Has Anyone Used Vermiculite?
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The Helpful Gardener
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Joined: 10 Feb 2004
Posts: 5195
Location: Colchester, CT
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 Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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And we're glad your here to do that Emma... 
Rainbow, sense of place is what gardening should be all about. Linking soil to plant to environment. Very nicely put...
Stella, the "ounces of fossil fuel" is likely gallons; we are heating rocks until they go pop; I have seen many a rock in a campfire loaded with mica (we have lots of schist in this area) and I have yet to see one pop. While fossil fuel consumption is not the sole responsibility of gardeners, I have always thought of it as a good indicator for good gardening practice. Chemical fertilizers? Four gallons to the 50 lb. bag of 10-10-10 in that Haber Bosch process. I use hand tools whereever and whenever I can short of real time killers like taking down a tree or mowing the lawn (won't SOMEONE come up with an electric rechargeable mower I can set at 4 inches?).
Mined, heat processed garden ammendments are certainly a high impact item, when compost actually is restoring carbon to the soil instead of dumping huge amounts into the atmosphere (a pretty well-recognized bad thing to do). If you've got it it already I guess it makes sense to use it up (this isn't a pesticide or like direct damage consideration), but please consider all the effects of any garden product (key word is production) before purchasing. Mining is by nature a destructive process that capitalizes non-renewable resources. That doesn't sound good to me...
And the biggest reason not to do it? Perlite and vermiculites use as a soil amendment has been highly questionable since they were introduced; here's an OLD article from 1952, a US Geological Administration article that points out mineral supplements tendency to powder, and most damning of all...
| Quote: | When mixed with a sandy loam
soil even in amounts up to 50 per cent
by volume, they do little to alter the field
capacity, wilting point or available moisture
capacity. |
Anybody using this stuff at more than a 50/50 mix?  
Conversely the compost is a sure thing for many reasons; soil aggregation through polysaccharide generation, capillary action and soil voids from fungal structure and the inherent capacity of humus are the things that really build holding capacity in soils. Using man-made products may make you FEEL better, but efficacious? Not usually...
HG
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Scott Reil
The Helpful Gardener |
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Morning Light
New Member
Joined: 02 Nov 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa, Zone 5
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| Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Enlightening post, HG. Mining IS destructive. If it is any consolation, I reuse the vermiculite year after year for storing bulbs. Not like it's going to decompose....
Emma
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Emma Elle
"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." -- Aristotle |
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stella1751
Green Thumb
Joined: 13 Jul 2009
Posts: 343
Location: Wyoming
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 1:27 am Post subject: |
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| The Helpful Gardener wrote: |
Rainbow, sense of place is what gardening should be all about. Linking soil to plant to environment. Very nicely put...
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HG, given that the most infamous vermiculite mine in the world lies just north of me, in Montana, I think sense of place is present. I read that Virginia and South Carolina are another two vermiculite rich areas.
| The Helpful Gardener wrote: |
Stella, the "ounces of fossil fuel" is likely gallons; we are heating rocks until they go pop; I have seen many a rock in a campfire loaded with mica (we have lots of schist in this area) and I have yet to see one pop . . . Mined, heat processed garden ammendments are certainly a high impact item, when compost actually is restoring carbon to the soil instead of dumping huge amounts into the atmosphere (a pretty well-recognized bad thing to do).
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Agricultural vermiculite is not heated. The stuff I have on hand just looks like teeny tiny mica flakes.
| The Helpful Gardener wrote: |
And the biggest reason not to do it? Perlite and vermiculites use as a soil amendment has been highly questionable since they were introduced; here's an OLD article from 1952, a US Geological Administration article that points out mineral supplements tendency to powder, and most damning of all...
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Here's a newer link detailing a 1980's experiment in Brazil.
