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Zana · September 16, 2009

I add it to potting soil mix, especially as I reuse from year to year (unless there were diseased plants in those containers. But each spring I add compost, some perlite, possibly some lime and sometimes some organic fertiliser or fish emulsion. I find the perlite helps with keeping the mix from becoming too compacted and with retaining moisture longer.

Up to you whether you use it or not. However I definitely find a great benefit in using it, since I don't have to water all the pots/containers as often. Although I have no real garden for veggies here at the house this year, the previous year I had somewhere between 120 and 150 pots/containers of varying sizes. Some as large as 90cm/3ft diametre and almost that deep. All of which sat on a concrete patio in a south facing backyard. The last year I had my "jungle" as my father calls it, I had to water at least twice a day when temps got up into the 30's Celcius (86 Fahrenheit and above) for the better part of 2 plus months....along with little or no rain. Quite the opposite of this year of cold and wet.

Whichever way you choose to go....its your choice.

September 16, 2009	#2
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	I add it to potting soil mix, especially as I reuse from year to year (unless there were diseased plants in those containers. But each spring I add compost, some perlite, possibly some lime and sometimes some organic fertiliser or fish emulsion. I find the perlite helps with keeping the mix from becoming too compacted and with retaining moisture longer. Up to you whether you use it or not. However I definitely find a great benefit in using it, since I don't have to water all the pots/containers as often. Although I have no real garden for veggies here at the house this year, the previous year I had somewhere between 120 and 150 pots/containers of varying sizes. Some as large as 90cm/3ft diametre and almost that deep. All of which sat on a concrete patio in a south facing backyard. The last year I had my "jungle" as my father calls it, I had to water at least twice a day when temps got up into the 30's Celcius (86 Fahrenheit and above) for the better part of 2 plus months....along with little or no rain. Quite the opposite of this year of cold and wet. Whichever way you choose to go....its your choice.