I have taken a real liking to growing succulents, and this year I’m making my displays using a perlite and peat-free compost mix. This is the first time we’ve used perlite and it’s a really interesting substance because it helps to aerate soil and keep it drained, which is ideal for succulent displays.
We used perlite from Gro-Sure, and it’s made by heating volcanic rock until it pops like popcorn, which makes it very lightweight. In horticulture and gardening it’s used because it is relatively cheap, organic, lightweight and an extremely effective way of aerating heavy substrates like coco and compost. It comes in many sizes, from fine to coarse, and one bag goes a very long way. If you’ve not used perlite before, I’d definitely recommend trying it.