[barney rubble]

Hello I'm quite new to growing. A packet of rhubarb seeds I bought tells you to sprinkle vermiculite on the seeds - is this readily obtainable from a garden centre, and has anyone else had success with it please and can advise on if its worth it?
thank you

[shaun]

yes you can get it at most garden centres,but if you are growing rhubarb from seed you are in for a rather long wait before you get anything off it,you would be much better getting hold of some crowns and planting them.

[RichardA]

Yes, from garden centres, seems to increase sucess rate and makes pricking out easier.
I use it with sensitive seeds and certainly when packet recommends its use
R

[barney rubble]

Thanks to both of you - I already have a forest of rhubarb crowns, but wanted to try raising some seeds as I lop off any flowers before the go to seed to keep croping them for longer. Don't mind the wait, just want to give the seeds the best chance of making it, and will go and scour the selves tomorrow

[sunshineband]

I think it helps drainage at the surface, and lets some light through to developing seedlings.

[barney rubble]

I'm delighted yo announce the arrival of rhubarb seedlings !!! 

They were raised outdoors with plastic bags round the seed trays and a sprinkling of vermiculite on them. Not a bad success rate so far and hopefully ther's more just under the surface waiting to break through.

Will try to post a photo to show I'm not telling porkies, as its been a very fast germination as the seed packet said 21 - 40 days

[barney rubble]

the little beauties.....all that crumble 

[barney rubble]

Had to compress the photo soooo much bet nobody can make them out now

Look 3 down 3 across from the top left hand cell

[sunshineband]

Ooooh yes, I spy a green dot   

Long way to go but it'll be all the sweeter when you can cook your own Rhubarb 

[peterjf]

vermiculite is expensive ,

we got a 100 lts of perlite for £18-00 off the net , enough to last all this year and next

[barney rubble]

vermiculite is expensive ,

we got a 100 lts of perlite for £18-00 off the net , enough to last all this year and next

Yes its about 8 quid a 10 litre bag. I looked at perlite in the garden centre and the staff told that it was different -vermiculite you sprinkle on top and perlite you mix in with you compost etc.

[jb]

vermiculite is expensive ,

we got a 100 lts of perlite for £18-00 off the net , enough to last all this year and next

Wilko also do it cheap (£1.50 a ba last year)-only a couple of litres but if all you need is for sprinkling over seeds (which is all I use it for) it's not too dear and can still last some time.

[Trillium]

Sand will do the same job and is way cheaper.

[celjaci]

Sand will do the same job and is way cheaper.

I agree that sand is fine to cover seed but it needs to be coarse, grit sand.
it's especially good for some of those perennials or alpines which take a long time to germinate.  Have you noticed how many things seed themselves in gravel but rarely in the border?
Vermiculite is a great compost additive for soft cuttings or seedlings which have fragile roots. When lifted for pricking out or potting the seedlings/cuttings seem to come with much more root. The ends of the roots bed into the lumps of vermiculite and are protected from damage. Result - they grow away better.