Alternatives to Perlite for soil aeration?

Muleskinner · Feb 10, 2019

the whole reason to use perlite or rice hulls is light weight - heavy containers are a pain the ass! I used to buy a mix with sand in it and it worked great. But adding sand to the container makes it heavier and perlite makes it lighter.

in my experience cannabis doesn't like bark or aged bark very much. Holds too much water. Non-aged bark will suck up nitrogen.

High quality coarse peat moss, and/or coir, doesn't need much aeration. Adding compost or worm castings to the mix makes it require perlite to balance out the aeration & drainage. I've reduced the aeration needed by reducing added compost. Right now I'm using a blend of perlite/vermiculite in a 2 to 1 ratio with almost plain peat moss and it's working well w/ about 25% verm/perlite

dank.frank · Feb 10, 2019

I use a blend between perlite, vermiculite, and permatil, which is a porous expanded slate.

dank.Frank

Ibechillin · Feb 10, 2019

Microbeman said:
40degsouth;

The question about silica uptake is beyond my pay-grade

Check out the Silica thread I put together, the last page goes really in depth about it. Rice hulls make great biochar.

Link To Silicon Thread:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=352413

jumpincactus · Feb 10, 2019

you might want to consider using zeolite. Just recently started reaserching this mineral. But have yet to try it myself. What caught my eye was it ticked at least 3 boxes for me,
1 improving the CEC (cation exchange capacity) of the soil. Which leads to better nutrient uptake
2.water /moisture retention
3. Aeration of the soil.

https://ida-ore.com/soil-amendment/

CrushnYuba · Feb 10, 2019

There's also the recycled glass products. They sell it as grow stone around here. Lasts longer then perlite but holds less air. Also more expensive. I like lava rock the most for drainage. It's a bit heavier then perlite but lasts way longer and you can get it in bigger chunks. It's also way cheaper then perlite. Coco chips or coco crutons are really amazing. They are coconut fiber chunks. They hold very little water and allot of air. Its one of my favorites. It's just a tad more excessive then perlite here.

I really really liked the above posters suggestion of using brick. Such a good idea. I bet it would be identical to lava rock.

Microbeman · Feb 10, 2019

Ibechillin said:
Check out the Silica thread in my signature, the last page goes really in depth about it. Rice hulls make great biochar.

I only read the citations regarding protein helpers for uptake. This is similar to what was discovered for boron as well. Is there more in the thread about microbial mineralization of silicon from source materials?

Ibechillin · Feb 10, 2019

Post #26 and #27, I tryed explaining everything I could about silica chemistry and plant availability, sources cited at bottom of #27.

'Boogieman' · Feb 10, 2019

I semi guerilla grow, cops only fly over cornfields here. I have a problem with "wobbly plants" in the soil mixes I have used. I dig a hole or use 65 gallon smart pots in areas with too much clay or marsh areas. My mix is basic 30% composts and castings, 40% sphagnum peat, 20% perlite, 10% vermiculite (helps watering mid summer in the heat). I have thought about substituting about 5% perlite for sand. Would anyone have advice on my idea, even though they only fly over cornfields I don't want to trellis or anything noticeable.

CrushnYuba · Feb 11, 2019

'Boogieman' said:
I semi guerilla grow, cops only fly over cornfields here. I have a problem with "wobbly plants" in the soil mixes I have used. I dig a hole or use 65 gallon smart pots in areas with too much clay or marsh areas. My mix is basic 30% composts and castings, 40% sphagnum peat, 20% perlite, 10% vermiculite (helps watering mid summer in the heat). I have thought about substituting about 5% perlite for sand. Would anyone have advice on my idea, even though they only fly over cornfields I don't want to trellis or anything noticeable.

