Whilst I don't know much about the chemical aspects of Perlite
& Vermiculite
>(other than they are supposedly chemically inert), I do know that here in the
>UK they are widely used in CP composts. I have not used Vermiculite, but I
>have used Perlite successfully for several years in conjunction with peat and
>sharp sand for Sarracenia composts, and in conjunction with Sphagnum for
>Nepenthes and Darlingtonia.
>
>The only downside I have found is that Perlite doesn't look too pretty on the
>surface of the pots - cover it up with something else!
Ditto - my Perlite tends to become a very bright green - presumably
from algae growing on the white Perlite. It doesn't seem to do any
harm though.
Regards, Adrian Arnold
>
>Bruce Doswell
>bwgd@eworld.com
>