menards after talking to him.

Were they out of the course horticultural vermiculite in the garden section?? They had it earlier this week.

Hmmm. Our Menards in Winona doesn't have vermiculite, just small bags of perlite. I get my vermiculite from a small locally owned garden/feed store downtown for $17 per 4 cu ft bag. It would be nice to get it cheaper!!