how important is the perlite?

i always assumed that those white balls that i saw in those indoor plants' pots are fertilizers. Now i know that they are actually perlite, and those commerical growers put large amount of them in almost all the pots of cheap indoor plants pots that they sell.

I have never used them before, and all those indoor plants that I bought just don't grow that well, and some died eventually. I wonder if I should start using them for all my indoor plants in the future?

What are you using for your potting mix? Most of the commercial potting mixes have perlite mixed in already so if that's what you're using then you probably don't need to add more, but if you're making your own and it's a bit on the heavy side then it certainly wouldn't hurt. However, without knowing what it was that went wrong with your other plants it's hard to say whether perlite would help much or not--if you were watering just a tiny bit too much then perlite might make enough of a difference, but if you were watering a lot too much then the perlite probably won't be enough to change the outcome unless you also modify your watering. Or if it was something else entirely related to light, fertilizer, insects, etc then the perlite won't do much.

well, if i plant something, i just use the regular dirt with nothing extra. and if i buy those cheap indoor plants, i don't add anything extra, i just water them regularly.

Can you clarify what you mean by "regular dirt"? If you mean soil out of your garden, that's not good for container plants, even if you put perlite in it I still don't think it'll be any good, you need to use soilless potting mix (which generally comes with perlite already mixed in) The houseplants that you buy most likely already have perlite in the potting mix that was used with them so if you're having trouble with them I'd look at your watering habits first and secondly light and fertilizer if they're not doing well (or if they're large relative to the size of the pot, they may be rootbound and need to be repotted)

yea, soil from the garden. so is that what those commerical growers use - the soilless potting mix to grow those nice looking cheap indoor plants? those things look so good in the stores.

should i start buying those things next time when i want to grow some indoor plants? i always assumed that that is just another way for them to make more money. after all, people grew plants in the ancient time when those companies didn't even exist.

I think you are getting a bit confused about indoor plants, pot plants and plants you put outside in the garden beds/soil. Plants that are to grow indoors need a lighter type of soil, the plants dont get any air around the roots indoors, so you buy compost for indoor plants that as Ecrane has said has this perlite added to help with soil drainage and lets some air into the soil, so by using just ordinary soil from the garden the indoor plants you had would lack nutrients, air in the soil and when this was drying out in the pot, it would either be sticky or dry out so solid that the roots would suffocate from lack of air. so the pot plants you buy are in the right type of soil mixture and when you want or need to move these pot plants into larger pots, then you need to go buy more of this soil specially mixed for you to use on your indoor pot plants, hope this helps sort out the difference. good luck. WeeNel.

Yes, people grew plants in ancient times before all these companies existed (probably mostly in the ground rather than in pots though), but human life expectancies were also at best half of what they are now, so modern science has improved on a few things! LOL Unless you're growing bog plants that love to have wet feet, you'll almost always have better luck with plants if you buy the soilless potting mix, it's lighter and while it does hold water, it also allows for more air around the roots which plants also need.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to what type of soil to use on starting plants? I want to start all my own plants from seeds inside this winter and I got this stuff called "seed starting potting mix" by Miracle Grow and was wondering if that is what I should use, it's quite expensive but I don't mind if it works? I start all my plants in peat pellets and then transfer them to pots. I notice that sometimes, outside, this summer if I planted tubers, I would use potting mix and the stuff would like turn to cement, which meant no matter how much water you gave the plant, it would not saturate the soil to get to the root. Which from my experience if the root doesn't get any nourishment, the plant won't make it.
joy112854

You might consider starting a new thread for your question so that more people see it. I use the MG seed starting mix and it works fine, although I think some people use regular potting mix too and have had success that way too. But if you're starting the seeds in the peat pellets, then by the time they get big enough that you're transplanting them, then I'd save the money and use regular potting mix (although if you already have the seed starting one there shouldn't be any harm in using it either)

Hi Ecrane, over here we can only buy the seed compost mix in smaller bags and as I have multi uses for compost bought from the stores, I use what we call a John Innis mixture, for seeds I then add some horticultural sand and also some vermiculite (much the same as Perlite) for drainage and air, I can then use the same compost for my pot plants and baskets / tubs etc, just by adapting it for the different purposes, I save my home made compost for beds and borders, veg etc, wish we had all the large variety of stuff you guys had, I am almost drooling when I visit USA with all the choices and less cost you guy's have, I could fill a large shipping container easily but lucky my husband shops with his head where as, I love to shop with my eyes and heart. best wishes. WeeNel.

Guess you have to take a trip over here without him and let your eyes and heart shop all they want! LOL

I think perlite is extremely important because it stops compaction of the soil so the roots of the houseplants stay healthy. I dont re-pot without it. When I buy potting soil I buy a bag of perlite as well. I have never lost a plant using it.

