The Gardener’s guide to perlite
How to Use Perlite & Its Benefits
Perlite is used in soil mixes (including soilless mediums) to improve aeration and modify the soil substructure, keeping it loose, well-draining and defying compaction. A premium mix of one part loam, one part peat moss, and one part perlite is optimum for container growing, enabling the pot to hold just enough water and oxygen. Perlite is also great for rooting cuttings and fosters much stronger root formation than those grown in water alone. Take your cuttings and place them in a Ziploc bag of moistened perlite, about one-third full of perlite. Put the cut ends of the cuttings up to the node into the perlite and then fill the bag with air and seal it. Put the air-filled bag in indirect sunlight and check it after two or three weeks for root formation. The cuttings can be planted when the roots are ½ to 1 inch long.
You can Buy Perlite online in India from on our gardening supplies store. We ship Perlite for gardening to many cities in India such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Kolkatta, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and all other cities in India. Perlite is good for hydroponics, soil-conditioner and for potting soil.
- Perlite is used in potting mixes and as a stand-alone soilless medium for plant rooting. It is ph neutral (around 7) and completely sterile, which is critical for rooting plant cuttings. When used alone, it provides perfect aeration and holds the right amount of moisture.
- Perlite can hold three to four times its weight in water, but never becomes soggy. And unlike soil or organic matter, it never disintegrates.
- Perlite is also used with hydroponic systems world wide, with superior crop production. When used in potting soil mixtures, perlite lightens the mixture and improves aeration and drainage. This is especially useful for large container plantings.
- The newest use of perlite is in rooftop gardens. This makes sense, since perlite is proven to grow healthy, viable plants.
- The main limiting factor for rooftop gardens is weight. Using perlite over other soil mixtures reduces the weight dramatically, by more than half, allowing gardens to thrive in cities where garden space is virtually non-existent.
- The added benefit is the green roof also reduces heat gain inside the building.
- Plant nurseries are also on the perlite band wagon. With shipping costs based on weight, using perlite reduces these costs without sacrificing plant health on long trips. Aside from its use as a soil amendment or replacement, perlite is used as a carrier for herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers.
- Perlite is also used to pellitize seeds for easier planting.
Make Potting Soil
Making your own potting soil, perlite is one of the most used components in the industry for the above reasons. It’s lightweight, and easy to blend into coco peat or other water-retaining ingredients (Add 1 portion of perlite in to 20 portion of expanded coco peat in litres ratio)
Use in Hydroponics
Perlite uses in hydroponics is very popular nowadays. In case you have never heard about hydroponics, this is a method of growing plants in an enclosed growing space, a controlled environment, and with very little water. As perlite can hold a bit of moisture it is an excellent growing medium under these conditions.
Application
Suggested mix for nurserymen who prefer some soil in their planter mix. 1/3 Casa De Amor Perlite, 1/3 Casa De Amor Peat Moss, 1/3 Clean soil plus nutrients. Subsequent feeding may be with each watering or at two-week intervals. Planters and containers with Perlite or with very high percentages of perlite are also possible for growing flowers, vegetables and even plants!
What is Perlite?
erlite is actually a generic term that we use for naturally occurring siliceous amorphic volcanic rock. But unlike other volcanic glasses, if you heat them above a point (8000-9000 C), they expand up to 20 times of its original volume. Perlite helps minimize temperature fluctuations in the soil and has a neutral pH level. While it does retain moisture, it does not get soggy. It also does not pose any type of fire hazard or toxicity and keeps the soil free from disease, weeds, and insects.
What is Perlite Made of?
As Perlite is an amorphic volcanic glass, it is mostly made of silica or SiO2 (about 70-75%). Other than you will also find a mixture of Aluminum Oxide or Al2O3, and Oxides of Sodium, Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, and Calcium, and moisture. Perlite softens when it reaches temperatures of 850–900 °C (1,560–1,650 °F). Water trapped in the structure of the material vaporizes and escapes.
How to Make Perlite?
Perlite is a natural volcanic glass. These tend to have more water in them than other types. Nature’s perlite is grey or black in color & is very dense and heavy. The water that was trapped inside the rock vaporizes & tries to escape. As a result, the rock expands more than 10 times their initial size. This expansion of perlite also creates its most distinguishing feature; its unique white color.
BENEFITS OF PERLITE
- Good for potting mixes & as a stand-alone soilless medium.
- Perlite produces nearly immediate lightening of soil that has gotten too heavy.
- Perlite is organic and helps lower the environmental impact in sustainable gardening.
- Provides perfect aeration, holds the right amount of moisture,can hold 3-4 times its weight in water
- Perlite is also used with hydroponic systems world wide, with superior crop production.
- For Indoor And Outdoor Pots Plant Containers
- Improves Drainage & Aeration In Potting Mixes.
Light weight
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite and peat moss, fully watered, Soil fully watered. You can reduce planter weight by at least 60% by specifying horticultural perlite and peat moss as a growing mix.
Long-Lasting Economic
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite is an expanded volcanic mineral. Unlike organic matter, perlite will not deteriorate.
Retains Water and Plant Food
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite will retain three to four times its weight in water and will not become soggy. At the same time, it increases the nutrient and air-holding capacity of the planting mix.
Perlite Chemically Inert
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite has an essentially neutral pH and will not noticeably change the alkalinity or acidity of a planting mix.
Safe, Easy to Use
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite is dean, odorless, easy to handle and free of all additives or materials toxic to plant growth.
Completely Sterile
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite is sterile (having been “expanded” at 1700° F), free of insects, diseases, weed seed and other soil-borne pests and can be used without steam sterilization or chemical treatment of any kind.
Natural filtration system
Casa De Amor Gardening Perlite is a natural filtration system, allowing excess water to easily drain away while retaining a little moisture and catching nutrients that plants need to grow. This is especially true in raised beds and container gardens, but also in the ground as well.
Perlite and peat moss mixtures
Perlite and peat moss mixtures are used by professional growers for many reasons. They form a lightweight planting mix for roof top gardens and other areas where normal soil use presents a weight problem.
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