Hello guys, I've seen someone using just Perlite and Vermiculite, maybe I understood it wrong but can I use a mix of Perlite and Vermiculite to grow my autos? I need a simple mix to start with, simple and cheap...
Perlite and Vermiculite
- Thread starter Chupaxuxas
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Look up Hempy Pots in the Hydro forum. I use this method. I use a 4 to 1 ratio of perlite to vermiculite. The perlite will wick water up (and away be careful with this with seedlings) and the vermiculite will act like "cork" sponges to hold bits of water. My 113L (4 cubic feet) bag of perlite was $19 US, my 22 Liter bag of vermiculite was if i remember $10 or so........ I just use a 4 parts perlite to 1 part vermiculite ratio. Be sure to wash/rinse your perlite before you mix it. If you dont you can end up with perlite powder that kind of cements itself to the bottom of your pots.
Since i see you are looking in the Organics forum, Perlite and Vermiculite are Neutral that have no additives so you can still stay organic, while using a hydroponic method
Since i see you are looking in the Organics forum, Perlite and Vermiculite are Neutral that have no additives so you can still stay organic, while using a hydroponic method
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So this soil mix is only for those who are using a hydroponic kit right? Because I'm not doing that :dunno:
AndyBotwin
Weed Whisperer
Correct - perlite and vermiculite aren't soils themselves. Depending on which soil you choose, perlite may be added to lighten it and improve drainage. You could always start with a premixed soil from a garden center. Have you looked at what's available near you?
What type of grow media are you interested in trying? If you use 100% perlite/vermiculate combo you will be considered hydro. If you decide to use a "soil less mix" like peat/sphagnum moss mix, it is considered hydro. Coco coir is considered hydro. You can add perlite and/or vermiculite to the previous stated mediums to aerate the medium. If you want to use an actual soil "dirt" than lots of people have luck with Fox Farms Ocean Forest, or Light Warrior. You can run organics in either soil or hydro. Everything depends on what you want to start with.
Yeah, sometimes having this much information in one place can get a newbie confused ahah.
Yeah, but there aren't that great, I might have to go for that option, it's easier for me actually, what should I look for in a premixed soil? Just the basics, i'm pretty sure I can grow in just about any soil but what should I look for? When I had my outdoor grow I bought a soil that was kind of shit but the plant seemed to like it, I had 3 plants with soil from the terrain outside my house but the one plant that had the soil that I bought was bigger. Here's a photo of the soil, you can kind of see the soil, it had something that looked like bark but I'm not sure of what it was.
EDIT: What I want is dirt, I'm from Portugal so I don't recognize any of those brands. Like I said, I might have to buy some premixed soil from a plants shop, so what should I look for?
Yeah, but there aren't that great, I might have to go for that option, it's easier for me actually, what should I look for in a premixed soil? Just the basics, i'm pretty sure I can grow in just about any soil but what should I look for? When I had my outdoor grow I bought a soil that was kind of shit but the plant seemed to like it, I had 3 plants with soil from the terrain outside my house but the one plant that had the soil that I bought was bigger. Here's a photo of the soil, you can kind of see the soil, it had something that looked like bark but I'm not sure of what it was.
EDIT: What I want is dirt, I'm from Portugal so I don't recognize any of those brands. Like I said, I might have to buy some premixed soil from a plants shop, so what should I look for?
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And just because I use perlite/vermiculite as my mediium in hydro......does not mean that i constantly have running water, or pumps, or anything complex going on. I mix my feed, make sure the PH is right, and feed my plants. When my pots feel light 3-5 days later, i do it again. Hydro isnt complicated. My Hempy pots are just like taking care of houseplants (with a little bit more of adding nutes and PH adjusting.....which is normal in soil as well) Just depends on which hydro method you wish to take.
Yeah but it might be too complicated for me and even tho I haven't researched anything about hydro methods I think that it needs more space than a "normal" grow method.
