Growing Media – Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a growing media which is very much similar to perlite. This is a different type of mineral which goes through a process of getting heated at a very high temperature to force it to expand to smaller (and light-weighted) pebbles. Vermiculite is capable of containing a larger amount of water than perlite can. Vermiculite is also known for having a natural property which will allow it to absorb both nutrients and water while in a low energy hydroponic system. Many people who grow weed plants will use vermiculite.

Vermiculite

If the vermiculite is absorbing too much water and can’t get enough air near the dope plants rooting system then you can lower the retention strength by adding in some perlite with the vermiculite. People that use vermiculite in their hydroponic system while growing marijuana plants usually have no issues with doing so. Most people prefer perlite over vermiculite but that is mostly because it’s become better known then vermiculite.

There are also some people who will work in a mixture of vermiculite and perlite in their hydroponic garden setup. However this may lead to the need to water more often. Some people may experiment by adding in some sphagnum and possibly worm castings as well. There have also been mentions that vermiculite can lead to wilting of your marijuana plants and you don’t want that. The best thing to do is choose what is already known for being successful with dope plants and that would be perlite or possibly 100% coco coir. The water that the growing media can hold is an important thing to check as it can modify how well your cannabis plants grow.