Horticultural perlite is a lightweight, non-organic, soil substrate that provides a number of important benefits to commercial growers, landscapers, and home gardeners.
Perlite’s Horticultural Benefits
Some of the benefits of perlite use in horticulture are:
Breaks up Compacted Soil
Perlite can be used to break up compacted soil for better water drainage.
Aerates Soil
The high displacement and lightweight volume capacity of expanded perlite provide room for air and water, preventing over-watering and allowing proper drainage.
Inorganic
Because it is inorganic, perlite is stable and doesn’t decompose or break down.
Neutral pH
Perlite’s pH range is 6.5 to 7.5—the ideal zone for most plants to absorb nutrients.
Light Weight
Perlite is lighter than grit or sharp sand, pumice, or other aggregates—which can also be used to improve drainage in a garden bed. Adding Perlite to your growing media makes for lighter, easier to handle products for manufacturers, and makes it easier for home gardeners to work with.
Sustainable
Perlite is one of nature’s most versatile and efficient minerals. It is formed by molten (magmatic) rock, also known as volcanic glass. It acts as a lightweight, non-organic, soil conditioner for commercial growers, landscapers, and home gardeners alike, providing numerous benefits. See for yourself how perlite is one of the most sustainable soil substrates on the commercial market.
Common Horticultural Perlite Uses
There are a variety of applications, including:
- Propagating
- Potting Soils
- Stadium turf
- Golf course turf
- Lawns
- Hydroponic crops (tomatoes, bell peppers, chillies, and more)
- Trees and shrubs
- Bulb and tuber storage
- Garden beds
