Perlite is a soil amendment, but what the heck is it? It starts out as chunks of volcanic glass with a lot of trapped moisture inside. When heated up to 1500F+ it pops just like popcorn. Like a piece of popcorn, the expanded Perlite is lighter, fluffier and much bigger than the kernel it came from. Unlike popcorn, Perlite is sterile, and while it does have water-retention capacity, holding moisture and nutrients, it’s excellent for drainage. Because it’s not organic, it won’t ever break down to mush.

Perlite is a fantastic growing medium for rooting cuttings: fill a pot with Perlite, dip your cutting in rooting hormones, plunk it in and make sure to keep it watered with a nutrient solution—works great on seeds too.

These great big chunks are excellent for maximizing oxygen and nutrient uptake in a hydroponic system, and their huge size (average one inch) means they are great for adding porosity and lightening soil mixes.

Pro-tip: Perlite is great as a standalone hydroponic media, but it’s best suited to drip systems: it’s so light that in ebb and flow or deep-water applications it tends to float or wash away.

Have some left over but need smaller pieces? You can bust it up to customize for your application!
Big and Chunky Perlite is an extra large perlite that maximizes oxygenation and nutrient uptake. Use as a stand alone growing medium or as a mix in medium. Very large chunks, averages 1" pieces. The exceptional physical properties of this giant perlite make it tops in the perlite world for adding porosity to soil and soilless mixes. This giant perlite has numerous hydroponic applications as well. Can easily be broken down into smaller pieces if needed.