Anyone using VERMICULITE or PERLITE in their pot mix?

[Izhar]

I use the same sand used in construction, sieved i.e. taking out the larger particles..

[khalidaminryk]

thanx dear Mr. Izhar ..
i hav't used this sand before for potting mix .. but now i will change all my potting mix by adding this sand .. one thing more i live in rahimyar khan temp = 47-50 .. and by placing pots on floor of tiled or cemented i doubt my plants roots remain on high temp so i m now making racks of cane to place pots in that 4" above floor tops .. will it help my plants to show growth ??

[Beanier]

I am also living in karachi. I have been to vitax and also called around to many places. But is there anywhere to buy regualar. Potting soil instead of composte/sand/perilite/peat moss. Like just normal n potting soil?

[dragoonsers]

I dunno. Best "potting" soil imo is, 1/3 khad and 2/3 balu mitti.

[sajeel]

can any of u tell me wht do u call vermiculate in urdu ?

[Farhan Ahmed]

Its available with same name.

[teepujee]

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
Dear brother could you please explain the term coconut coir and 2-1 organic composte in urdu as I should use when visiting local nursery. Also if you could name some nursery for these things

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.

[Muhammad Bilal]

in my years of growing, i have only used vercumlite and perlite once, i stopped using it as i found it just a extra expense, as my seeds germinated anyway in regular multi compost. so i stopped using it and still get great germioantion rates.. It just seems overkill, seeds and plants have been around longer than us hmans and they can cope without it

The same why i stopped using rooting hormone powder, its a waste of money DONT BUY IT!!! it doesnt work, i have grown cuttings without any rooting powder for years and still get high success rate. A while ago i made 20 cuttings of chilli plants , 10 dipped in rooting powder and 10 just natural and all 10 of the natural rooted really well and only 8 out of 10 for the rooting gel/powder.

aslong as you have loamy soil or compost you dont need perlite and vercumilte or even rooting gel.

I agree with u Rizwan Sb, In my personal field and practical experience, our bhal or loamy soil with rooted leaves or compost with small amount of fine sand shows better result than perlite, vermiculate and peat moss etc. perlite, vermiculate, peatmoss these all are commercial soil media.

It is not necessary to use rooting hormones like gel or powder or etc. if u have bhal or loamy soil with rooted leaves or compost.

[Drsahab]

Where did you get the coco coir form bro?

[msubzwari]

Coco peat/coir is available from any seed / gardening supplies shop. These are in brick form. When put in water, the coco peat absorbs water to expand and disintegrate. The couple of Gardening supplies shop near old sabzi mandi, Karachi (next to Suzuki Showroom) have them.