The advantage to using perlite instead of vermiculite is seen in the fact that, unlike vermiculite, perlite does not collapse under its own wet weight and lose 50-75% of it's loft after a couple of waterings from the top. This collapse/compaction reduces much-needed air volume in the rooting media.

100% perlite works great for starting cuttings, as does 100% Turface (also sold as 'Schultz Soil Conditioner') or Espoma's Soil Perfector. Any combination of these ingredients will work well, too. For a really great rooting medium, try equal parts by volume of Turface, perlite, and finely chopped sphagnum moss (not peat, but sphagnum moss). The moss, even on its own, is a superb aid to root formation. It's used extensively in air-layering for that very reason.

Al

Hi Al

Thats terrific information Al. Good thing that I started potting my newly rooted cuttings yesterday and I am going to change them all to your suggestion to save this bunch of less common fig cuttings.

Paully