Vermiculite or Perlite?

No doubt someone has asked this question before so apologies if this is the case.
Over the years I did used to use Vermiculite for seed sowing but sort of forgot about it once the bag was finished!
I, like many start vegetable seeds off early in a heated propagator and this year maybe because it has been so cold I have had a lot of seedlings damping off, many more than usual…(@JWK!).
I think I would have been better adding either vermiculite or perlite to the seed compost. I really don’t know the difference other than maybe size. I would use it solely for sowing seeds, mostly veg. I presume one make is pretty much the same as another? I think the vermiculite I bought some considerable time ago was Sinclair but while I would know the difference between good and dross compost I wouldn’t with the above. Thanks.

 

Might sound old fashioned but are you using Seed compost as we find you do get better growth with it than standard compost.
While we do tend to use Vermiculite over flower seeds have not found any need to use it on early veg seeds, but worth a try. It is available in various sizes, so fine to medium is what we use.

We also use Perlite but generally mix it into standard compost to lighten it .

What we do use for seeds /seedlings is tepid tap water rather than stored / aged water that may have attacted various fungal spores etc.

 

Thanks @ricky101, yes I am using Moorlands Gold seed and cutting compost at great expense I may add! My water is spring water with no intended additives at all. Totally wonderful to drink ( I struggle to use mains water as can smell the chlorine and to me tastes foul). I’ve drunk it for near ly 24 years and still alive but then I may not be as sensitive as wee seeds!
I think the main reason for damping off was I kept the seed tray lids on ( did open the vents)longer than normal as our weather was so cold and no doubt condensation built up. The lids are now off and seedlings that are viable are looking a bit better.
I think I will invest in some medium vermiculite which might help when germination sweetcorn later. That can rot off too if you overdo the H2O!

 

Sounds like you are starting them off very early for somewhere so North.

We have just sown some beetroot but thats just for growning on in the greenhouse to get an early crop.

Do you give them any extra light once they emerge ?
We use a cheap simple led strip light which seems to encourage stronger growth rather than leggy.

 

Yes @ricky101 I start the likes of chilli, big onions, and celery very early otherwise they don’t have enough time to get to their full potential up here. I also sow Broccoli early so as to beat the damn Cabbage White before they get going in earnest.The chilli and onions will be going into an unheated greenhouse. All are currently in the heated propagator on a south facing window cill with a backing of foil so as to maximise that yellow thing when it decides to make an appearance. I did have grow lights but a fluffy 4 legged arrangement got tangled up in them and they died the death! Have not got round to buying another set. The seedlings do get a bit leggy but pot on deep like you often do with tomatoes and they don’t seem to mind too much.

 

We do exactly the same, incorporate perlite into a seed compost for aeration and then cover the seeds with fine vermiculite, insulation.

 

Vermiculite helps with drainage use about 10% with compost eg growing chillies. Perilite helps keep the moisture in the compost. If you want to improve your compost buy a bag of GC manure and add 10% or the farm yard stuff if you have access to it. There is no goodness in seed compost so do not use it for anything else.

 

I use Perlite when making my own seed compost - the amount would depend on what seeds you are growing.
I find Vermiculite is best used as a top layer as neede on trays of seeds.
Whatever you use, ventillation is vital ....as you have discovered

 

Thanks but I honestly hand on heart would struggle to buy manure having been up to my eyeballs in it for over 40 years. 1 horse produces about 3/4 of a builders barrow full of droppings per day. Multiply that by at least 2 or 3 horses over the years then multiply that by 365 days x 24 years and that is a lot of manure.
The good news is the soil in my garden is very good now as it is, spot the manure heap….there isn’t one as all manure is used. With no stable bedding like straw/ shavings/ hemp or paper you don’t even need to wait for the manure to rot down, just bung it on. The bad news is you get magnificent stinging nettles as horses quite like to eat the dried up seed heads unfortunately.
Agree I only use seed compost for sowing seeds and pot on asap. I also use my leaf mould for sowing the likes of Meconopsis Lingholm and get much better results with that than bought in compost.

 

I've never used either, just some sharp sand if I think the compost is a bit claggy.
Damping off is something I've rarely seen as as soon as seeds germinate I lower the temperature and allow air flow, especially for largish seeds of fairly hardy stuff like onions.

Anything tiny like begonias, as an example, which are almost like dust do get a more humid atmosphere after germination until true leaves appear..

 

I'd also add that having somewhere for the seedlings after the propagator is probably the thing that most struggle with, a halfway house to get the seedlings used to a dryer atmosphere and cooler conditions without a massive shock.
The earlier you sow the more often that becomes a problem.

 

My understanding (and confirmed with a quick google) is that vermiculite helps with water retention and perlite helps with drainage.
I used to use vermiculite but found it made the compost too wet for seedlings so now use perlite. Given the poor quality of compost recently I have found this works better for me.

 

I’d agree. The mistake I made was “ killing with kindness”. For years I would always take the lids off the seed trays once germination was achieved but idiot me decided as it was very cold I would keep the damn thing cosy. Everyday is a leaning day as they say!

 

At my old house in France I had a greenhouse. For years I grew thousands of plants from seed in ordinary peat based compost because that was all I could get. The plants grew well, rarely a problem. Seed compost, vermiculite, perlite and grit were not available. Makes me wonder how necessary they are.