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No More Perlite?!?!?

Tony Aroma

Let's Go - Two Smokes!
Veteran
I can always find perlite at home depot and not the miracle grow crap. Once in awhile gotta try more than one home depot in my town but they got it. I grow in perlite buckets and am pleased with the results.
Home Depot? What's that?

Just kidding. You have more than one HD in your town? The closest one to me is about a 40 minute drive. We have two Lowe's and two WalMarts, and that's it.

And all these other perlite substitutes? We have nothing around here. Vermiculite? I might as well be speaking in Sanskrit. And the lady at WalMart said she thought they didn't carry perlite because of something involving the EPA (she wasn't sure about the this). She told me she uses MG on her tomatoes and I should do the same.

I did however find a coop only 20 minutes away that says they carry perlite. Now if I could only find some worm castings, I'd be a happy camper.
 

THC123

Active member
Veteran
i have been repplcaing the perlite with cocos. I know it's not the same , but they both make the soil airy and light.

I think they go even better this way. I am also quitting using perlite as i always have to drive to holland for it.

i do 60% soil 40% cocos , works very well
 

isit4.20yet

Member
The last time i bought a bag of perlite they only had MG brand so that's what I bought. So far it hasn't really had much effect on my grow. As was said before, the levels are very low. I even started a few clones in straight perlite and they rooted just fine. I don't think you need to travel all over looking for an alternative. It's probably fine.
 

Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
I did however find a coop only 20 minutes away that says they carry perlite. Now if I could only find some worm castings, I'd be a happy camper.
Just paid $20 on E-bay for a bag of perlite and a bag of vermic. LOL

I really believe that if I had been living near some nursery that had all the organic components I needed, I probably would have been flowering in dirt this time around. (It's really what I started to do.)

With the issues I've had with bugs in my veggies indoor and out, I'm soooooo glad I'm only flowering in hydro. Don't think I could stand it much if I had more than this handful of mums in soil. (their cups are only 7oz of dirt. LOL)
 

przcvctm

Active member
Axis regular. Diatomacious earth fired in a kiln. Supposed to have the drainage properties of perlite and the retention of vermiculite in one. $13 for 25lbs from a feed store.

Mixed it up today and am so far very impressed. Seems to do what I wrote above, drains and retains. BUT. Before opening the bag I read the back which warned that the dust was unhealthy for eyes and lungs. I washed it with running water outside through a strainer with a breeze blowing it away from me. After, no dust after it dried. Just thought I'd mention it.
 
B

bongoie

not in usa and can get 100 litres{ 22 gallon } for 23 euro {30USD} from a local garden centre , having to order it in tho . last time i got a bag from local hydro shop they gave me builders perlite , exact same stuff . might b a good idea to check builders suppliers . hope u can sort this out http://www.perlite.info/hbk/0101012.htm some more info http://www.perlite.net/ used in mortar and insulation . info here says its not harmfull przcvctm . ur are in effect throwing away the fine ground perlite . i use a pressure sprayer on it to moistem and keep dust down . ps . they thought asbestos was wonderfull .. 1ce upon a time
 
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Vegan

Active member
Then you toss it in a bonfire, and you have "hillbilly perlite" lol


rotflmao

my local nurserys {Star nursery} carry perlite i've been gettn black gold perlite 12 quart bag for 4$ us and filthy rich organic soil for 8$ a bag. this filthy rich organic soil has everything fox farm ocean forrest has in it so far my plants seem to really like it.


very nice .ill have to check that out next time I buy soil

thnax Maj
 
H

headfortrinity

I went to lowes and asked for perlite in january they didn't have it. Then i went back in feburary and they had the large bags of perlite and vermiculite that had been accidentally cut open with a razor knive, the bags were still full just cut open and they were half price.
 
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