Violetta,

Just bought perlite at Lowe's. I also saw it a Wal- mart.
Mary Beth

Most garden centers or hardware stores (gardening department) may have both vermiculite and perlite.

Nancy

Oh for goodness' sake, so it WAS a moronic question. Okay, thank you!

violetta,
It really wasn't a moronic question. Perlite can be purchased in many places but the trick is to find COARSE perlite.
Fred in NJ

Thanks Fred. :0)

I never would have known that I was supposed to be looking for a specific type of perlite. I appreciate you chiming in immensely! I'm glad I checked in here before leaving to run errands tomorrow morning. I'll make some phone calls to see who stocks it rather than wasting my day running around.

Wish me luck!

The trick is not only finding perlite, and finding coarse perlite but finding perlite that doesn't have fertilizer already in it. *grrr* I may have hit pay-dirt with a local feed store but also ordered some online (shipping - ouch) from Reed's.

Okay, coarse and without fertilizer. Got it.

I called Home Depot and got someone to tell me that they have perlite, but couldn't get any more info out of them (it sounded busy there). Guess I'll mosey on over there and see what they have...

HI again,
I have never heard of Perlite having fertilizer in it. I don't know why they would include it in perlite. The reason I use coarse perlite is because the fine type is almost like dust. As a last resort I can always order it from Cape Cod Violetry.
Fred in NJ

It's the Miracle-Gro brand; I saw it at Lowe's. I guess to add fertilizer if you mix it in your potting mix.

It's on Lowe's website, too.

Cynthia

Here is a link that might be useful: Miracle Gro perlite at Lowe's

Gee, it's like they add fertilizer to everything now. I would say any perlite is better than no perlite? Just want to say that when you find the perlite at a local area to get extra. If you need it again and it's winter, you will have to wait til spring to find it again. It's a seasonal product they only order it in the growing season. tish

Thanks everyone!

Yes, I wound up getting the miracle gro stuff at Home Depot, and yes, it has some kind of fertilizer in it. I adopted a 3 month old kitten on Saturday and didn't want to stay out long, so I just picked that up and left. My thinking was along the same lines as lilypad - any perlite is better than no perlite. Hopefully I don't wind up eating those words!

Violetta the Miracle Gro one is the one i've been using since I started and I don't have a problem with it. Hopefully you won't either. It's the only one i've been able to find.

Oh awesome, thanks cajunkisses! That's very reassuring!

Most co-ops have it. Mine carries coarse in the larger bags and it's fairly cheap.

Linda

Earlier, when I just used potting mix for my plants, they retained a lot of moisture and killed many of my plants, through botrytis. After I started using perlite, there is more draininage and areation. Now my plants don't die due to excess moisture. I usually buy the Schultz Perlite sold at Wal-Mart. It is coarse and has no fertilizer in it. It is expensive than other brand perlites, but cheap in Walmart for around $4.89. Nurseries sell the same Schultz Perlite for $6.00. Miracle Grow is also good.

Don't forget: Always use a mask when working with perlite. It is deadly to breathe in that dust.

Linda

Thanks Linda - I didn't know that

PBI, I was in Walmart this AM, and did not see this perlite, but will look for it by the brand (Schultz Perlite, coarse and "sans" fertilizer).

I didn't know it was deadly to breathe in the dust, either.

Most 4 cu ft. bags of Perlite especially any from P.V.P. Industries (since I am the manufacturer) does not contain fertilizer. It should be available at any local garden center. If it's not let me know and I'll do something about it :)

Now for the claim Perlite is deadly to breath in. That is not true. Some people may get bothered by it more than others, a good precaution is to wear a mask, but it is not deadly. The Epa and Osha categorize it as a nuisance dust. Most of us in the expanding process do not wear masks and the dust we deal with is far beyond anything that the typical end user would ever experience.

I use Hoffman's Perlite. I HATE that Scott's Miracle grow puts fertilizer in all of it's products.

I bought both perlite and vermiculite at home depot this spring, in huge 4 cu sq ft bags. I waited all winter last year for spring so I could buy it, so if you find a good supply, buy a few extra bags for the long winter.

I picked up a 4 cu ft bag of coarse perlite, no fertilizer, at a local nursery. Almost $30 but will last a very long time. I think it was cheaper last year, but when I moved suddenly in Dec I forgot to take it. I am not going to ask for it back because it would give him pleasure to say no. Lately I have been using the Country Cottage AV mix from Earl May and adding perlite to it. I don't have room to store and mix 1-1-1. Does anyone else use (or have tried) the Country Cottage mix? If so, how do you like it?
Thanks,
Mary

I apologize for bringing up an older topic, but I was looking for a source of coarser perlite (other than the orchid supply co.).

Here is the MSDS for Schundler:

http://www.schundler.com/msdsperl.htm

While it's not "deadly," meaning that you won't keel over from exposure, it's also not healthy to breathe in that grit. You'll notice that the MSDS recommends a dust mask and eye protection.

There are a number of lung diseases caused by breathing various types of dust. The rescue workers at Ground Zero suffered permanent lung damage which is believed to be caused by the dust exposure.

It just makes sense to me to take the simple precaution of wearing a mask when working with dusty, gritty perlite.

Diana in PA

Diana -

you are very right. One of my club buddies puts the cheap mask on her face, takes a new bag of perlite in a yard in some kind of a sieve and hoses it through to remove the fine dust.

I need a sieve...

Irina

ANN-

Thank you - I will order it!

Irina

I am very pleased with mine. I hope you enjoy yours, too. I do wear a mask as the dusk makes me cough for hours if I do not. I sit on my deck and enjoy the nice weather while shaking perlite through it. There still is dust if you do not rinse it, but it's greatly reduced.

This organic perlite is good http://www.amazon.com/