Adding perlite to plot?

infowarrior · « **on:** July 22, 2007, 18:05 »

My soil is the heavy clay variety and was thinking of mixing in some perlite for airation. Will this help much because I've never heard of anyone doing this to their plot only using it in pots??

Thanks.

richyrich7 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 22, 2007, 20:12 »

Cost you a fortune ! best thing you can do is add as much organic matter as possible, Lime over winter will also help.

shaun · « **Reply #2 on:** July 22, 2007, 20:44 »

and a bit of sharp/washed sand(not limestone based) helps

weeeed · « **Reply #3 on:** July 22, 2007, 21:17 »

In Hull we are on solid clay. Do you know any chimney sweeps? Leave the stuff to mature for a year then spread over the top it is fab stuff. Ashes from yours or anyones fire, also if you can add top soil and or used mushroom compost plus lots of good old fashioned muck, can't get enough of it! Good luck. Jan

Beanzie · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2007, 00:37 »

I wouldn't use perlite because it will stay visible for years. Better IMO to use grit.

Trillium · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2007, 02:29 »

I drive around local towns collecting free bags of leaves in the fall, which can then be chopped finer by spreading them out and running the mower over them. Then rake up the lot and dump it in the garden before tilling. Adds loads of humus and attracts worms like crazy. You'll need to repeat it every year until it's noticeably better. Don't use full leaves as they mat up and take ages to decompose. I also use some sand when I can get it cheap to help thin out the soil. I don't use grit as it seems to deform my beet bottoms and my carrots. And barrows full of old manure add lots of tilth.

infowarrior · « **Reply #6 on:** July 23, 2007, 06:59 »

Think I'll prob just use loads of compost and lime.

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Adding perlite to plot?

Trillium