The quality of your soil is always a huge factor in your overall landscaping and gardening success. Beginner gardeners often overlook just how important the quality of soil is for their plants. They think that all soil is essentially the same and proceed to plant new things without checking on their soil quality or using soil additives to set their plants up for success. Later on down the road, they are left wondering why their plants are not growing healthy. If you are serious about gardening, you owe it to yourself to explore all of the amazing landscaping products and supplies that are available to you.

Perlite, for example, is an excellent choice if you are interested in keeping your plants healthy and happy all year round. It’s those tiny lumps of white rocks that you often find in potted plants of vegetables. Perlite is considered a soil amendment, and it can be used in a variety of different ways. We want you to take advantage of perlite in your own gardening and landscaping activities, which is why we’ve prepared the following article which details why perlite is a great option for landscapers. Keep reading below to learn more and remember to reach out to Cal Blend Soils if you are interested in purchasing perlite or if you have any landscaping questions.

What is perlite?

Perlite is a soil amendment that is made from a type of volcanic glass. The volcanic glass gets heated up until it expands and turns the color white. It kind of looks like Styrofoam when you first see it. The truth is the perlite is tiny white rocks that are inexpensive and fairly easy to use. These tiny bits of volcanic glass pack a powerful punch and can work wonders on the quality of your soil.

Why Should I Use Perlite?

Since perlite is a porous substance, it can help out with the soil in your gardening and landscaping endeavors. It doesn’t add nutrients to the soil but actually improves the soil structure in a few different ways. Below, we are going to take a look at some of the main benefits of perlite.

Benefit #1 – Improve Drainage

Getting the drainage right on your property can be a truly difficult endeavor. If you live in an area that receives heavy rainfall or if your property is on a heavy slope, the chances are good that you have dealt with drainage issues before. Perlite is great for improving drainage because it has a porous surface. That means it holds water and nutrients in the soil without preventing water from draining away. Your soil won’t get waterlogged if you are using perlite in your landscaping and gardening. When there is too much water in your soil, it can lead to the roots of your plants rotting away or being affected by plant diseases.

Benefit #2 – Aeration

Good soil aeration is one of the most important things you need to focus on if you want your plants to stay healthy. Aeration is important because it helps your plant’s roots grow healthy and get enough air. Soil tends to become compacted over time thanks to moisture and foot traffic. With perlite, you can help your soil with aeration and make sure that your plants are able to get the oxygen they need. It can help the soil dry between waterings which allows your plants to avoid serious issues like root rot.

Benefit #3 – Easy to Use

Another great reason to consider using perlite in your gardening and landscaping is that it is so easy to use. It is a landscaping product that can literally be used everywhere, regardless of the type of soil you are applying it to. You might want to mix it into garden soil or sprinkle it on top of your garden beds. All it takes is a roughly 2-inch layer when you are adding compost and other soil amendments in the springtime to help your plants receive all of the great benefits. You might even want to work it into the soil of your lawn if your grass seems to be experiencing issues. Perlite can also be used in container gardens and potted plants. If you are trying to grow succulents or orchids, perlite should be considered essential.

A Few Downsides to Perlite

Perlite is an amazing landscaping product that can really add a lot to your property if you start to use it regularly. However, there are some downsides to using perlite. There is perlite dust that can cause aggravation in your mouth, throat, lungs, and eyes if you aren’t using the proper protective measures. Just make sure you are wearing a dust mask and goggles whenever you are working with perlite to avoid these symptoms. Also, perlite can be messy if you aren’t familiar with using it. Make sure you don’t try to rinse it before you use it, as this can lead to more issues.

As you can tell, perlite has a lot to offer landscapers and gardeners that want to amend their soil. Keep in mind that perlite doesn’t provide nutrients to your soil, but instead it improves the actual soil structure by improving drainage and aerating. Regardless of what type of landscaping or gardening you are doing; you should absolutely explore using perlite.

If you are interested in learning more about perlite or if you would like to purchase perlite in bulk, you can always reach out to Cal Blend Soils. We have a huge range of landscaping products like soil additives, soil amendments, mulch, and fertilizers that you can use to your advantage. We can deliver our products to the location of your choice and also offer discounts on bulk purchases. It’s easy to request a quote with Cal Blend Soils online or in person. Head over to Cal Blend Soils today to experience why we are the leading provider of landscaping supplies in California.