How Perlite Enhances Soil Drainage & Aeration for Thriving Plants

Many factors affect plant growth and health. From food and water to light and air flow, these elements need to properly penetrate the soil to access the roots in order to strengthen a plant. Compacted or overly saturated soil hinders this process, leading to problems for the plant and surrounding area. But there’s a simple solution to improving soil conditions. Learn how adding perlite to the soil aerates the area and enhances drainage for optimal plant care.

If you notice water pooling around your yard or plants, there’s an issue with drainage. Left unchecked, this can negatively impact your home, plants, and surrounding area in the following ways:

• Flooding. When it can’t drain into the ground properly, water floods the area and can lead to mold and mildew growth.
• Water damage. Poor drainage around structures can deteriorate the foundation overtime.
• Erosion. Excess water washes away nutrient-rich topsoil and degrades stability of hillsides and slopes. 
• Root health. Waterlogged soil suffocates and rots plant roots.

One of the main causes of drainage issues is compacted soil. Correcting this is key to improving conditions to prevent water-related problems. 

How Soil Becomes Compacted

Just like any living thing, plants need to breathe. Imagine feeling suffocated in a cramped space with no air flow, cut off from food and water. This is what compacted soil does to plant roots. 

Soil gets compacted in multiple ways:

• Heavy foot traffic
• Machinery
• Dense soil types
• Excessive watering
• High organic matter

If you start noticing a decline in plant growth and health, keep these factors in mind. Limiting the amount you walk around, water, and feed your plants is only part of the solution. Consider aerating the soil to correct compaction and improve root development.

What’s Soil Aeration

Aeration is a process that helps break up the soil to allow oxygen, water, and nutrients to flow freely, reaching the roots and encouraging them to grow deeper. When roots have more room to spread, they have more access to nutrients. Absorbing these nutrients only strengthens the plant. 

Aeration not only enhances nutrient uptake, but it can also help right some of the plant care wrongs, like overwatering. Aerated soil contains pockets of air for water to flow, improving drainage and reducing the risk of waterlogged roots. This also limits the risk of fungal disease while supporting healthy microbial activity. 

How to Properly Aerate

There are a few ways to help ensure soil stays aerated. The type of aeration process you choose depends on the area you’re working in:

• Large plots of land: use a core aeration machine to remove small plugs of soil, opening channels for air and water flow.
• Small plots of land or landscape garden: manually aerate the soil with a handheld garden fork. 
• Raised garden beds or containers: add organic matter in the form of compost or minerals that helps improve soil structure. 

Mixing minerals into the soil is one of the easiest ways to manually aerate. There are no large devices to rent and no tiresome tools to maneuver. Horticultural-grade perlite is one such mineral that makes aerating plants in your containers, garden beds, and landscapes almost effortless and affordable. 

What Is Horticultural Perlite?

Perlite is formed naturally from volcanic glass. It expands when heated, creating a lightweight, porous material. When added to soil, this material creates tiny pockets throughout the structure allowing air flow and water drainage—yes, naturally aerating the soil. 

Since it’s chemically inert, perlite doesn’t easily degrade or add anything to the soil that would alter nutrient levels. This sterile mineral is also free of pests and diseases that could contaminate your plants. Given its ability to improve aeration, enhance drainage, and not damage your plants, it’s only natural to want to know how to use it properly. 

How to Use Perlite in Your Garden

Perlite can be used at any stage of gardening.

• Starting seeds. Give delicate seedlings the best start by adding perlite to peat moss or coconut coir. 
• Root cuttings. Propagating plants from clippings is easier when you add a perlite and peat moss blend to the pot. The sterile perlite helps prevent fungus from forming on the freshly cut roots. 
• Potting soil. Add perlite to regular potting mix to maintain a balance of moisture and air and prevent a crust from forming.
• Heavy garden soil. Improve the structure of clay-based soil by working in a mixture of perlite and compost or peat.

While it’s easy to work with perlite, there are some best practices to keep in mind for optimal results. 

• Choose the right grade. Perlite comes in different sizes. Finer minerals are best for seed starting. Coarser grades are better for potting mixes and soil amendment.
• Work in a well-ventilated area. Even though perlite is non-toxic, its dust can irritate your eyes and breathing. 
• Pre-moisten. This helps to reduce dust.
• Mix with nutrient-rich materials. Since perlite doesn’t offer plants anything but better air and water circulation, you want to mix in another food source such as compost or fertilizer. 
• Keep the soil moist. Even though perlite helps retain moisture in the soil, you still need to do your part to keep the mix wet but not waterlogged.
• Store properly. Keep any unused perlite in an airtight container in a dry location to avoid moisture absorption. 
• Reuse if needed. Since perlite won’t decompose easily, it doesn’t need to be replaced for years and can be reused. Before adding it to a new soil mix, it’s best to sanitize with heat.
• Not all plants need perlite. Typically plants that prefer well-draining soil do better in perlite mixes. If you’re unsure about your particular plant, check its growing instructions for more information on the type of soil it will thrive in. 

Horticultural perlite is a versatile and invaluable addition to any garden. Between its ability to enhance soil structure, aerate, and improve drainage, your plants develop stronger roots for healthier growth. Harvest Hero offers several perlite mixes to help give your plants the foundation they need to thrive.