What is perlite?
Call us Ms. Frizzle because we are about to dive into the science behind perlite. This rock is a type of volcanic glass that holds high levels of water. When heated, perlite will get larger and become porous, aka develop holes that allow air and water to pass through. At extremely high temperatures, perlite will grow twenty times its size and through the porous holes absorb lots of water. After being heated to 1600 degrees (wow that is hot!), perlite will turn light gray or white – it is at this stage the rock is used for plants!
Why is perlite good for succulents?
Perlite is an important ingredient in both potting soil and cactus soil. It can also be used to make your own at home cactus soil. Perlite is super important for plants because of its ability to keep soil well-draining and helps protect against soil compaction. Due to the volcanic rock’s ability to keep soil fluffy, it helps to promote healthy roots! Succulent roots are fragile and cannot push through dense soil. Space between perlite rocks makes it easy for your babe’s roots to grow big and strong! Perlite bonus: It is one of the safest and most natural ways to prevent insects from infesting your succulents.
Perlite in your pot.
We know a proper mixture of perlite rocks in your cactus soil will help provide succulents with the drainage they need to succeed. When receiving your Succulent Studios box, you will find we surround the succulent root ball with extra perlite! This gives your plant babe a safer experience when being shipped, lessens our carbon footprint, and has a super cute aesthetic. While the general care of the succulent won’t change with this perlite inclusion, we do recommend repotting your succulent 2 months after it arrives if you want her to grow larger. Be sure to pick the right pot when repotting – succs are happiest in a shallow pot with a drainage hole.
Perlite + The Environment
Here at Succulent Studios, Mother Earth is our queen and doing everything possible to protect her is vital! We take pride in using only organic media and fertilizers. Along with our biodegradable pots and 100% plastic-free packaging, perlite has a positive environmental impact. Perlite is completely chemical free and does not create any by-products. Volcanic glass is not biodegradable, but that is actually a benefit for soil! Perlite will not decompose over time and will make any soil it is added to better for growing plants.
Cheers to keeping the Earth healthy and happy!
