I've been shopping around for the lowest prices on coarse/large grade vermiculite in OC and haven't been able to locate many places that sell it. Do any of you have sources? I've been shopping around for the lowest prices but it seems like there's maybe 2 or 3 stores that even stock it out of the 10 I've called so far!

Anyway, just wanted to find out if any of you have sources. The SFG forum has a database but it hardly seems maintained or really up-to-date.

It's getting frustrating trying to find this but supposedly it's worth the trouble for square foot gardening. So so I hear...

Investigate farm supply stores and /or nursery & landscape supply places.

Ideally, vermiculite is used because it is very lightweight, creates a textural component and assists in drainage. And it does exactly that to begin with. But once vermiculite becomes saturated and fully absorbed with water, it loses ALL these characteristics. It becomes heavy, it loses any contribution to pore space and the structure/cells collapse, eliminating any drainage benefit.

I've never done a side by side comparison, but there really isn't much difference with formal SFG and any traditional raised bed gardening once density of planting is eliminated. And there is nothing in Mel's Mix that supports any more intensive or faster plant growth than what is contained in most other containerized or raised bed soils. I see absolutely no reason why you couldn't use any other quality, lightweight, potting mix or bulk soil mix and still get the same effect. All the nutrient sources in both cases are external and that is really what supports the plants' growth, not the soil, which in this case adds pretty much nothing.

If you are determined to follow the SFG procedures, I'd consider substituting perlite for the vermiculite. Equally as lightweight, it will not absorb water, therefore will not suffer any structural collapse and corresponding lack of porosity and impeded drainage. About the same price per volume as vermiculite.

where were you when I filled my 2 beds? Yup after a couple of years they were as flat as pancakes and hard as hockey pucks, good thing I had plenty of compost going to mix back in to fluff the soil. I think Mel was thinking of making a fast bed then using the compost for the upkeep of the beds.

Curt

Of course, the assumption is that you'll never really amend the soil or re-mix it. But don't most people with SFGs end up re-mixing their soil and amending it with more compost like Curt? I'd imagine SFGs, while 'easy' to setup, aren't necessarily "set and forget" - I'm sure a majority of gardens aren't this way, no?

Which again poses the question - why the need to adhere to such a limited soil recipe and one that really doesn't provide any essential benefit to the whole SFG program? Why not use any other potting soil? Or a bulk soil mix intended for edible gardening?

I'm in Southern California, where there's been light rainfall throughout the year but it's mostly hot and dry through the summer. It has cooled down quite a bit though, but I don't think anything near freezing temps.

Would any of this play a big factor in deciding whether to go with perlite or vermiculite? The other plus with perlite is that it is cheaper than vermiculite in my area. It sounds like neither of these will last forever so I guess it's a matter of what's better for the long-term...

In the past couple weeks I picked up about 4-5 different types of compost and just started up a compost pile in my yard. And I picked up a bag of peat moss as well. I guess I'll do a bit more research before jumping the gun.

curt ;) The joys of the garden.