I had 10 liters of soil that I wanted to use for my home garden. It turned out to be very dense and oily. It needed to be “diluted” with something. While researching soil mixtures, I discovered perlite and vermiculite for plants.
What is vermiculite? It is a mineral that is processed in special conveyor ovens at temperatures up to 900 degrees Celsius. The ore expands, flakes, and becomes similar to noodles, and is then broken into fragments of various sizes.
Chemical formula of vermiculite:
(Н20)-(Mg,Ca,K)-(Al,Fe,Mg)-(Si,Al,Fe)4 O10(OH)2 or hydrated magnesium-ammonium-aluminum-iron-silicon.
Depending on the size of the pieces (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), vermiculite is used in construction, hydroponics, floriculture, etc. For our purposes, sizes 2-4 are suitable. The material is almost weightless, but once its pores absorb water, it becomes five times heavier. Along with water, the pores retain a lot of air, making it a unique component of the soil mixture.
Additionally, vermiculite contains a natural supply of potassium and magnesium, which gradually leaches into the soil and is absorbed by plant roots. Vermiculite loosens the soil, provides an air reserve in the mix, and if you fertilize the plants, vermiculite will hold the nutrients and gradually release them to the roots.
A complement to vermiculite can be perlite. It is also a mineral subjected to the same hydrothermal treatment as vermiculite. The main difference between perlite and vermiculite is that perlite cannot retain fertilizers.
Composition of perlite:
- Silicon
- Aluminum
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Iron
- Potassium
- Titanium
- Manganese
All these elements are in bound form and cannot be absorbed by plants. Therefore, vermiculite can play the role of a fertilizer.
Perlite can be effectively used instead of sand. Be cautious, as perlite is very dusty, and since it is actually volcanic glass, it’s best to moisten it with a sprayer before working with it.
The combination of vermiculite and perlite in the soil mixture provides an optimal environment for plants.
