Called a hydro store looking for bigger perlite pieces and the guy told me they only sell their own stuff and they use grounded up bricks.

Other recommend to put pieces of broken ceramic pots in the bottom to help with aeration... so I wonder, can we use ground brick instead of perlite?

What you all think of this idea? 

I think brick is too dense and will rip off the roots of your little fig trees when you remove them to pot them up.  I imagine their primary customer is marijuana medicinal growers who leave their plants growing in this media for the duration of it's life.  For this purpose, the heavy brick probably helps ensure plants don't tip over.

I'm having a hard time getting coarse perlite as well.  The "coarse" perlite sold at Home Depot is now very coarse.  The coarse perlite I bought at a now defunct nursery supply warehouse also has too many fines.  I'm sifting it and removing over half of the material.

Adding large sized material in the bottom of a pot for added aeration and drainage is common strategy.  However, Ohio State University, RHS in England and I believe Cornell have done studies that show it actually creates a layer water, perched in the pot.  This contradicts everything about using it to help drainage.  I've gone to using mesh to cover the hole just to keep insects at bay.  Homogeneous, well drained mixtures appear to be the way to go rather than attempting anything fancy with crocking.  All those big rocks make the pots too heavy to deal with anyway.

 

I purchased a large bag of perlite(size of a bale of hay) from the Agway store in Raritan N.J....it had medium to large size chunks of perlite, with some fines toward the bottom...I used it all up during the winter, but when I need more I will go back to Agway.

Hydroponics and orchid stores have 'agricultural' perlite. It's the right stuff. Even pumice, which is much softer than brick, will tear roots.

Hi Harvey, 
I found some nice perlite #4, no fines, 2cubic bag filled tightly, no need to sift, IT is distributed in your area, been told the supply is short.

Norcal Perlite Co

 (510) 232-7337

2605 Goodrick Ave, Richmond, CA 94801 

Available in retail quantities nation wide only from our exclusive distributor Fox Farm

http://foxfarmfertilizer.com/

in Napa sold by :

http://www.endless-green.com/

Endless Green

25 Enterprise Court, Suite 3
Napa, CA 94559

Phone: (707) 254-0200

Email: keith@endless-green.com

PERLITE#4 size pictures,        Norcal also makes Jumbo #5

SORRY  for the picture coming out so large, if anyone knows how to reduce it or delete it go ahead,
Thanks,   Joe

Hydroton is expanded clay pebbles and are very light, I would recommend them over brick or lava rock.  I have heard of south american countries growing vegetables in greenhouses growing in Lava Rock only instead of rockwool etc, it works but it's not the best to use for overall plant health and yield.

Crushed up brick really is just chunks or dust of clay no?