Dec 7, 2008 · Perlite is very light weight, it picks up very little weight from water, and large plants in a high Perlite mix can actually topple over in the mix. Bark has the weight and "friction" to hold the plant steady, even in an outdoor windy setting.

May 18, 2009 · Sifting, cleaning and disinfecting used perlite for recycling saved 56% of the cost to replace the media and reduced salt content to the optimum level recommended for raising container grown plants. Disinfecting used perlite with hot water raised media temperatures above limits necessary to kill several fungi and nematodes.

Aug 14, 2013 · Perlite helps keep the mix on the drier side, vermiculite helps keep the mix on the moist side. Charcoal keeps the soil "sweet". That is another topic that is constantly debated.

Aug 22, 2012 · Perlite and/or vermiculite. We used perlite and didn't sift out the bigger pieces, so we had some pretty rough-textured mix. Experiment with different combinations and see what you like. Sand. A layer of damp sand in a shallow box can help support your project, especially if you're putting the mix on the outside of your mold.

Mar 16, 2006 · Barbur, I dont't know about vermiculte and perlite, but you can get zeolite in huge bags like 40 pound size. I think I bought mine at Gardenville in San Antonio. It's worth a phone call. If they don't have it, they might know who would. Mary Lee

Jul 12, 2012 · "Coarse" Perlite is smaller than "fine" bark nuggets. The only disadvantage of nuggets is that they are "chunks" instead of long thin "shreds". Nuggets are shaped like hockey pucks or hamburger patties, in sizes from 1/8" up to "large nuggets" with long dimensions up …

Jan 10, 2009 · If you're just amending a small area what you're doing is in effect creating a clay bowl for your plant--water can drain through the soil/perlite mixture, but when it gets to the bottom of the hole and runs into the clay it isn't able to drain quickly past that, so you can end up with an effect similar to growing a plant in a container with no holes in the bottom.

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Jan 9, 2010 · Right now I am using recycled blueberry containers with plastic bags saved from purchased produce over the last few months. I sterilized the containers in water with bleach added. Then I added jiffy mix with a bit more perlite and vermiculite. For added warmth I use an old heating pad wrapped in two layers of towels.

Mar 23, 2009 · Turface is different than perlite. It has lots of internal porosity - perlite has none, so Turface allows the soil to hold lots of water w/o the water clogging soil pores. Because the particles are larger than peat, it holds more air between the particles, but still holds readily available water internally.