Placing a layer of Perlite on Top of your Soil

I've heard of some people do this and saw it in a video once. basically you do your soil mix plant your cannabis then at the top leave space 1/2 a inch of space and fill up a layer of perlite. I just did this. does anyone know the benefits of this and pros and cons? any help or tips would be appreciated thanks

extremist2sk said:

I've heard of some people do this and saw it in a video once. basically you do your soil mix plant your cannabis then at the top leave space 1/2 a inch of space and fill up a layer of perlite. I just did this. does anyone know the benefits of this and pros and cons? any help or tips would be appreciated thanks

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anyone??? any info

I dont think that it will do anything, ive heard of sand to stop bugs, but that can cause low o2 to the roots

extremist2sk said:

I've heard of some people do this and saw it in a video once. basically you do your soil mix plant your cannabis then at the top leave space 1/2 a inch of space and fill up a layer of perlite. I just did this. does anyone know the benefits of this and pros and cons? any help or tips would be appreciated thanks

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You heard wrong. Perlite is mixed in thoroughly with soil to aid in drainage and prevent compaction.

Will it reflect heat? Cause mold? I would also like to know. S

Ive seen this done several times on RIU as other places, just thought it was pointless

As an outdoor grower, a layer of perlite on top would get blown everywhere. I mix it in well.

i did this as well.. it reflects light but my layer of perlite has been turning a bit yellow. from reading up on the stain its not too bad imo. you can do more research on the yellowing because that's what i'm getting

If you're have problems with your soil drying out too quickly, or just want to extend watering times a little, it'd help. It'd also help the roots fill the entire volume of the soil,(keeping it wet long enough for the roots to take up residence) rather than leaving the top 2" of soil void, like usual, effectively increasing the volume of a smaller sized pot. Hmm......it wouldn't necessarily have to be perlite, but might just be worth experimenting with, as it might be effective in my own current setup. I'm only using 3 gallon pots,(for now) and would like to maximize, and make use that last 10%+ of volume. *scratches chin: