Anyone using VERMICULITE or PERLITE in their pot mix?

[msubzwari]

I recently started vegetable gardening in containers. In many blog posts and internet forums, I have read that following pot mix comes highly recommended.
- 1 part organic compost
- 1 part peat moss
- 1 part vermiculite or perlite
Based on my limited research in Karachi, last two items are not available.
Peat moss can be replaced with Coco Peat or Coir which is available in Karachi. However, I can not find any information about vermiculite/perlite. These are supposed to increase water retention while improving aeration in pot mix due to their granularity.

Is there any one here using vermiculite or perlite?
If yes, I would appreciate advise on where can I find vermiculite/perlite in Karachi.

Thanks

[mirafzalkhan]

Asalamalakum msubzwari, Welcome to the forum
Perlite, vermiculte and Peat Moss are available in Karachi at:
Vitax garden shop # 24-C, sunset boulevard near H.S.P. DHA garden center, phase 2.
Phone: 021-36041800
Cell: 0321-8281924

Approx. prices:
Perlite 600-700 /10Lit. Bag
Peat Moss 1500/100Lit. Bag

So the cost of mix per lit is more than Rs.25 & it is very costly. This type of mix mainly use for unusual and rare plants to start seeds and for root cuttings.
But yes they have very good advantages over normal soil mix, Potting mix has particles larger than soil to allow the flow of water and air in the container, they drain well while still retaining sufficient water for plants and most important they are sterile mix so no pest for plants.

[dak]

Well i have been searching for them too, and luckly here in lahore you can find them from Chanandin seed store & from More Green Seeds. Chanandin sell the pack for 1000 Rs each and More Greens rate is 750 for each pack. Not sure where you can get them from karachi but i hope good seed stores should have them.

[msubzwari]

Asalamalakum msubzwari, Welcome to the forum
Perlite, vermiculte and Peat Moss are available in Karachi at:
Vitax garden shop # 24-C, sunset boulevard near H.S.P. DHA garden center, phase 2.
Phone: 021-36041800
Cell: 0321-8281924

Approx. prices:
Perlite 600-700 /10Lit. Bag
Peat Moss 1500/100Lit. Bag

So the cost of mix per lit is more than Rs.25 & it is very costly. This type of mix mainly use for unusual and rare plants to start seeds and for root cuttings.
But yes they have very good advantages over normal soil mix, Potting mix has particles larger than soil to allow the flow of water and air in the container, they drain well while still retaining sufficient water for plants and most important they are sterile mix so no pest for plants.

Thanks Mir Sb. You just made my day!
Yes cost per litre is high indeed but then, I intend to grow vegetables and a sterile pot mix with least pest issues is what I am looking forward to. Besides, vermiculite/perlite is re-usable so a little investment should go a long way.

[msubzwari]

Well i have been searching for them too, and luckly here in lahore you can find them from Chanandin seed store & from More Green Seeds. Chanandin sell the pack for 1000 Rs each and More Greens rate is 750 for each pack. Not sure where you can get them from karachi but i hope good seed stores should have them.

Thanks @dak. Appreciate your input.
By the way, which one are you mentioning here (peat moss? vermiculite? or perlite?)

[dak]

I ment both perlite and vermiculite.

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

There are many a way to skin a cat.
You can make your own mixes from locally available materials, exectly to your requirement.
Let us have a detailed discussion on the subject.

[msubzwari]

I ended up doing exactly that. I found vermiculite and peat moss at Vitax Garden shop but prices were too much. Vermiculite was being sold for 1000 Rs per bag and it was fine grade while I needed coarse grade. Also peat moss bag was 3000 Rs. for 100 litre bag.

So I ended up buying:
- 1 brick of coconut coir for Rs 50 (to use in place of peat moss).
- 1 10 litre bag of 2-in-1 organic compost for Rs 200 & about same quantity of compost from nursery for Rs 50.
- Some charcoal (I already had at home for use in BBq) which I crushed to pea size granules

So My current pot mix consists of:
- 1 part coconut coir (I put the brick in 4 liter water which it soaked up and broke apart into a nice/moist medium).
- 1 part organic compost (i mixed 2-in-1 and another compost in equal quantities)
- 1/2 part crushed charcoal

It's been almost a month since i transplanted my cucumbers from seeding trays to clay pots containing above mix. They are doing well and i can see some flower buds starting to show.

[inam]

from where u got coconut coir sabzwari?

[inam]

i think i can use it for rooftop gardening obviously kitchen gardening b/c of low weight(i hope it would be) , water retention and pest free.