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mky
MadMan

Registered: 07/10/05
Posts: 51
Loc: If you know tell me
Last seen: 15 years, 3 months
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Vermiculite alternatives in casing
#5302419 - 02/15/06 08:59 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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I have searched around but cant find a vermiculite alternative. I can get plenty of vermiculite but I'm looking for something that isn't mined from the earth. I was going to just use straight coir but I have seen a couple posts by RogerRabbit that say coir is a poor casing layer because it is nutritive(sp). I'm just trying to be good to the earth. Any ideas?
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Room4Shroom


Registered: 01/15/03
Posts: 1,195
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: mky]
#5302530 - 02/15/06 09:49 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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How come you're looking for something that isn't mined from the Earth?
What RogerRabbit said is correct to a degree, but you can easily have a successful grow after casing with straight coir...people seem to recommend mixing it with vermiculite since it is better at holding water.
I would highly recommend using Jiffy Mix (Verm/Peat/lime) if you can find it around where you live (Home Depot)...but it has verm in it, and that might be a problem for you. It works very, very well though - so if you can find it, I would use that over any straight verm, straight coir, or mix of the two any day.
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mky
MadMan

Registered: 07/10/05
Posts: 51
Loc: If you know tell me
Last seen: 15 years, 3 months
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: Room4Shroom]
#5304643 - 02/15/06 08:45 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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The reason I don't want to use verm is because everything else I use to grow is a reused waste product or renewable, but verm is neither.
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Snaggletooth
Stranger in a Strange Land


Registered: 10/24/05
Posts: 6,109
Loc: blinks stupidly
Last seen: 6 years, 8 months
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: mky]
#5304678 - 02/15/06 08:53 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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I have heard about using some kind of crystals.......?
I don't remember more but it sounded interesting.
A far as coir goes.... Coir as substrate.
I think in the end you have to use Vermiculite unless you sacrifice quality and such
also why destroy the case/cake to reuse it, better off tossing it in the yard or something.
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Atheist Chat
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mky
MadMan

Registered: 07/10/05
Posts: 51
Loc: If you know tell me
Last seen: 15 years, 3 months
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: Snaggletooth]
#5304790 - 02/15/06 09:24 PM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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I don't want to reuse casings, I just don't want to use something that is a non renewable mineral. I like coir because it is made from coconuts, is renewable and thus better for the environment.
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hyphae
born to grow


Registered: 12/13/02
Posts: 6,228
Loc: the rain forests
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: mky]
#5305917 - 02/16/06 08:32 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Straight coir dries rapidly and poses many problems for beginners. If your that concerned about it I recommend not using a casing at all bro. GL BTW verm is an excellent ammendment to most soils and makes for a very healthy rooting environment for any plant.
-------------------- Getting the most out of your casings!, A pinning strategy. Oyster Shell "Flour" $2 for 1lb. a hell of a deal Not what is overlay but rather what overlay is Gas Exchange vs. FAE "We all have priorities. I used a closet once setup a nice little lab trouble was all the shit that was in there ended up in the bedroom that pissed off the GF then I ended up dumping her as she was getting in the way of my sterile culture technique! Ya I got priorities too!!!"
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ToKeNTuRtLe
true smoker

Registered: 02/14/06
Posts: 6
Loc: cent.florida u.s.a
Last seen: 17 years, 7 months
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: hyphae]
#5305940 - 02/16/06 08:42 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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why dont you try perlite its basically the same thing as vermiculite
-------------------- its all in the reflexes-kurt russel-big trouble in little china
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tiny_rabid_birds
Nocturnal


Registered: 11/08/05
Posts: 15,653
Loc: estados unidos
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: ToKeNTuRtLe]
#5305943 - 02/16/06 08:43 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Not for mycology it's not. Perlite and vermiculite are not interchangeable.
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agar
old hand


Registered: 11/21/04
Posts: 9,056
Loc: Somewhere Else
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: ToKeNTuRtLe]
#5305949 - 02/16/06 08:46 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
ToKeNTuRtLe said: why dont you try perlite its basically the same thing as vermiculite
WRONG........
Read this POST
Verm is FAR better suited.
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FooMan



Registered: 02/02/05
Posts: 8,957
Loc: Earth
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: mky]
#5306142 - 02/16/06 09:57 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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If you need it just for casings, use straight peat with crushed oyster shells as a pH buffer.
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Quick WBS Prep
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cappa
Nerd
Registered: 02/12/06
Posts: 854
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: FooMan]
#5306263 - 02/16/06 10:31 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Verm and Perl have different uses because they have different properties. Verm holds moisture. Perl holds little moisture.
Why not use peat? It's bascially a decayed vegatable matter. So in a way you're 'recycling'.
BTW: I'm a mushroom growing noob so I don't know if it will work. It was just the first thing that popped into my head. It would be nice if a veteran cultivator confirmed this as a possibility.
~Cappa.
-------------------- Their are 10 types of people. Those that understand binary, and those who don't. ~Cappa.
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hyphae
born to grow


Registered: 12/13/02
Posts: 6,228
Loc: the rain forests
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: Vermiculite alternatives in casing [Re: mky]
#5306319 - 02/16/06 10:46 AM (17 years, 11 months ago) |
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Jiffy Mix will work much better than straight peat which does hold a little water but not anywhere close to that of verm which is required by the demand that maturing fruitbodies place on it. Theres a point in which being eco-minded will be crossed over to fanatically eco-minded please stay open minded and receptive to learning what actually is bad and which is good.
-------------------- Getting the most out of your casings!, A pinning strategy. Oyster Shell "Flour" $2 for 1lb. a hell of a deal Not what is overlay but rather what overlay is Gas Exchange vs. FAE "We all have priorities. I used a closet once setup a nice little lab trouble was all the shit that was in there ended up in the bedroom that pissed off the GF then I ended up dumping her as she was getting in the way of my sterile culture technique! Ya I got priorities too!!!"
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