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Vermiculite or Perlite?

Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
in Talkback

What is the difference and as some of my seeds packets say to cover the seeds with Vermiculite.  Will Perlite do the same job?

Posts

  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527

    I use vermiculite for my seedling, like verdun said it retains water well helping seedling from drying out, it also has trace minerals like magnesium.

    When sprinkled very thinly on top I think it helps with evaporation - damping off but still lets sunlight to penetrate.  

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053

    I use perlite in the compost to aid drainage but use vermiculite on top of seed trays.

    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267
    Perlite also looks like small polystyrene balls and blows away in the wind if used as a top dressing for seedlings were as vermiculite doesn'timage
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713

    Oh dear - I only have perlite so used that on the tops of the trays of Gazania seeds planted today - I will give them a couple of weeks to germinate or not....  I must say that the Gazania seed packets are not very generous - only a couple of dozen seeds per packet, however the plants are well worth the effort - the flowers were sensational last year.

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