What else can vermiculite be used for?
Some people mix it into compost to create an open texture. Some people pack tubers into it (e.g. dahlias) for winter storage. Personally, I use it as a top-dressing on pots of small seeds such as grasses, conifer seeds and annual flowers. To use as a top-dressing, fill a pot or tray with compost, firm and level it. Water it. Sprinkle the small seeds onto the surface. Then put a quarter to half inch layer of vermiculite over the top. A top-dressing of vermiculite has several advantages over compost or soil: 1) it doesn’t contain weed seeds, 2) it s very lightweight so easy for the seedlings to push through, 3) there’s no danger of it solidifying into a solid crust, 4) it allows light to get through which is needed for the germination of some seeds.
