replying to Laura J, M Casey wrote:
In addition to potential downside of using vermiculite, there is the fact that
peat moss harvesting is environmentally unsustainable. Even though peatlands occupy only 3% of the Earth's surface, they store a third of the world’s soil carbon, twice as much as forests, and when they are harvested, carbon dioxide is released, the major greenhouse gas driving climate change. Many people recommend coconut coir as an environmentally friendly alternative to peat moss.
--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/garden/vermiculite-alternative-for-square-foot-gardening-15015-.htm
Vermiculite Alternatives
Finely ground pine bark, also called "pine fines," is a principal
ingredient
of most potting mixes. As an alternative to vermiculite, pine fines also offer water-retentive qualities, especially with smaller particle sizes. Cotton gin waste includes gin leavings, such as stems, leaves and hulls. Cotton gin compost renders these waste products into a viable
alternative to
vermiculite, also because of its ability to increase water-holding
qualities
in mixes. Resembling sphagnum peat moss, coir is the finished product of ground coconut husks. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service reports that coir can retain up to nine times its weight in water.
After the Libby Montana mine was closed down there was another source
found in the Carolinas which has since been depleted. Most of the
vermiculite we have been using has been imported from Algeria but
because of the political unrest there imports have been curtailed.
Unless a new source is found there will be no more vermiculite or a very limited supply which will be more expensive.
| Sysop: | Keyop |
|---|---|
| Location: | Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, UK |
| Users: | 374 |
| Nodes: | 16 (3 / 13) |
| Uptime: | 140:54:30 |
| Calls: | 7,958 |
| Calls today: | 3 |
| Files: | 13,011 |
| Messages: | 5,813,947 |