Anything wrong with perlite??

[Goff]

I have been using 50/50 mix potting mix and perlite.. Mostly for olives that I have only just dug up.. Does anyone else use it.. Is there any problems with using it??

[Watto]

Goff - following is a quote about Perlite from the Bonsai Focus magazine from 2009 when talking about components of bonsai potting mixes:
" A very light white artifical soil which is a highly processed form of volcanic ash which has glass like qualities and has been smashed into small particals. The high temperature treatment expands the raw ore into ten times its size making it incredibly absorbent and it improves air flow dramatically. Due to the sticky texture it is not often used in bonsai soils however it is often used for hanging baskets."
Not sure if that means its good or not????

[Andrew E]

Personally I don't use it in my mix, only for my cuttings mix with peat moss. I have heard of it being used though.

Andrew

[nick-laing]

I have used it in a mix before and I didn't really like it. The soil seemed to dry out too quickly and I kept finding it all over the place because it would just blow away.

[pasquale]

I have used it occasionally and haven't found it causes major problems. It is light, so if added to the mix can keep the weight of big pots down, but because of its low density it tends to rise to the surface of the mix where it doesn't look great and as Nick said, it can blow away. It does seem to give the mix a more open, airy feel but I don't know whether this translates to better aeration.

[BonsaiPanda]

Hi everyone,
Perlite is extensively used as a propagating medium in commercial nurseries. I can not see it causing any problems, other than a mess.

Regards Panda

[Dario]

Hi Goff, as Andrew E and Panda pointed out professional nurseries and horticulturists use it for starting cuttings with vermiculite at 2/1, or the other way round...can't NB
As for potting mix for growing on or bonsai,have a read of these 2 articles below. Infact if you have the time, all of Brent's articles are worth a read and re-read in my opinion. Hope it helps.
http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soils.htm
http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/soilage.htm