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Re: advice on vermiculite

Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

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Thanks for the advice..somehow I came away with a small bag of perlite
instead of vermiculite. I'll just take it back and get a big bag of the
course stuff.

My garden mix sure looks rich with it's loam, sand, compost and manure but I
was surprised that it wasn't "lighter" (even though it is crumbly) so I
thought vermiculite was the way to go...y'all don't think it will dilute it
too much as far as richness goes??

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Make sure you by the COURSE  vermiculite in the BIG bags in the GARDEN
> department of your Home Improvement Store- I can never find anything but
the
> little bags of the fine stuff( too fine and very expensive) at  garden
> centers in stores like Kmart or Walmart- I only find them at Home Base,
Home
> Depot -Lowe's- but then that's here in Northern CA. I just remmber being
> really confused about vermiculite.Just remember-COURSE- looks like tiny
> little pieces of diry styrofoam--not the same as perlite.
>
> If you can afford it-By an extra bag or two- if sure comes in handy when
you
> are potting up things-and also to add the a hole when you are planting
> something in the ground- nothing like being out of it and having to go get
> some- I keep a garbage can full-- Love that stuff-It is probably the most
> expensive thing I spend $$ on at $12 a big huge bag- what is that-4 cubic
> feet? but I wouldn't plant without it now- my containers need a lot less
> watering-but with that  fine stuff- it holds the water too well and even
my
> clay pots in the sun don't drain well- I get stuff rotting- not enough air
> or something- probably some here would know.
>
> The other thing that I recently discovered in the whole seed starting
thing
> for me this year that I had missed is that gravely stuff that you buy at
the
> feed store for the chickens-- lots of tiny little rocks- it makes a great
> dressing to put on top of your seeds and in your pots - stops  moss and
> fungus and helps to mark where you seeds are in the ground and is easy for
> the seeds to come up thru.Cheap stuff-$4.50 for 50 lbs.You old- timers
knew
> about that all along I bet.  There is so much to learn- I feel like I will
> never know enough.-But then- guess what- things are growing and blooming
and
> I am having a good time- so what the hey- that IS the point right?!!Kitty
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Susie K <fredsus1@hotmail.com>
> To: Square Foot Gardening List <sqft@listbot.com>
> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 1:47 PM
> Subject: advice on vermiculite
>
>
> > Square Foot Gardening List - http://myweb.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
> >
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> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > FINALLY!! This will be my first year ever to vegetable garden and
needless
> > to say I am excited, also excited about the square foot method,
otherwise
> I
> > wouldn't even be attempting this.
> >
> > I got my 4 X 4's of 1 X 6" s made and got my garden loam from the
Organic
> > center which contains: garden loam, compost, manure, sand, etc.
> >
> > My question: This stuff looks really dark and rich but I am surprised it
> > wasn't as "fluffy" as the soil I see in Mels videos...should I add some
> > vermiculite to it? I will be adding some organic vegetable fertilizer
> > granules to it also.
> >
> > I don't know what zone I am in but I live in Washington State, on the
> > Western side, pretty moderate. I will be planting seeds but there are a
> lot
> > of starts available at the nurseries around me. One nursery guy said to
> > plant my seeds and don't worry about starts so I guess that is what I'll
> be
> > doing even though I feel like I'll be getting a late start on my Spring
> crop
> > but everybody assures me it's o.k. We've had a somewhat chilly spring. I
> am
> > going to be protecting them at night with a cover anyway, to keep the
cats
> > out if anything!
> >
> > I'm going to be planting tomorrow so would love advice on my soil...it
> seems
> > like it's the perfect mixture but I am going to be adding vermiculate
> > anyway, but would love comments!
> >
> > Oh....one bed I am going to be reserving for strawberries...there are
two
> > people in my household, just me and my husband and I am going to be
> planting
> > 3 beds of vegetables for us and the fourth one for strawberries. Do
y'all
> > think this is a good idea and is one four by four going to yield too
many
> > strawberries for us?
> >
> > P.S...another question. Is it too late to plant potatoes in my tires?
> >
> > Susie in Snohomish Washington
> >
> >
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> >
>
>
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