What is the difference between peat moss and vermiculite

As the manure breaks down the fibers in the straw, a lighter and airier compost forms that is comparable to peat moss in its density. In addition to fully decomposed compost, you might have success aerating the soil directly with other natural materials. Wood from a chipper may be produced finely enough to have a similar benefit.

Dried lawn clippings may work well too, as long as they have not been chemically treated in any way. If better drainage is all you are after, a fine layer of sand could do the trick. This can be especially effective when growing certain vine fruits and veggies. Perlite is another little-known tool that has made gardening a dream for me, and has rescued me from many tricky situations. This product is a puffed-up volcanic rock material that resembles tiny foam balls, and it is available by the bag online and from garden supply stores.

Small cavities on the surface of each particle of perlite help to retain water, and keep nutrients near root systems. It also promotes drainage by keeping the soil airy, as each particle is comprised of tiny air passages. Hoffman Horticultural Perlite. For example, you can find an quart supply of perlite from Hoffman, via Amazon. Espoma Organic Perlite. If you need a smaller quantity, try this 8-quart bag from Espoma, available from Amazon.

We use perlite for seed starting, improving raised beds , and lightening the bottoms of large planters that need good drainage. And it really works miracles in my garden without affecting the pH of the soil. One final option is vermiculite, which is often used interchangeably with perlite in conversation — but they are not in fact the same. Perlite, as described above, is made from super-heated volcanic glass, and it resembles foam or popcorn.

Vermiculite, which is soft and spongy, is made from super-heated aluminum iron magnesium silicates that resemble mica in appearance.

Because it expands so much during its heating process, it has the ability to absorb times its volume in water. It also does an excellent job of retaining minerals needed for plants to grow, making it one of the better soil additives for root growth and health. Vermiculite is produced by several companies, and is usually offered in four particulate sizes. The tiniest is most commonly used for starting seeds. It is very close to neutral in pH, but can be slightly alkaline, depending on where and under what conditions it was mined.

Espoma Organic Vermiculite. Espoma offers an 8-quart bag of organic vermiculite via Amazon. There is currently very little information on whether this substance is at risk of being depleted in the near future, but there is no way to replace the materials that make it.

There has also been some concern regarding the safety of vermiculite, mostly likely due to an asbestos contamination event at a Libby, Montana, mine, which closed in The Libby mine harvested both asbestos and the material needed to make vermiculite. The vermiculite became contaminated with asbestos, causing products to be contaminated. Vermiculite sold today would not come from this now-shuttered mine, nor would it be in the supply channel after all this time.

Regarding perlite and vermiculite, your best bet is to experiment with these materials to see what you like best. Compost also consists of decomposed organic material, but it decomposed in the presence of the air. Meanwhile, for peat moss to form the air needs to be absent. Coco coir is the outer husk of the coconut, a by-product of the coconut processing industry. And it is a definitely another excellent alternative for peat moss for over 20 years.

This material is a lot coarser and has larger spaces between their particles, so it is better aerated. Coconut is often manufactured in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam because it is abundant in these places. Again coco coir shared some great traits with peat moss, including good water retainment, high porosity. There are many other options, which can be listed such as pine bark, PittMoss, Rice hulls, and so on.

No doubt, peat moss is a great material for gardening with all of its benefits and good uses as mentioned above. But asking that question, you can base your answer on these points to make the best of the material as well as deciding whether to use it or not. A better idea to mix with other materials to get the best-mixed traits.

So if you grow in large quantity, and the price is an issue, you can use compost. And finally, peat moss is not renewable. So if you are environmentally aware, you may want to reduce your use of peat moss to just seed starting, pot, container, and soilless mixes instead of soil amendment, and lawn work in large quantities.

Or you can completely replace it with other alternatives like compost, coco coir, pine bark, and other organic matters. What is it used for? What is Peat Moss? Table of Contents. Peat Vs. Peat Moss Vs.

Sphagnum Moss. History of Peat Moss. Benefits of Peat Moss. Moisture retention. Does not compact. Downsides of Peat Moss. Virtually devoid of nutrients. Watch the pH of your mixture. Non-renewable resource. How to use Peat Moss. Soil amendment. Leaves or compost manure instead of peat moss. Two popular organic choices are leaves or manure compost, which have been aerobically decomposed. Bark or pine sawdust. Coconut coir: the ideal organic peat moss alternative.

