Miracle-Gro Perlite ok?

[twigs]

I spent a half our at both Home Depot and Lowes today(no other big chain stores around here that I can think of) trying to find some perlite for repotting my plants. Neither store had anything but Miracle-Gro Perlite, which says it includes fertilizer.

I may be a huge noobie to growing CP's, but I know that fertilizer = bad. Has anyone used this brand? Is there a way to maybe soak it in water or something to get the fertilizer out? Or should I just run around to some nurseries hoping to catch a break?

 

[Halt]

No. No. No. No. No. No.

If you cannot find perlite find sand, pool filter sand i think. 50lbs for 5-10 buckz. Or I think home depot has huge bags of perlite that are un-fertilized.

Edit: Or buy it off Andy Here.

 

[BigBella]

I wholeheartedly agree -- either find perlite free of any fertilizers elsewhere, or go with my preferred aggregate: horticultural sand; it provides excellent drainage and less of a surface area for algal growth than perlite.

That Miracle-Gro product will kill your creepy plants dead . . .

 

[twigs]

I kinda figured the Miracle-Gro wouldn't work. I made some calls to local nurseries and found one that has pure perlite.

 

[Capensis]

I go to Ace Hardware for unfertilized peat and perlite. ¿Do you know if you have one near you? (Heh, Spanish keyboard are fun and annoying).

 

[Neps_N_Things]

I have actually used the stuff before without any noticeable problems. I just rinsed it off very very very well. (Make sure that the water you use to rinse runs clear before you stop rinsing because it will be noticeably cloudy at first) I have quite a few sarrs and flytraps which I'm sure would have shown it by now. Ideally you should use fert free perlite but if there's no better option then it probably will work. However remember that this is just my personal experience and it might not be yours or others so proceed with caution.

 

[GrowinOld]

I have used Miracle-Gro Perlite and just looked at the bag....
and no where does it say that it contains fertilizer!
In fact, I have never seen Perlite sold as perlite and fertilizer mix.
Potting soil mixes, yes... (don't know why I would want to buy
potting mix with fertilizer when I can easily add and control it myself!).

And yes, as much as I can remember to do so, I also
ALWAYS wash/soak/rinse my potting mix components before using them!

Good Luck!

 

[twigs]

I have used Miracle-Gro Perlite and just looked at the bag....
and no where does it say that it contains fertilizer!
In fact, I have never seen Perlite sold as perlite and fertilizer mix.
Potting soil mixes, yes... (don't know why I would want to buy
potting mix with fertilizer when I can easily add and control it myself!).

And yes, as much as I can remember to do so, I also
ALWAYS wash/soak/rinse my potting mix components before using them!

Good Luck!

It does. I looked at the bag for quite some time. I believe it says it in the yellow stripe on the front. Here is a link to the Miracle-Gro website for the stuff. If you click "View Label" it pops up a PDF that clearly says "Enriched with Miracle-Gro Liquid Plant Food" (I know its an older style bag but its the same stuff)

I ended up having to buy 4 cubic feet of perlite, so I think I'm set for 10 years.

 

[seedjar]

Those big bags are a great deal. But they'll go faster than you think.
~Joe

 

[Adough]

My friend has a family run hardware store, and they sell the miracle-gro perlite and other products. He is a degree holding horticulturist as well. He says that they put just enough in there to be able to put the name on the bag. And if you intend to use the soil with miracle-gro, then you need to put more in. I've had no problems with the stuff myself.

 

[The Griffin]

A lot of people actually fertilize cp with small amounts of miracle grow.
I have not tried it, and I would avoid it if I could, but I soak mine in a bucket before use anyways and then rinse thru a net. If I used this brand, there probably would not be that much left.

Cheers,

Joe