perlite

In this blog we should pay attention to the phenomenon of perlite, what is it and what does it do?

A vegetable garden is really fantastic and growing your own fruit and vegetables also helps in these expensive times in your grocery spending.

Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables from your garden are good for your health and provide you with all the nutrients your body needs to thrive.

Perlite is an essential part of both gardening and hydroponics, and it is an essential component to add to your soil mixture. In this post I will explain everything you need to know about this mineral.

Mineral

Perlite is a natural mineral, and it exists in nature as a kind of volcanic glass. As volcanic obsidian glass becomes saturated with water over time, perlite begins to form.

Natural perlite can be seen as gray or black amorphous glass. There is no shape or structure to it, unlike what you see in crystal formations. Like most volcanic rocks, perlite in its native form is dense and heavy.

Excavated perlite usually contains the following ingredients.

It consists of up to 75% silicon dioxide
Aluminum Oxide
Potassium Oxide
Iron Oxide
Calcium oxide
Magnesium Oxide
Sodium Oxide
Up to 5% water
Perlite is a non-renewable resource as it is a natural mineral. There are hotbeds of perlite production around the world, with the most extensive perlite operations in the United States, Turkey, Greece and Japan.

Perlite is an inexpensive material that also has many applications outside the garden. Many companies use the mineral in the manufacture of plaster, as well as masonry and ceiling tiles.

How do fabrics make perlite?

The little white spheres you see floating in your soil mixture are essentially "volcanic popcorn." That's about the best description we've come across for this material. Perlite is mainly made up of water, and when manufacturers heat the material at high temperatures, it "pops" just like popcorn in the microwave.

The manufacturers crush the perlite and then bake it in large ovens at 1,650 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat softens the mineral structure, causing the trapped water in the perlite to turn into steam and expand. When the steam escapes, the material expands, and you have the perlite we use in horticulture.

During the heating process, the perlite can grow up to 16 times larger than it originally was. The small white, Styrofoam-like balls are porous, sterile, and stable after cooling.

My garden in Almere Buiten has a hard clay soil. I cover this soil with a layer of perlite. This perlite settles in the ground over time and thus provides a loose structure. Another advantage is that I have to water less in summer because perlite retains water.

Do not be afraid that perlite is harmful to the soil or that the vegetables will absorb harmful substances from the perlite because perlite is certified as suitable for organic farming. It contains no harmful substances.

resume

Perlite is a fantastic product that gives your vegetables and flowers in your garden bigger and a higher yield.

By adding perlite to your soil amendments, you will notice a significant difference in the health of your garden this summer.

Perlite is a fantastic soil conditioner to improve the growth of your seedlings and plants. Use it as a stand-alone growing medium for cuttings or incorporate it into your potting mix. Perlite is the secret weapon of successful gardeners around the world - add it to your soil today.