I address this to Welshonion , information came from The Wikipedia .A few days earlier which I refer to a lot. I don't think the information IS printed to cause A PANIC. It is awareness that is all . I myself would prefer to be aware of these points than to be ignorant . I recently lost a good friend and family member to the terrible killer illness, Lung Cancer caused by asbestos. My father worked where vermiculite was used in great quantities in building 25 years ago . So NO ! I am not causing panic just awareness. As I said I use this myself -it is good for germinating seed. It does keep them warm .
lucky3, my post was not directed at you. It should perhaps be remembered that heating pipes as found on commercial nurseries in the past were lagged with asbestos, as were heating pipes in other localities including naval ships, factories, etc. Asbestos was used widely in the past.
This is for Jane cardiff. I'm still learning and a novice but vermiculite improves aeration and drainage which is good for seeds/cuttings, it improves germination and reduces the risk of damping off. Vermiculite is usually spread on top of a seed tray.
Perlite does the same as above and retains moisture. Perlite is usually mixed with compost.
They look very different. Vermiculite is dusty and perlite looks like tiny polystirene balls. It's alot lighter than vermiculite and would blow away if spread on top of a seed tray hence me thinks it's mixed with compost.
To all members on here i simply asked a question i am sorry if i have offended anyone like welshonion.Yes i have looked around the internet but i thought the best way for an answer was from Most experts like most of you on this fine forum but yet again theres always one who likes to mix things up lol
Hi Welsh onion, Please accept my sincere apologies, I totaly got the wrong end of he stick - My apologies too to everyone .I will try not to jump in at the wrong time in future. But like a lot of things, we hear they are safe and then the oppositte best thing - use with caution. bye for now, lucky3
I think lots of dusty substances can be carcinogenic or toxic in some way if you breathe them in. I'm careful about not only perlite etc but also bone meal, Growmore, iron sulphate, and any other garden chemicals in powder form. They may be perfectly safe to use on food crops but harmful if you inhale them directly into your lungs. Measures like handling them in the open air and staying upwind while you do so are common sense. And if I think I've breathed some in, I give my nose a good blow!
Vermiculite acts as an assistance to good drainage in compost, and can be used to cover small seeds in trays, the kind that need some light to help with germination. I always mix some in the compost I am using for pots, as not only does it help with keeping the soil open and draining well, it holds some moisture within in, so if something gets really dry there is a little moisture for the plant to get at. I have found it better than water retaining gel in baskets, as it does not go into the sticky clumps the gel tends to.
It is in no way dangerous, but as you would not breath in loose compost by waving it around in the air, neither should you do so with anything else - as ever, a little common sense applied works wonders.
Perlite is basically epanded polystyrene, and does much the same job as vermiculite, but I prefer the latter as it is not an oil based product as perlite is. Which one you use is a personal choice.
Are you sure Perlite is anything to do with polystyrene ? After using it broken up in my compost for drainage I was told that these two products couldnt be more opposit . I was told polystyrene is a man made product where as pearlite is a natural volcanic discovery product ?
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I address this to Welshonion , information came from The Wikipedia .A few days earlier which I refer to a lot. I don't think the information IS printed to cause A PANIC. It is awareness that is all . I myself would prefer to be aware of these points than to be ignorant . I recently lost a good friend and family member to the terrible killer illness, Lung Cancer caused by asbestos. My father worked where vermiculite was used in great quantities in building 25 years ago . So NO ! I am not causing panic just awareness. As I said I use this myself -it is good for germinating seed. It does keep them warm .
lucky3, my post was not directed at you. It should perhaps be remembered that heating pipes as found on commercial nurseries in the past were lagged with asbestos, as were heating pipes in other localities including naval ships, factories, etc. Asbestos was used widely in the past.
This is for Jane cardiff. I'm still learning and a novice but vermiculite improves aeration and drainage which is good for seeds/cuttings, it improves germination and reduces the risk of damping off. Vermiculite is usually spread on top of a seed tray.
Perlite does the same as above and retains moisture. Perlite is usually mixed with compost.
They look very different. Vermiculite is dusty and perlite looks like tiny polystirene balls. It's alot lighter than vermiculite and would blow away if spread on top of a seed tray hence me thinks it's mixed with compost.
Hi Welshonion was i starting panic no i was not i was simply asking a question so please do get you facts right
To all members on here i simply asked a question i am sorry if i have offended anyone like welshonion.Yes i have looked around the internet but i thought the best way for an answer was from Most experts like most of you on this fine forum but yet again theres always one who likes to mix things up lol
Kevin, it wasn't directed at you either. I've looked at the Wiki entry, but it is hedged all around with caveats, so who knows?
Hi Welsh onion, Please accept my sincere apologies, I totaly got the wrong end of he stick - My apologies too to everyone .I will try not to jump in at the wrong time in future. But like a lot of things, we hear they are safe and then the oppositte best thing - use with caution. bye for now, lucky3
I think lots of dusty substances can be carcinogenic or toxic in some way if you breathe them in. I'm careful about not only perlite etc but also bone meal, Growmore, iron sulphate, and any other garden chemicals in powder form. They may be perfectly safe to use on food crops but harmful if you inhale them directly into your lungs. Measures like handling them in the open air and staying upwind while you do so are common sense. And if I think I've breathed some in, I give my nose a good blow!
Vermiculite acts as an assistance to good drainage in compost, and can be used to cover small seeds in trays, the kind that need some light to help with germination. I always mix some in the compost I am using for pots, as not only does it help with keeping the soil open and draining well, it holds some moisture within in, so if something gets really dry there is a little moisture for the plant to get at. I have found it better than water retaining gel in baskets, as it does not go into the sticky clumps the gel tends to.
It is in no way dangerous, but as you would not breath in loose compost by waving it around in the air, neither should you do so with anything else - as ever, a little common sense applied works wonders.
Perlite is basically epanded polystyrene, and does much the same job as vermiculite, but I prefer the latter as it is not an oil based product as perlite is. Which one you use is a personal choice.
Are you sure Perlite is anything to do with polystyrene ? After using it broken up in my compost for drainage I was told that these two products couldnt be more opposit . I was told polystyrene is a man made product where as pearlite is a natural volcanic discovery product ?
Now I'm confused!