- Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:12 pm
#424910
I've got some sundew and sarrs seeds that will be coming out of stratification in a week, or two,...or three. I've also got some leaf-cuttings of some filiformis that I'm getting antsy about transplanting to lower populated pots.
Today, I decided to go ahead and put together a 50:50 peat/perlite mix. As usual, I did my OCD rinsing of the peat moss. Several 22ppm rainwater rinses, then a 1ppm rainwater rinse, and finally a 1ppm boiled rainwater rinse.
That left the perlite to be rinsed. I started to use a paint strainer bag to rinse the perlite in, but for the batch of growing medium I was doing the bag would barely hold enough and then there wasn't room to get water in it to rinse it good. So, I dumped the perlite in a 28-quart sterilite container and poured rainwater in. A container full of water and floating perlite is *so* much fun!!! I don't know how I missed this water sport as a kid...it would have been a wonderful summertime activity that *everyone* would want to take part in!!! Anyhow, I rinse it well and retrieved all the floating perlite from the water. Naturally, the water was thick, milky-looking. I can't help but think this fine silt and whatever else might not be good for the plants. But, when I poured the "milk" off I found almost a double-handful of heavier "gravel" at the bottom of the container. This is Vigoro branded perlite, a nice, big bag I ordered from Home Depot. Taking the perlite out of the bag it looks super bright with no impurities seen. Below are some shots of the rinsed perlite and the debris that was left in the bottom of the wash container. Except for a few pieces of perlite mixed in the heavy debris pictures were at the bottom of the water while the perlite was floating (as it should). It just caught my attention, so, according to my OCD'ish self I figured I'd post this.
Btw, some how or another I managed to make exactly enough 50:50 mix to fill a 28-quart container, though I didn't plan it that way! Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while!
Today, I decided to go ahead and put together a 50:50 peat/perlite mix. As usual, I did my OCD rinsing of the peat moss. Several 22ppm rainwater rinses, then a 1ppm rainwater rinse, and finally a 1ppm boiled rainwater rinse.
That left the perlite to be rinsed. I started to use a paint strainer bag to rinse the perlite in, but for the batch of growing medium I was doing the bag would barely hold enough and then there wasn't room to get water in it to rinse it good. So, I dumped the perlite in a 28-quart sterilite container and poured rainwater in. A container full of water and floating perlite is *so* much fun!!! I don't know how I missed this water sport as a kid...it would have been a wonderful summertime activity that *everyone* would want to take part in!!! Anyhow, I rinse it well and retrieved all the floating perlite from the water. Naturally, the water was thick, milky-looking. I can't help but think this fine silt and whatever else might not be good for the plants. But, when I poured the "milk" off I found almost a double-handful of heavier "gravel" at the bottom of the container. This is Vigoro branded perlite, a nice, big bag I ordered from Home Depot. Taking the perlite out of the bag it looks super bright with no impurities seen. Below are some shots of the rinsed perlite and the debris that was left in the bottom of the wash container. Except for a few pieces of perlite mixed in the heavy debris pictures were at the bottom of the water while the perlite was floating (as it should). It just caught my attention, so, according to my OCD'ish self I figured I'd post this.
Btw, some how or another I managed to make exactly enough 50:50 mix to fill a 28-quart container, though I didn't plan it that way! Even a blind hog finds an acorn once in a while!
Attachments:
Heavy debris left in wash container.
IMG_6753 (Custom).JPG (408.18 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
IMG_6753 (Custom).JPG (408.18 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
Washed perlite.
IMG_6755 (Custom).JPG (349.45 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
IMG_6755 (Custom).JPG (349.45 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
Washed perlite.
IMG_6751 (Custom).JPG (352.37 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
IMG_6751 (Custom).JPG (352.37 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
Heavy debris left in wash container.
IMG_6750 (Custom).JPG (467.73 KiB) Viewed 3191 times
IMG_6750 (Custom).JPG (467.73 KiB) Viewed 3191 times