Idiot question

[frenchman]

Hello

This might seem a sily question but I have forgotten the name of the little white balls of polystyrene that you mix with the soil, can someone jog my memory.

(short term memory loss for some reason)

Frenchman

 

[Guest]

Perlite?

 

[xxthexonesxx]

Are you talking about Perlite or perhaps EPS, otherwise known as geofoam?

 

[frenchman]

Did think it was pearlite

Did think it was pearlite

I did think it was pearlite...they are tiny little balls of polystyrene.

If you put some polystyrene packaging in a blender you end up with these tiny little balls about 2 or 3mm diameter, but when I did a google for pearlite I found nothing like it, so I figured it was the wrong word.

It is used to provide good aeration of the soil, in the past I used to grind up polystyrene packaging but this is a real hassle, I want to know what the correct name is so I can buy a bag.

I think I have found it now...is it called vermiculite?

Perlite is obtained from rock or something, I don't think it can be perlite.

Does vermiculite ring a bell with anyone?

Thanks

Frenchman

 

[frenchman]

Not vermiculite

Not vermiculite

No....my mistake it is not called vermiculite.

Someone help me out here please.

Frenchman

 

[{Lotus}]

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/crt/lifecycle/geofoam.cfm

 

[frenchman]

Perlite

Perlite

I think I have been doing the wrong thing.

I should have been using perlite which is obtained from rock, but I thought it was expanded polystyrene and I have been using that for my grows.

Red Face

Frenchman

 

[ethereal]

very bad idea.

 

[Tunefull]

Perlite Is not small peices of poly(Tho i guess the princaple behind them is the same)
THo they would look alike(But not feel alike)


Vermiculite is like perlite,but is brown and has a soft feel(not hard like perlite)
They have diff uses tho.....

Perlite will help aireate(SP) the soil,let the roots traval easier
Vermiculite helps to hold water in the soil....(Not sure if vermiculite has any feeding propities other than maintaining water tho?)

My mix is somit like 50% soil / 25% perlite and 25% vermiculite


Hope that helped clear them up for you