Re: The Best Use for Vermiculite Isn't In Your Garden

scmelik Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:51 pm

i love this idea and I am trying it as we speak. I do have a question though that I don't quite understand. Why is it that when you start your plants in verm. you don't have to harden them? Am I misunderstanding what you wrote?

Glendale-gardener Thu Apr 21, 2011 4:15 pm

I think it is because they haven't been in the house long enough to "get used to it". They haven't been pampered with perfect conditions and no chill or wind if you put them outside the day after they sprout leaves.

westie42 Thu Apr 21, 2011 11:50 pm

I would call that revolutionary. Nice job and thanks for sharing. The verm in your picture looks a lot like some medium I have on hand what do others think about the size. Any fine I have seen in pictures only has almost no chunks just smaller flakes and close to hefty dust size particles. That from Menards insulation department is also mostly finer looking but has a broader range of particle size.

BackyardBirdGardner Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:23 am

Glendale-gardener wrote:So I started a bunch of peas in verm on Friday night and they were already popping up by Sunday afternoon! Thanks BBG! So I guess I just give them a few days to sprout ears and I can put them outside?

This is awesome news! Hopefully, they are outside now. I didn't see this thread update until tonight....April 22. Sorry, guys. If in the future, I don't respond to a question, PM me and I'll see that for sure.

Yes, though, just wait a day or so for those ears to open enough to get a grip on and go put them in the garden.

BackyardBirdGardner Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:26 am

Glendale-gardener wrote:I think it is because they haven't been in the house long enough to "get used to it". They haven't been pampered with perfect conditions and no chill or wind if you put them outside the day after they sprout leaves.

Can't say it better myself. That's what I guessed, and I haven't had anything but good results by doing so.....and I did all this WELL before my frost date. My sprouts when from 75F soil to 45F soil instantly. They didn't start growing right away, but I don't know if it was a bit of shock or if it was because the daytime temps were in the 40s and 50s.....could be both factors.

All that mattered was I skipped the hardening off part and saved myself some precious time since I was busy that time of year and couldn't properly harden things off.

BackyardBirdGardner Fri Apr 22, 2011 1:28 am

westie42 wrote:I would call that revolutionary. Nice job and thanks for sharing. The verm in your picture looks a lot like some medium I have on hand what do others think about the size. Any fine I have seen in pictures only has almost no chunks just smaller flakes and close to hefty dust size particles. That from Menards insulation department is also mostly finer looking but has a broader range of particle size.

Yup. Medium as it turns out. Boffer's pictures shocked me. Coarse looked like boulders compared to what I have....lol.

It was mentioned that coarse may not be the type to use, and it makes perfect sense. For starting seeds, I think the finer the better because we just want loose stuff that retains water.

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