vermiculite

i have a bag of unopened vermiculite sitting around my house and was wondering if it would be good for the growth of my mary jane plant if i were to mix it in with the potting soil i have my plant in.

 

you can use it, i used to, but don't anymore. i dont' know how beneficial it is, but it certainly won't do them any harm

sorry thats not very helpfull is it really! i'm sure someone else will know more

 

Helps aerate the soil as well as improve drainage and is neutral in ph.

 

told ya someone would know

i thought it was perlite that aerated the soil! isn't vermiculite those little squashy things that retain water and nutrients? like gold colour?

 

You are right about the visual discription of vermiculite.It possessses cation properties which allows it to hold and make available nutrient laden moisture.Pretty much the same thing as perlite except it holds more moisture.

 

thanks for the help!.

 

only problem with using it outdoors is the sparkle it has and doesnt look like native soil, mix in good and have a layer of soil over thats its not mixed in

 

Well it wouldn't hurt but it is better to use it with a mix of perlite - you will have the aeration and moisture retention. 20% 20% + 60% soil.