When you say wobbly plants, do you mean the plants roots can't hold the plat up in the wind or the plants branches need support? I'm assuming you are talking about roots.
I don't think changing the medium will help a whole lot. I get trellising is unsightly but an inner plant cage will not be visible once the plant grows through it. It will also support branches. Throw a cage on, and that plant will grow through it in 2 weeks. I like concrete remesh for caging.
Other thing you can do to support smallish plants main stalk is pound some 1/2" rebar down next to your stalk and tie your stalk to it. Pound through your hole or pot with a mallet and into the native soil. It won't support your branches though and that's a problem. Once your branches get heavy, they will crack.
Changing your medium won't help that much. I have seen very well rooted plants roots actually tear in strong wind.

Cannavore · Feb 11, 2019

https://www.amleo.com/rice-hull-bale/p/VP-RHB/

Noonin NorCal · Feb 14, 2019

707 Roots Organic is a great soil if you can find it. I don't add anything to the mix
Its on the light side, i love it for potting.

Mr. Greengenes · Feb 14, 2019

I semi guerilla grow, cops only fly over cornfields here. I have a problem with "wobbly plants" in the soil mixes I have used. I dig a hole or use 65 gallon smart pots in areas with too much clay or marsh areas. My mix is basic 30% composts and castings, 40% sphagnum peat, 20% perlite, 10% vermiculite (helps watering mid summer in the heat). I have thought about substituting about 5% perlite for sand. Would anyone have advice on my idea, even though they only fly over cornfields I don't want to trellis or anything noticeable.

I think it's safe to say there's a genetic component to 'wobbly plants', but I've noticed a big improvement from added charcoal. Not only to stem strength but also to colors. I don't bother with expensive 'bio char', I just buy bags of hardwood charcoal down at the big box store. I've used up to 25% percent (!) charcoal with no apparent problems. I've heard of people using 50%, but can't vouch personally. Oh, and it improves drainage very well too.

CrushnYuba · Feb 14, 2019

Hardwood charcoal huh? How's that on ph and potassium? If it isn't too alkaline for my soil, it could be a great source of k.

Mr. Greengenes · Feb 14, 2019

CrushnYuba, I don't measure ph in my mix, but I can tell you that my plants are very green, so I don't think charcoal is making the ph alkaline enough to lock out N. Also, I think you're right about it being a good source of K.

Mate Dave · Feb 14, 2019

'Boogieman' · Feb 15, 2019

When I say wobbly plants, I mean the roots and main stalk not the branches. It's like the soil is too "loose" not strong enough to hold a big plant. I put chicken wire around each plant and will try pounding a stake down deep as somebody suggested.

h.h. · Feb 15, 2019

'Boogieman' said:
When I say wobbly plants, I mean the roots and main stalk not the branches. It's like the soil is too "loose" not strong enough to hold a big plant. I put chicken wire around each plant and will try pounding a stake down deep as somebody suggested.

Water deeper.

Tease your roots downward.

If the soil is "loose" a stake will be loose.

'Boogieman' · Feb 15, 2019

h.h. said:
Water deeper.

Tease your roots downward.

If the soil is "loose" a stake will be loose.

I was planning on pounding past my soil mix and deep into clay, have it sticking 3-4 feet up. I have to carry water but still keep them watered pretty good. I dug down a couple holes last year and had roots all the way to clay about 2 1/2 feet down.

h.h. · Feb 15, 2019

'Boogieman' said:
I was planning on pounding past my soil mix and deep into clay, have it sticking 3-4 feet up. I have to carry water but still keep them watered pretty good. I dug down a couple holes last year and had roots all the way to clay about 2 1/2 feet down.

Your right.
Stakes it is.
With the clay, you probably want to avoid over watering.

Noonin NorCal · Feb 15, 2019

Mr. Greengenes said:
I think it's safe to say there's a genetic component to 'wobbly plants', but I've noticed a big improvement from added charcoal. Not only to stem strength but also to colors. I don't bother with expensive 'bio char', I just buy bags of hardwood charcoal down at the big box store. I've used up to 25% percent (!) charcoal with no apparent problems. I've heard of people using 50%, but can't vouch personally. Oh, and it improves drainage very well too.

How do you go about mixing the charcoal in you with your soil?

Alternatives to Perlite for soil aeration?

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