Sarr Seed question: Vermiculite?

[rco911]

Hi guys,

I am just wondering if anyone has used vermiculite to start sarracenia seeds? I have not used vermiculite, but just wanted feedback on it from those of you who have. pros/cons? Good/bad/ugly? I am having great great success with chopped sphagnum, but wanted to expirement a bit.

Thanks in advance!

 

[polywer2345]

i have used peat and it worked well but pure vermiculite might not work well, if i were you i would stick to spaghnum

 

[Capensis]

I don't think it would be good because it drains away and Sarracenias don't like to be drained like that.

 

[rco911]

I don't think it would be good because it drains away and Sarracenias don't like to be drained like that.

well -- not necessarily. It would still be the tray method, and still moist. My chopped sphagnum is maybe 1cm thick or so, and below that layer is peat/perlite mixture in a pot. As the seedlings root, they will find their way down there eventually... just wanted to find out what people have experienced using vermiculite.

 

[Alexis]

I seem to recall vermiculite was something to be avoided, it mentions in The Savage Garden.

I don't actually know of anyone using it, only perlite.

Vermiculite contains clay, which is bad.

 

[Fryster]

Vermiculite contains clay, which is bad.

Yeah, but it's fire-proof.........

Ya know, in case your plants burst into flame in the hot sun.

 

[growergray]

I seem to recall vermiculite was something to be avoided, it mentions in The Savage Garden.

I don't actually know of anyone using it, only perlite.

Vermiculite contains clay, which is bad.

Actually, I think Savage Garden just says that its not usually used except with Neps and Pings due to it being slightly richer in minerals. Didn't say anything about avoiding it.

I've got a couple Sarrs in a peat/perlite/vermiculite mix. They seem to be doing pretty darn well, but they haven't been in there for too long either so....it was really kind of an experiment for me anyways. I'll let you guys know how its turning out in a few months

 

[gardenofeden]

I find that vermiculite and CPs do not make good bedfellows and I experienced long-term stunting and decline of almost any Cp grown with it.. The only exception would be Pinguicula (I have not tried with Nepenthes).