Improve the quality of your soil by using perlite. Learn about gardening with perlite from an award-winning horticulturist in this free home landscaping video. more »

Perlite is a substance that has many commercial and industrial uses. Also known as volcanic glass, perlite is used in agriculture, shipping, medicine and a host of other applications. more »

Perlite is a volcanic glass that becomes porous and expands as it is heated. The volume of heated perlite can become 20 times greater than it was prior to heating. Heated perlite is often white or light gray. more »

Consisting of a variety of elements, perlite is volcanic rock that is used in a diversity of industries. It is similar to, but distinct from, obsidian. more »

Perlite is siliceous, or containing silicon, volcanic rock. Perlite is heated in order to cause it to expand to almost twenty times its size and volume, resulting in a white, puffy material. Gardeners, to improve the drainage of the soil, especially soil used in container planting, frequently use perlite. It also great for aeration of the soil. There are two types of perlite usually available on the market. One is "coarse" and the other is "fine." The coarse texture is the one that the vast majority of gardeners need to use. The fine-textured perlite is almost like a powder and really does not serve the purpose of improving drainage and aerating the soil. In addition, some companies actually include other materials; i.e., fertilizer, in their perlite. Any gardener will want pure perlite for their plantings and do not want any extra materials added. It would seem that buying perlite would be a quite easy, which it can be if you know where to look. more »

Learn all about growing orchids indoors with perlite and orchid care in this free video series. more »

Perlite is a naturally occurring siliceous rock. In other words, it is a type of volcanic glass. What makes perlite special is that, due to the presence of between 2 and 6 percent combined water in the crude rock, it will expand, much as popcorn pops, when heated quickly. The resulting expanded perlite is what you are used to seeing in garden stores, and its porosity, sterility and neutral pH make it suitable for use as an aerating and drainage agent in the garden. more »

Perlite is an inorganic material that is added to potting soil mixes or directly into garden soil. It does not rot or break down, and it helps soil retain moisture and provides aeration for the roots. You can buy potting mixes containing perlite or you can mix your own. The use of perlite is especially beneficial when the weight of containers is crucial, such as on a rooftop or balcony, or in situations where water conservation is important. more »

Perlite and vermiculite are two minerals that expand greatly when heated. They are each commonly combined with bark or peat moss in potting mixes. They are often used as the growth medium in hydroponics systems. They are also used in combination with one another. Whether one is better than the other depends on how they are being used and the budget of the gardener. more »