Perlite

Perlite is not a fertilizer, and has no nutritional or microbial value to plants or soil. Its benefits are derived solely from keeping the soil structure loose and light.

What perlite is: an inorganic, non-toxic, lightweight soil amendment. But don’t let that dissuade you if you’re an organic gardener! (More on that below.)

Also known as expanded pyrite, perlite is a mined volcanic rock that is mixed into many industrial building products for stability, such as masonry construction, loose-fill insulation, cement, and plaster.

Look under a microscope and you’ll find that perlite is filled with many tiny cavities that hold water (like a sponge), making it efficient at delivering moisture to plant roots. All these nooks and crannies enable HOLD OUR TIMES WATER.

It’s also capable of storing nutrients for a short period when they otherwise might wash away immediately.

At the same time, the cavities mean perlite is quite porous, so it drains excess water more readily thanVermicult and other potting media. This is a good thing, since keeping your soil from becoming waterlogged is the number-one way to prevent root rot and fungal diseases