I am now stuck with 2 bags of vermiculite, both of which I have no idea are coarse or medium. Both salespeople said they were coarse, my husband says they are medium, the nursery manager says there is no coarse vermiculite this year… So I have decided to just go with what I’ve got. If its the wrong kind it probably won’t be noticeable for a few years anyway - and I can’t wait to start my garden any longer.
I found some super cute strawberry plants I want planted yesterday - I can practically taste them!
I have discovered that in the process of moving earlier this year my garden supplies have disapeared. OK not everything, just little things I really miss - like miracle grow and a little trowel. Oh, and some expensive heirloom tomato seeds (though the nice seed starting warming mat did turn up - even though I don’t need it now). It’s too funny because none of that stuff got packed - just moved in its large garage container - but still stuff is missing. That’s just the way moving goes I guess.
Back to vermiculite: Anyone done SFG with the medium stuff and had bad results? I know the original book didn’t even use this stuff. Comments appreciated!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
moving! ugh. We moved February 2007 and I’m still missing stuff! Such a pain.
I think you will be fine with the medium vermiculite
I have 2 raised beds that are probably 4 years old now that I used medium in. It worked fine. The only problem with the medium is that it will break down sooner than the coarse vermiculite and you will have to amend it a little sooner.
This year I added more vermiculite to my 4 year old beds when I added some new compost.
This year we made a new garden also too — it’s 24×24 and filled with raised beds. I couldn’t find the coarse vermiculite so once again I used the medium. The purpose of the vermiculite is to help hold moisture, so it doesn’t really matter if it’s medium or coarse — just as long as you use it
Hope that helps some!! And thanks for visiting my blog and commenting. I have you on my blogroll now so I’ll be checking and commenting on your blog too!
Judy
Tabatha: Amen!!
Judy: Thanks for the words of experience - feel a lot better now about the medium vermiculite
Yes, that’s the way moving goes.
I lost a very useful tool which I haven’t been able to find a replacement for anywhere. I wonder if anyone here knows? It is a sort of scythe, but not hair-raising looking like regular scythes. It is just an L shaped thing, the bottom of the L being a straight piece that you swing thru high grass to whack it off. It isn’t very big, the long piece that you hold is about golf club size.
No noise, no gas, none of that annoying stuff. Very easy for whacking down a veggie garden that has gotten out of hand over a mild winter.
I must have bought this years ago and now no one has any idea where to get one, alas…
Hi Trudy -
I would google it if I were you - or ask one of the kind people at http://forums.gardenweb.com/
- I’ve found many answers to questions over there. Good luck!
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