Perlite
Volcanic glass, popped, for air in the mix.
Brunnings Propagation Perlite is volcanic glass expanded at 850 to 900°C into white, highly porous granules, in 25 litre bags. Blended at 10 to 30% by volume it puts permanent air space into a potting or seed mix — pores that do not collapse the way organic matter does as it breaks down.
Or call the yard on (08) 9434 2290
Real stock, not a swatch. Blended products vary a little batch to batch, so treat these as a guide rather than an exact colour match.
Perlite details
Perlite at a glance
- Product type
- Expanded volcanic glass
- Brand
- Brunnings Propagation Perlite
- Pack
- 25 litres
- Blend rate
- 10 to 30% by volume
- pH
- 6.5 to 7.5
- Sterile
- Yes
What Perlite suits
What can you use Perlite for?
Propagation and cuttings
Sterile and free-draining, which is exactly what a cutting needs — air at the base and no pathogens in the medium.
Potting mixes
Blended in at 10 to 30% by volume it keeps a container mix open for years instead of months.
Hydroponics
Inert, sterile and it will not rot or compact, which is the whole specification for a hydroponic medium.
Improving drainage in a heavy mix
Where a mix holds too much water and the roots are drowning rather than drying.
How much Perlite do you need?
It is a percentage, not a coverage
Perlite is blended into a mix rather than spread over ground, so the useful number is a proportion. Brunnings put it at 10 to 30% by volume.
A 25 litre bag therefore goes a long way in a potting mix and not very far in a propagation medium, which is the opposite of what people assume.
| Mix | Perlite proportion | What a 25L bag makes |
|---|---|---|
| Lightening a potting mix | 10% | About 250 litres of finished mix. |
| A general propagation mix | 20% | About 125 litres. |
| A cutting or hydroponic medium | 30% or more | About 80 litres, or straight perlite for some cuttings. |
Wet the bag down before you open it. Dry perlite produces fine silica dust and that is the one genuine hazard with the product — wet it, wear a mask, and it is harmless.
Why Perlite
Why choose Perlite?
The pore spaces are permanent
Perlite does not rot, compact or break down. That is the difference between it and the organic matter it is often compared with, which collapses as it decomposes.
It drains freely and still holds moisture
Water sits in the surface pores and drains out of the gaps between granules. Both at once, which is a rare combination.
Sterile and inert
No pathogens, no weed seed, no nutrients and no chemical activity. For propagation that is exactly what you want.
It is very light
A 25 litre bag weighs almost nothing, which matters when the alternative is carrying sand up to a roof terrace.
Getting Perlite home
How to get Perlite
Collect from the yard
Open seven days at 222 Barrington St, Bibra Lake. The loader puts it straight into your trailer or ute, and someone will tell you whether what you have brought will carry the load.
Borrow one of our trailers free for two hours to get your load home. No charge, no bond.
Have it delivered
Across Perth's southern suburbs, seven days. For a quote we need the address, how much you need, and anything awkward about access — tight driveways, low branches and side access all change which truck we send. Confirm the current cost when you order.
Formats
- Loose, by the cubic metre
- Bulka bag, roughly a cubic metre each
- Trailer load, including our free two hour trailer
Using Perlite
How to use Perlite
Wet it before you open it
Dry perlite produces a fine silica dust. Wetting the bag down before you tip it out is the single most useful handling tip there is.
Blend at 10 to 30% by volume
Brunnings' own range. Ten per cent for a light improvement, thirty for a genuinely open propagation mix.
Mix it through, do not layer it
A layer of perlite in a pot is a drainage layer that does not work. Blended through, it changes the whole medium.
Feed the mix separately
Perlite has no nutrients. In a high-perlite mix the plant is relying entirely on what you add.
When to choose something else
When it is the wrong product
- It has no nutrients at all. A plant in a high-perlite mix needs feeding, and that is not a criticism of the product — it is what inert means.
- It produces fine silica dust when dry. Wet it before use and wear a mask. This is the one genuine hazard with it.
- It floats. Water a pot heavily and perlite works its way to the surface, which is cosmetic rather than a problem, but it surprises people.
- It is not a growing medium on its own for most plants. It is a component, and the rest of the mix is doing the feeding and the water holding.
Customer reviews
What people say
Perlite questions
Perlite FAQs
Goes with Perlite
Other products you may need
The other half of the pair
Perlite adds air. This holds water.
What you are blending it into
The mix perlite opens up.
Feeding a mix that holds nothing
Inert media rely entirely on what you add.
Guides for perlite
Planning your project
Perlite quote
Need Perlite for your project?
Send us the quantity you need, your suburb, and whether you would like to collect it or have it delivered. If you are not sure how much, put your measurements into the calculator above and we will check it for you.
Or ring the yard on (08) 9434 2290
222 Barrington St, Bibra Lake WA 6163 · Open 7 days
Use the calculator above and the amount lands in the message for you.