Vermiculite holds on to important plant nutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium, stopping them from being leached out with water. When added to potting mix or garden soil, vermiculite ...

“Vermiculite can help improve the holding capacity of sandy soil, so it can retain water and nutrients long enough for plant roots to absorb them,” says Yamaguchi.

There are a whole class of additives, including perlite, that can help create air pockets in your soil. Knowing which to choose, and when to use them, is critical.

Vermiculite. Valued in horticulture for its popcorn-like texture, the mineral vermiculite is mined and then baked at over 1000 degrees Fahrenheit into the light crumbs we see in potting soil.

During a brief question-and-answer session, one employee raised concern about long-term exposure to vermiculite in the building. But McNabb-Coleman, citing what she was told by buildings and ...

The town later learned that vermiculite was contaminated with asbestos. Thousands of people would get lung cancer and other diseases. Now a lawsuit has shut down a clinic set up to help them.

Before the vermiculite discovery and the building closed in 2024, the county Legislature heard a proposal to renovate the existing facility. The estimated cost was $52 million.

“Vermiculite can help improve the holding capacity of sandy soil, so it can retain water and nutrients long enough for plant roots to absorb them,” says Yamaguchi.

Vermiculite’s light weight also helps keep the soil loose and aerated, allowing air to reach the root system. Roots need oxygen to respirate just like we do, and dense, compact soil inhibits ...

Vermiculite and Perlite Aren't Interchangeable—Here's How to Use Each One These additives can do wonders for your soil, but you need to use the right one for the job. Michelle Mastro.