Vermiculite is inert, has no nutritive value to speak of and is used merely by
the greenhouse industry as a potting medium and seed germination product. It is
used because it is very lightweight and deliveries are easier and trucks can
haul more.

Compost is the nutritive value in soil structure, not the hard substances like
sands of any kind. I buy lavasand or crushed or decomposed granite in Home
Depot or Lowes. I don't know where you live or what your local retailers sell,
which is why plain play sand is also good to take up space and help drainage. I
don't know anyone who uses vermiculite in the soil, just in pots.


On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 00:51:09 GMT, "Laura J"
opined:

So is the vermiculte only used to "lighten" the mix or does it add some
specific nutrient that might be missing if I use sand or whatever? Where do
you get decomposed granite sand? Is that something that is sold
specifically for gardening or can I get it at any old hardware store?

Thanks again,
LauraJ

"escapee" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 17:53:22 -0700, Tom Jaszewski
opined:

On Mon, 19 Apr 2004 12:49:47 GMT, escapee
wrote:

Okay, from my research into this vermiculite problem, it's the stuff
they get
from Africa, not our local vermiculite which is the problem. However,
lava sand
is a much more effective product, if you can find it.


Skip the Mell soils and follow this link

http://redhot.ncat.org/mirrors/attra...pub/potmix.htm
l


Lots of great mixes without Vermiculite

Buy vermiculite from a Home Depot and save lots of $$$$ if you MUST
use it
Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets. To plant a
pine, one need only own a shovel.
-- Aldo Leopold

I don't use vermiculite, I use crushed or decomposed granite sand in my
mixes.