Soil Blending

The choice of growing media is among the most important decision a grower will make, second only to water and energy consumption. For use in soil, coco coir, or peat, Growstone is the clear horticultural and environmental winner. 

What makes Growstones an environmental winner? It is green from start to finish. From its start as waste glass in a landfill to its finish as a non-toxic, chemical free, sustainably-produced high performance soil aerator.

Sustainability in growing requires re-evaluating the choices of media used. It is not just a price point issue. Growstones growing media is part of the solution because it not only allows for similar yields as perlite and Hydroton, but is produced with no ugly, destructive strip mining, or shipped thousands of miles thereby significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

How do Growstones compare with other growing media?

Growstones are characterized by some of the most desirable physical characteristics of an ideal growing media. The table here summarizes some of the most important characteristics of Growstones as compared with other commonly used growing media.

 

 

 What are the Advantages of Growstones?

The advantages of Growstones are directly related with its unique physical characteristics, and the ability to be customized for different plant growing applications and climates.

Growstones can be manufactured with different pore sizes, cell type, and particle size distribution, in order to provide either faster drainage or higher water holding capacity to satisfy a wide range of plant growth requirements under different climates.

In the blending mixes, container crop, and soil amendment applications, Growstones increases aeration and can increase the water holding capacity of the mix. This characteristic distinguishes Growstones from perlite or rice hulls, currently used for increased aeration alone. 

• Air to water ratio:
• High water holding capacity associated with high aeration at saturation (35%, v/v)
• High air-filled porosity (53%, v/v)

• Drainage – Growstones-based mixes have faster drainage and cannot be overwatered.

• Reusability – In soil amendment applications, mixes containing Growstones can be reused in low-care applications such as landscaping to improve soil structure, texture.

• Inert – Free of chemicals, weeds, nutrients and harmful substances.

• Consistency – Matches rockwool in structural consistency and reliable performance.

• Silica – High content in soluble silica. Different horticulture and entomology research groups (USDA, UC Davis, CA) have been studying the benefits of high soluble Silica concentration in root media for disease and pest prevention for several flower crops.