Re: seed starting and vermiculite
- Subject: Re: seed starting and vermiculite
- From: M* T*
- Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 00:52:37 -0500
Interesting, Claire. Been so many years since I've bought
vermiculite had no idea it was being banned. Why is this?
I used to use vermiculite for starting veggy seeds and annuals but
not for many years. I use Pro Mix for seed starting, basically
because it is weed free an comes in huge bales. It is peat based,
however. I add granite grit and top all seedpots with more grit.
Really can't say I have any problems starting seed with this if the
seed is viable. Pro Mix is not grand to leave stuff in for years as
it sort of sogs up, but it's fine for starting seed IMO.
Seems everybody has their favorite medium for seed starting. IMO,
all it has to be is weed free with the ability to hold moisture
reasonably and drain well. Could use pure coarse sand, really, if
you keep an eye on it as it dries out fast.
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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> From: ECPep@aol.com
>
> If anyone has been shopping for vermiculite in NYS this spring and
has not
> found it in the stores, it has been banned for sale in NYS.
>
> I picked up what I wanted in Massachusetts not knowing I could not
buy it in
> NY. While musing on which seeds can cross which borders and who
decides what
> plants can come to us other things are disappearing.
>
> Vermiculite is banned in other countries and various parts of the
US so I
> found with a quick look at Google. You may not want to use it
indoors after
> reading all of this.
>
> I have used vermiculite for seed starting for so many years, I
could not
> begin to remember when I first purchased it. We are back to
cooking soils in
> the oven!
>
> Seeds and starting seeds which was spring's joy have so many
problems
> attached. There are problems with peat and spaghnum moss - what is
everyone
> using now - that is if you live in a state that is not banning it.
>
> Claire Peplowski
> NYS z4
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