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I'm setting up my gardening boxes on my new sun porch . I brought in some of my compost , which is moist , dark , and seems too heavy to me . It wants to clump , if I squeeze a handful of it . I recalled that when I bought potting soil it had tiny white bits in it that looked like foam . My old microwave was shooting off sparks , so I bought a replacement , which came packed in styrofoam .Very light weight . To make a long story short . I've been cutting up a bit of the styrofoam and mixing that and some sand to lighten up the soil and hopefully provide improved drainage . Has anyone tried this ? Hint : don't wear navy fleece to cut up styrofoam - instand tiny white dots all over it .

Cast1es 9 Jan 14
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8 comments

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0

I don't recommend the use of any plastic in your soil,ash, lime, straw or peatmoss work far better and help generate a healthy soil.

0

If your garden gets flooded the styrofoam will float to the top .

Besalbub Level 8 Jan 15, 2019

And end up as part of the sea of plastic in the worlds oceans.

0

What you saw was definitely vermiculate, as already said. But I have also used stryofoam, but never for food crops. Not sure of any toxicity threat, but just in case. I used it routinely in pkace of gravel at the bottom of potted rose pots. At 20 to 24 inch diameters, those monsters were already heavy enough without adding a layer of rock.
Styrofoam is definitely a little bit of a compromise, but it was one way for me to repurpose much of the packing material that tends to accumulate from all household items that come in cartons.

1

The white bits are perlite. It a form of volcanic glass. It’s use in potting mix because it is porous and captures nutrients and water the plants will need later. It also aids drainage. The only this styrofoam may do is help with drainage.

Donto101 Level 7 Jan 14, 2019
1

Use perlite, styrofoam leached petrochemicals into the soil. I buy a 2 cubic foot bag each year to add into my compost for planting.

glennlab Level 10 Jan 14, 2019
1

Rough coarse bark is more natural and will do much the same job, grit is good too and adds weight so it can stop the containers or the compost blowing about in the wind.

Fernapple Level 9 Jan 14, 2019
4

Nope... not styrofoam. I believe it's vermiculite.
Helps control water evaporation.

If it is irregular in form it will be vermiculite, if it is small round beads it will be perlite.

1

Seems like a great idea. I hope it works out for you!

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