Baby k,
not a great reason I know but I sift because I was told to by my boss when I worked in a florist shop in high school. he said I needed chunks of perlite, not the fine stuff. he grew gorgeous violets so I did what I was told and my violets thrived. ten years ago I spent a vacation in the ICU with a major staph infection. I came through but my violets didn't. No one watered them or groomed while I was in the hospital. Hubs tossed them all before I got home so I wouldn't overdo. I haven't had a violet do well since. I think they're all still mad at me for neglecting them. I retired from a high stress job a year ago and moved to Tx and now I'm a city mouse in a country house trying to learn gardening and rebuild house plant collections. but the deer, the armadillos and the scorpions are rather new to me having lived in SC in the city for 30 years and I don't have fencing up yet to keep the critters out. they tear up everything they come near. now I understand I'm lucky I haven't met the wild pigs. that's a lot of nonsense for a simple question. I just did this for years cuz I was told to. I do make sure I wear a mask. don't want that dust in my lungs.
donna