Coco coir: the beginning of an organic horticulture revolution. Peat Moss Uses Gardeners use peat moss mainly as a soil amendment or ingredient in potting soil. It has an acid pH, so it's ideal for acid loving plants , such as blueberries and camellias. For plants that like a more alkaline soil, compost may be a better choice. Peat moss alone does not make a good potting medium. Perlite is a hard, highly porous material made by super-heating volcanic glass. Vermiculite retains more water and retains it for longer periods than perlite.

Vermiculite affords slightly less aeration than perlite. For plants that thrive growing in a more-wet soil, vermiculite would do well as a potting soil additive. Vermiculite added to the garden or vermiculite in potting soil increases water and nutrient retention and aerates the soil , resulting in healthier, more robust plants.

When horticultural perlite is added to heavy clay soils, surface puddles and surface crusting may be eliminated. Perlite is inorganic and does not deteriorate. It has essentially neutral pH of 6. Perlite can serve as an insulator to reduce extreme soil temperature fluctuations. There is no reason to avoid using sand , unless you will be moving the containers frequently. Pool filter sand is too fine.

The fine particles will make the soil mix like concrete. Perlite is a good alternative to sand but it has drawbacks. Mel has always been a big fan of vermiculite and thinks that it is far superior to perlite. Perlite and vermiculite are both lightweight sand substitutes for soilless potting mixes which are often used to improve aeration and texture in potting soil and garden soil mixtures.

Both are odorless, sterile, disease-free, insect-free, and seed-free. Neither medium will rot, deteriorate, or decompose. Both mediums are used as an ingredient in soilless potting mixes that are made for the cultivation of plants as well as for seed germination, propagation, hydroponics, containers, and transplants.

They are both also commonly used as carriers in dry fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to improve coverage. Both perlite and vermiculite are put to use in the garden to improve drainage, prevent compacted soil and increase moisture retention. They are both used in propagation of new plants and for seed starting and cultivation for indoor growing, outdoor growing, and composting.

The differences in the way each medium retains water and how much water each medium can retain make them suitable for different applications. Vermiculite is perfect for plants that enjoy lots of water, such as some irises and forget-me-nots.

Perlite dries out too quickly for water-loving plants. The amount of water that vermiculite holds is too much for plants like cacti, succulents, or rhododendrons, which need a well-draining soil.

Using vermiculite for plants like these could lead to root rot or death. Perlite is harder, is white in color, and is made out of mined volcanic rock. Perlite is slightly alkaline, while vermiculite tends to be closer to neutral. Vermiculite and perlite do share many qualities. Both products are inorganic, lightweight, and relatively sterile. And of course, both are used as a soil amendment to aerate soil—though perlite provides more aeration than vermiculite.

However, vermiculite holds more moisture and keeps it available in the soil longer than perlite will. So how do you know which one you should choose? Vermiculite is also the best choice if the plants in your garden are sensitive to alkalinity in the soil.

Vermiculite is also the go-to when it comes to starting seeds because it protects seedlings against damping-off and other fungal diseases that can threaten them as they start to grow. Perlite is optimal when it comes to rooting cuttings from established plants because it helps prevent the rot that can otherwise be a challenge.

Perlite is also the best option for planting epiphytes, cacti, succulents, and other plants that require plenty of drainage and aeration and can tolerate a slightly higher pH level. Use perlite to root cuttings or grow cacti, succulents, epiphytes, and other plants that benefit from quickly draining soil with plenty of aeration.

Perlite can also offer a humidity boost to plants that need it. Vermiculite is better suited for starting seeds and other situations when plants require plenty of moisture consistently available in their soil. To reuse your perlite, simply pick through it to remove any plant bits you find, such as root segments. Then rinse the perlite thoroughly. If sterility is a concern, you can sterilize your perlite in 10 percent bleach solution.

Use water to dilute. After soaking in the bleach mixture for 20 minutes, rinse thoroughly. Most plants can be grown with success in perlite without anything else added to it. You will need to water your plants, of course, and supply them with nutrients from an appropriate fertilizer.

Mixing perlite into the soil in your outdoor garden beds or combining it with potting soil or another medium is the most common way to use perlite.