50% perlite into a PRO-MIX organic with perlite a deadly combination ?

[Farmbuck]

I believe I found the answer to why my Kali are sick. Just finishing reading about the pros and cons about perlite. You see I mix like 50% perlite with my pro-mix organic vegetable & herb mix that already have perlite.

So maybe why most of the time my pots were dry so often at the beginning and up to now. Too much drainage at once ? Maybe ? And also could it be my nuts had no time to be absorbed by the girls' roots ? Maybe.... Am i missing something here ?? Or getting close to an answer ?

 

[DW2]

Howdy Farmbuck, I, personally, would shy away from ANYTHING that tried to absorb My nuts!!! LOL!!

 

[Farmbuck]

LOLLLL good one DW2.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

OMG now that's a funny one:hard-laugh: Hmmm interesting about the possible perlite being off balance.

 

[MeEasy]

I've always thought 30% perlite was the maximum until I started reading on the forum and alot of people are doing it 50% even in coco. This is the first time I've heard that there's a problem but it makes perfect sense that it would cause your water/ nutes to run right through. I've seen it happen with soil that was so dry it wouldn't soak up any water and it was running out the bottom so we thought it was wet and couldn't figure out what was happening until we decided to repot the plant and half the soil was dry. Good find , I'm adding some perlite after this round because I reuse my soil I wanted to add some perlite because it seems there's not as much in my soil as I like (didn't realize it wears out) and was trying to decide how much I would put and this finding of yours helps me to decide

 

[PLreef]

I guess we're gonna find out. I mixed a metric ass ton of perlite into my new soil mix....

 

[Rwise]

Well for me I think perlite is whats causing my PH issues. I did not have them before, and now every grow drops to near 4.0 PH about the time they flower. I have a pot of Greasy Grapes clones now in my organic soil now with no perlite. This is a test to prove to me that it is the perlite causing my issues.
Another issue with perlite is the sharp edges kill the earth worms which are a major part of my living organic soil. And yes I have seen the 1 inch balls, I dont like them either.