Whats The Truth About Perlite Or Vermiculite?

[Two.Bears]

I talked to a professional grower that supplies to dispensaries.

I told him i was starting a medicinal grow and i was going in tge direction of

Coco
Perlite
And General Hydroponics nutes.

He almost exploded when i said perlite or Vermiculite. He said he never used them because they set up a fungus infestation. Yes he said mushrooms.

I see all of these vids on YouTube where they use 20-30% perlite.

Could someone give me the straight scoop?

 

[DemonTrich]

In 5+ yrs of growing, I've alwaysnadded at least 30% perlite per bag. Ive never seen, nor heard of any issues using perlite.

 

[E.C.U.G]

In 5+ yrs of growing, I've alwaysnadded at least 30% perlite per bag. Ive never seen, nor heard of any issues using perlite.

In 20 years of growing neither have I.

 

[xeamonk]

never heard anyone say that either. i grow in coco but i prefer to skip the perlite, straight coco works best for me but its not for the reason mentioned.

 

[Evil Monkey]

70/30 perlite hydroton here no problems

 

[Two.Bears]

70/30 perlite hydroton here no problems

Thanks everyone i was pretty sure he was full of it or wanting my grow to fail so i have to keep spending big bycks at dispensaries.

 

[Organikz]

How does fungus grow out of minerals? Btw tell him if he has mushrooms growing that would actually mean his soil life is booming....thats bad to him?

We use mushroom compost in organics...sparingly of course as its quite high in salt to achieve fungal life....

Update
Vermiculite retains too much moisture and it will make your soil stay wet too long.

 

[Two.Bears]

How does fungus grow out of minerals? Btw tell him if he has mushrooms growing that would actually mean his soil life is booming....thats bad to him?

We use mushroom compost in organics...sparingly of course as its quite high in salt to achieve fungal life....

Update
Vermiculite retains too much moisture and it will make your soil stay wet too long.

Thanks for tip.

 

[Sun Valley]

We use vimerculite in our shroomery substrate mixed with coco coir. Not sure why this grower says he has mushroom problems unless their are spores in his substrate and his substrate is super clean.and even then that's a good thing. Maybe he was talking about Blue mould? But if a.mushroom ever grew out of my pots I'd be a happy camper

 

[Organikz]

We use vimerculite in our shroomery substrate mixed with coco coir. Not sure why this grower says he has mushroom problems unless their are spores in his substrate and his substrate is super clean.and even then that's a good thing. Maybe he was talking about Blue mould? But if a.mushroom ever grew out of my pots I'd be a happy camper

Exactly...thats the goal of a no till gardener. If I actually grew a shroom i would be posting pics.

 

[Dutch Jon]

If its true that perlite and/or vermiculite help create conditions favorable for fungi then for anyone supplementing with biologicals with mycoriziaea (which is many of us), it would be a plus

Tell that guy he's a dick head

 

[Pimples]

Vermiculite and perlite have been used for decades if not a hundred years as an amendment to soils and mixes to grow just about every herb vegetable fruit and houseplant on the planet. Not just cannabis. When i first learned to root cuttings (from my grandma of all people - man could she grow) i was using vermiculite as my rooting medium and it was excellent. That guy is full of shit and wants you to buy some.

 

[MENACEx818]

anyone know anyone that would ship spores to china?

 

[MisterSkunk]

Pro? lol Dont ask dispos for grow advice. Perlite helps with oxygen and soil displacement for better root growth bonus is it lowers the actual amount of soil used with better results. No displacement means a compact soil which impacts root growth and drainage.

 

[brimck325]

it's just not needed in coco. won't harm anything though.

 

[hillbil]

I have tried to find a replacement for perlite mostly because it floats and it is very white. It does what it’s supposed to. Our plants need air and lots of drainage. I also use NADA 8822 oil dry which retains some moisture/nutrients but also provides drainage and air. It’s like Turface. A small amount of local coarse sand or small sharp gravel is added also. I run close to 50% drainage with LEDs and ran about 35% with HID lights.

 

[Pimples]

I have tried to find a replacement for perlite mostly because it floats and it is very white. It does what it’s supposed to. Our plants need air and lots of drainage. I also use NADA 8822 oil dry which retains some moisture/nutrients but also provides drainage and air. It’s like Turface. A small amount of local coarse sand or small sharp gravel is added also. I run close to 50% drainage with LEDs and ran about 35% with HID lights.

Rice hulls is a damn good replacement for perlite. Thank Sea Maiden for that one.

 

[Homesteader]

I use rice hulls and love them, they wont hold up as long as perlite but I don't need it to. After breaking down, it becomes an excellent source for silica (although burning rice hulls is faster I believe). IMO the hulls are only good aeration for one full grow.
The only concern I have heard from perlite is about the dust and enviro factor from mining.

 

[GT21]

I talked to a professional grower that supplies to dispensaries.

I told him i was starting a medicinal grow and i was going in tge direction of

Coco
Perlite
And General Hydroponics nutes.

He almost exploded when i said perlite or Vermiculite. He said he never used them because they set up a fungus infestation. Yes he said mushrooms.

I see all of these vids on YouTube where they use 20-30% perlite.

Could someone give me the straight scoop?

The whole point is to add extra oxygen to a soil so the grower doesnt drown the plant... i have used it and not used in the past ... im not using it now.

 

[Pimples]

In the past Ive used 50/50 ...60/40...70/30...and 75/25 coco to perlite mix. And Ive ran all coco coir. Only difference I experienced was quicker dry downs and slightly more feeds. I use straight coco now and have been for some time. With a 3 gallon fabric root pruning pot..straight coco coir is just fine on its own for me. One dripper per pot. Catch saucers on the bottom plumbed together with grommets, barbed fittings, and half inch poly tubing for run off to basement sump well..good to go.