A quote from the article says, | Quote: | | "[In this experiment] Fertilizer was applied in a similar way all over (NPK 4-30-10), at the rate of 220 kg/ha. The plot that had vermiculite showed a production of 1.575 kg/ha as against 1.221 kg/ha. This means an increase of 29% in productivity!" |
I've gotta be honest with you, the more I read about this, the more I like it! I don't like that it is mined, but I don't know about the type of mining used, so I can't criticize it blindfolded. There are responsible mining companies out there, companies that leave the land better than they found it.
I think I am making a choice between unnecessary water consumption and the fuel it takes to extract one bag of vermiculite, create the bag, and ship the bag. I seriously think the water wins out. The vermiculite will last for decades, if not longer. The water savings will be on a daily basis during our hot spells.
| The Helpful Gardener wrote: |
Anybody using this stuff at more than a 50/50 mix?
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Ditto that, HG. I'm guessing I mix mine at roughly 1%, but I can't be certain without doing the math. If anyone out there can figure what percentage five large trowels of vermiculite are in a bathtub full of amended soil, that's my mix. Sometimes I use six, but only if there are two partially full trowels. I can guess the trowels would fill a two-quart pitcher.
| The Helpful Gardener wrote: |
Using man-made products may make you FEEL better, but efficacious? Not usually...
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You know vermiculite is a natural mineral, right?
So, here's the scoop: Vermiculite occurs naturally in my part of the country. It is a mineral, not a man-made product. For agricultural processes, it is not heated. It assists in water retention and, if you read the article at the above hyperlink, it actually has demonstrated an ability to lessen nutrient run-off during wet spells.
Best of all, the research I did to counter these arguments showed me how to best use it!
I think poor vermiculite is misunderstood. I see many, many misconceptions about this mineral. I think the Libby, Montana, debacle is to blame, though, so I can understand that
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Stella1751
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The Helpful Gardener
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Joined: 10 Feb 2004
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Location: Colchester, CT
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| Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 3:40 am Post subject: |
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Hey Stella,
Thanks for all the homework; I had always thought of vermiculite as the puffed stuff and had no idea the raw form had uses in the garden (I WAS aware it is a natural mineral; I just think mining to grow things is a bad idea. I don't like mined humates either, as we can create humus with local plant detritus in a far more earth-friendly manner).
I had not thought about it from an increased Cation Exchange Capacity POV, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised; clay is a good example of another mineral that really increases CEC (ability to hold nutrients). That could explain the boost in growth and harvest. I was referring more to water retention than fertility, but this is good to know. I also remember somebody telling me about using stone base in bonsai soil; something about the sharp particle increasing hair rooting. Increase in root mass might help account for some boost as well. Likely a combination of factors, but I am still certain increased field capacity isn't it.
I guess my question would be why mine when we can get increases in CEC from waste sources like stonecutting? Granite counter-tops going into houses like nobody's business; granite can do all the above and adds potassium too! Rather than a big hole in the ground we utilize what has been garbage to date. Actually volcanic ash is the best mineral for increasing CEC, and Mother makes more all the time; no need to poke a hole in her there either...  Is perlite or vermiculite natural? Yep. Organic? 2 for 2. Do we improve it's effectiveness processing it? Nope. Is it greener than chemical fertilization? Hey-yeah it is. Is it as green as we can get? 
HG
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Scott Reil
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Sage Hermit
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Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 94
Location: Finlaysen, MN Zone 3b
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:53 am Post subject: |
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What about coco? and coffe grinds?
How can I use those?
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The Helpful Gardener
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Joined: 10 Feb 2004
Posts: 5195
Location: Colchester, CT
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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Lots of stuff in the Compost forum on those topics, Sage. Try using the search box at the top of the page and you will pull up tons of stuff on both, I am sure...
HG
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Scott Reil
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Sage Hermit
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Joined: 13 Mar 2009
Posts: 94
Location: Finlaysen, MN Zone 3b
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:45 am Post subject: |
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Sorry and thanks.
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