Is perlite a foam?

The white, foam-like balls in your potting soil are there to help keep soil loose and aerated, but they are most commonly made from a naturally occurring volcanic glass known as perlite. Unlike Styrofoam, the perlite beads decompose naturally over time. As a result, they do not pose any threat to the environment.Click to see full answer. Similarly, you may ask, can I use Styrofoam instead of perlite?Styrofoam as Perlite Substitute. Perlite is exellent for amending soil used for container grown plants and for starting seedlings in a soil or soiless medium. Blending for about 1-2 minutes and then draining in a sieve will give you a nice Perlite substitute. It has the consistency of coarse sand, but very lightweight.Similarly, what is perlite made out of? Perlite is made from a mined volcanic glass of the same name. As a raw material it contains water, trapped by the rapid cooling of lava. The moisture vaporizes explosively when heat is applied. Moreover, what can be used instead of perlite? Perlite Alternatives Rice hulls share similar physical properties with perlite and may be substituted for it in fresh or parboiled forms. Because parboiling rice subjects it to steam pressure, which kills all weed or rice seeds, it is preferred over fresh rice in potting mixes.Can you grow plants in just perlite?Perlite is one of nature’s best media for growing plants. It is possible to grow most plants in perlite alone, although usually the finer grades and medium grades will work better and require less water. Seeds can be started in any grade of perlite, but with smaller seeds, finer grades of perlite would be recommended.