I have my strawberries growing good in the small pots and i am ready to plant them outside. I am putting them in a raised garden bed, so what dirt/soil should i put in the garden for the best growth?
I don't see the point. It's not going to kill them to be on it short term (a few days to a week), but why do it if you don't need to. When I have girls ready to lay I use Aspen, you can wet it down and it's safe for the bp to lay on. She will probably push it all out of the way when she's ready to lay, she would do the same with the verm. Go get some aspen and save the verm for the egg box.
Vermiculite is no problem to use on a temporary basis, it cannot get through eggs, but it does contain substantial levels of asbestos, which is why it is not recommended as a permanent substrate. Neither are Cedar mulches which contain volatile oil. After you remove your eggs, it would advisable to remove the small amounts of vermiculite that might be left, as you don't want the snake eating or swallowing any by mistake. Wood and plant mulches are much better substrates for all but the smallest snakes, unless you'd just rather use newspaper.
