RE: seed starting and vermiculite

We have a natural product in New Zealand called pumice which is 
exploded rock from the eruption of a volcano which is now Lake Taupo, in 
the central North island. This is washed down our rivers, sieved out and 
graded and then used as is or stem sterilized to remove pathogens and 
weed seed. The larger pieces make excellent back scratchers and soap 
size chunks are good for cleaning the hands after a hard day in the 
garden. For seed sowing we use this up to a diameter of about 1/16 of an 
inch, mixed with peat or bark. Do you have any such product?

Terry Dowdeswell
Wanganui
New Zealand
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
terry@delphinium.co.nz
http://www.delphinium.co.nz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> Claire,
> Vermiculite has not been banned in Oregon, nor is it likely to be
> since the nursery industry is the state's largest. I have always used
> very fine peat with fine perlite and sand to start seeds. The only
> time I ever tried starting seeds in vermiculite was after a Begonia
> Society program where the speaker insisted it was the way to start
> very tiny seeds like Begonias.  I decided to try it with some very
> rare and choice Begonia species seeds ......I wouldn't recommend it.
> :(  For starters, the tiny seeds fall down between the "kernels" of
> vermiculite and don't get the light they need to germinate.  I went
> back to my old tried and true mix used for every type of seeds. 
> However I don't know why we bother with all the different formulas and
> mixes when EVERYTHING will sprout in a gravel pathway!  I think it
> would be a much more efficient use of my time to just sprinkle all the
> seeds I want to start in my paths and wait to see what comes up!  :)
> 
> Marilyn
> 
> Marilyn Dube'
> Natural Designs Nursery
> Portland, Oregon
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	owner-perennials@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
> Behalf Of ECPep@aol.com Sent:	Monday, March 25, 2002 9:37 AM
> To:	perennials@hort.net Subject:	seed starting and vermiculite
> 
> 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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