Perlite vermiculite blend

11 years ago

I am growing a row of Bato buckets and I'm using 3 parts perlite to 1 part vermiculite. Looking to grow onions, scallions, carrots, leeks and a cherry tomato thrown in ( with foliar feeding). In an indoor setting where would some of the more experienced growers begin with the nutrient feed. Once a day, twice?

Thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

cole_robbie
11 years ago
Foliar feeding might work, but you don't really need to do it. A healthy plant can get everything it needs through its roots.

I think you'd be including nutrients in every watering, and the frequency would depend upon a few things, like the size of your container, the ambient temperature, and the size of the plants. A lot of commercial growers use perlite and a continuous slow drip. The vermiculite in your mixture will hold moisture, so you wouldn't need to feed continuously.
marklucas
11 years ago
I had some experience regarding perlite and vermiculite. I havenÃ¢ÂÂt used it for a long time, but did in past. I had terrible experience when I used the vermiculite; as I got terrible problems while growing things. I have a real problem accurately judging the moisture level with the vermiculite.
sdgrower
11 years ago
Start with a minute every hour or two and see how it goes, then go from there. Perlite alone drains well, not sure what the vermiculite will do. My bato buckets only have perlite and I water every hour anywhere from one to ten minutes, but there are in a greenhouse with a lot of sun.
The tomatoes are going to need way more nutrients, water, light, space, time and heat than the other things you are growing, and it will yield way less. I would consider growing it separately or at the end of the system.
The bato buckets do hold water at bottom but the roots need to grow down there first.
ricksindoorgarden
Original Author
11 years ago
I'm learning about the vermiculite in the perlite mix the hard way. Two of the 11 bato buckets must have a bit more vermiculite than the others and the entire bucket full of media with the plants in it floated up and refuses to drain, the other 9 are fine. I'll refill those 2 buckets with just perlite and see what happens. The tomatoes in the system are an experiment to see if they can grow as the system has both worm tea spiked with beneficial fungus which is said to expand on the plants ability to use available nutrients. Hopefully they will take nutrient from the weaker solution and I can replenish as the EC drops but keep it at a lower maximum so I don't over do it for the other plants.