Ms Newsome: So how do you mix the perlite and potting soil, I mean how many parts to how many parts? I'm a beginner here and just want to give my plants every chance possible, and it seems like the perlite is what I need, as my potting soil seems to clump together like cement after a while. That definately isn't any good as if it does that on the top the roots underneath the top can't get air or water right?
joy112854

Hi joy, everyone will have there own mixture and methods, for me, and only for potting indoor plants, I use a scoop from the garden store, so in a large compost trug (square box shaped container with a sloped front) I add about 10 scoops of compost and 2 scoops of perlite, to that I would also then add some dried plant food, say 2 of my handfuls, then I hand mix this thoroughly till I am happy that everything is well mixed, by the way, dont mix your perlite outdoors if there is a breeze or you will be trying to pick up the small ball shaped perlite till the cows come home, it is that light, I am sure other will come in with their mixes too, so it is a case of test and try for yourself and after a few mixes, you will just know the right amounts to suit your own plants, just remember the perlite is not a feed or a soil, it is an addition to let some air and drainage into the soil so never overdo it, some folks actually get there seeds to germinate in just perlite but I have never tried this method, for seeds I use the same mixture as for my pots but dont add the plant feed. hope this helps you out till someone else gives you more ideas. WeeNel.

WeeNel: Thanks for the information, I'm on the way to the store to pick up some Pearlite now. LOL I have a tendency to overwater my plants sometimes, it gets hot here and humid and the potting mixture wants to cake up like cement and rather than try and get it fluffy again, I figure I should amend it beforehand.
joy112854

I use Perlite for nearly everything. Even in outside flower beds. Depending on the type of watering needs. Plants that need to have constantly moist soil (i.e. peace lily) I use less perlite. For plants like amaryllis I use a lot, 1 part peat moss to 2 parts perlite. For carnivorous plants I use a 50/50 mix of peat moss and perlite.

Tommy: Thank you for that information, I love it when others tell me what they do, cause then I can try it. I'm just the beginner, so am full of questions; but am glad I took up gardening, it's so relaxing.
joy112854

Joy,
Listen to other then experiment a little bit to fine tune for your conditions. I am always glad to help!

Tommy: have you ever heard of the coco-fiber potting medium? I understand it is light and you can get it in a 1.4 lb brick which expands to about 2 gallons when you put 1 and a half gallons water in it. I have thought about using this in my pots and possibly my topsy turvys? What say you?
joy112854

Joy - I've heard of it but never tried it. It is a water RETENTION/absorbing medium though, like peat moss. Perlite aids in water drainage. Not sure of the PH of coco fiber.

Tommy: I heard people use it in there flower beds? I was thinking possibly hanging planters?
joy112854

Joy,
Regular potting mix is really all you need for hanging baskets. Again experiment! That's half the fun! It all depends on the plant and it's watering needs. That's how *I* look at it.

Tommy: Well, this season I will keep you posted, that will be in March when I see how things turn out ok?
joy112854

I don't know if expanded shale has hit the markets where you are, but it's a soil additive (without any nutrients, as you might expect) that adds porosity to planting mixes. It's the rage here, for outdoor beds as well as container mixes, although it's new enough that it's still relatively expensive. It adds a little bit of weight (perlite "doesn't weigh anything") which can be a plus if someone lives in an area where pots tend to blow over as the plants get larger and become top heavy.

If a bagged potting mix contains enough quality organic matter (not inert) it should be suitable as is for most ordinary plants. If you spend a lot of money for a prized plant then you probably want to spend more money on the planting medium.

dp72: I used potting soil for the daffodils I just planted in pots, this is the time of year we plant them here for a spring show. I used potting mix as a rule for other plants though, and have a tendency to overwater sometimes, so would the expanded shale be helpful there?
joy112854

Absolutely! It's like putting marbles in a jar of sand. The water runs through faster and more easily. As I said, if you plants get a little topheavy, it adds a mite of heft, also.

Joy: I sorry I took so long my internet was down for a while. Now about the perlite, I just put maybe almost half potting soil and half perlite. I mix it with my hands and make sure there is plenty of it in there. You can also grow plants in only things like perlite ( this type of growing is called hydroponics) but it depends on what you are growing because sometimes the growing medium if it isnt soil it could be too light and cannot support the plants and thier roots.

Ms. Newsome: I just heard that I have 2 canna lilies on the way, rhizomes, my Stuttgart and a Peach Gigantium, will try the perlite and MG potting mix. 50/50? half perlite and half potting mix maybe? I will be growing them indoors in huge pots.
joy112854

This is all such interesting reading and more than appreciated. I just started working "indoors" with plants and it is all very new to me :-).
Michael

Hey Joy its me again. With big pots it probably will have to be more soil than perlite but be sure to include it because it stops soil compaction and helps the soil dry to prevent root rot and thats a big problem when you use lots of soil within big pots.

Mrs Newsome: Thanks, I did that (smiles).
joy112854