Great tip! Thank you!

Would it be inadvisable to use the nutrition-added Perlite for rooting cuttings, or is it okay for this use?

Makes perfect sense! I'll have to try that.

You are so right MJ - It's been my experience that roots formed in water are way more fragile than roots formed with soil because there is no resistance to toughen up the cell walls.

Chelle,
I don't know about a nutrition based Perlite. I just buy Perlite in bulk, both coarse and extra chunky.

Thanks MJ,

I was hoping you'd say it doesn't matter either way though, as it seems our local stores won't ever stock any unadulterated Perlite.

You are right, Chelle. More and more of the companies that make/market plant products seem to be going that way, and the big-box stores are stoking those products. If you can unadulterated growing media, whether it be perlite, milled sphagnum, or orchid media, you will find what you want from small businesses rather than from the Lowe's/MiracleGro type businesses.

So true. I was hoping to find one less item that needed to be special ordered, but I guess this won't be one of them. Since I usually have vermiculite on hand, I may try that instead.

Chelle, I get mine from Ace Hardware. Ours actually stocks it, but if they happen to be out it's no big deal for them to order it and they give me a call and I run into town to pick it up. I get the big bags also. I use alot of it. I add it to bagged potting mix or my own mix. With all the rain here it's important that anything potted has good drainage.
I know our Lowe's carries the smaller bags, have no idea if it's amped up or not tho. To be honest I didn't even know Perlite was offered in an "Enhanced " form.

Keep in mine, Chelle, perlite and vermiculite are entirely different substances in their uses. If you haven't read the article below, you might want to take a look at it. You can also find it @drdawg.

http://garden.org/ideas/view/d...

You want to be careful (and I really don't know how you will actually know this) when purchasing perlite. I don't know why but for some reason a lot of "small-packaged" perlite that is labeling "coarse" is really closer to medium. I highly recommend "coarse" or even "extra-coarse" or what's sometimes labeled "chunky" over the medium stuff.

Thanks Mj!

I'm on a first-name basis with our Ace guys and gals, so I'll check there.



Appreciate the tips, Ken. I like the coarse grades, too.

Most Ace's get weekly delivery and are more than happy to order anything they have access to, which is a lot. I use coarse perilite to add to screened, limed, compost for a potting mix. I also use perilite and milled sphagnum for rooting. For hard to start cuttings I use Oasis, the soft foam used for flower arrangements. It is enhanced to keep cut flowers looking better longer and I've had great success starting cutting that easily wilt and falter.