Lecastone
Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate
Lecastone (Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate) is a clean and attractive soilfree media with many applications in hydroponics and containers. Lecastone is completely inert, pH neutral and reusable.
Promotes healthy growth
Nearly 98% of the Oxygen that plants require to grow is taken up by their roots. When roots are starved of Oxygen, by overwatering or overly compacted soil, plant health suffers and growth becomes stunted. Tip necrosis (browning of leaf tips) is usually the first sympton of this condition. Lecastone, when used alone or blended with other growing media (Ultrapeat and/or Aerolite) or potting mixes, can prevent this problem by keeping thousands of pathways open for the exchange of gases and drainage of water. The result is a healthy rooting environment that will serve to maintain plant health and promote new growth.
Helps prevent root rot
Another result of increased Oxygen levels and improved drainage is that aerobic (air breathing) bacteria populations remain strong which keep the disease causing anaerobic (non air breathing) bacteria at bay.
Reduces watering requirements
By top dressing your pots and planters with a one to two inch layer of Lecastone, evaporative losses are reduced which effectively conserves water and increases the time between waterings.
Blocks algae and fungus gnats
A top dressing of Lecastone also serves to block direct light from reaching the growing media which prevents problematic algae from growing on its surface. This 'dry' top dressing also deters fungus gnats from colonizing your containers with their root destroying larvae.
Provides physical stability
When growing outdoors with a lightweight media such as Ultrapeat and/or Aerolite, blending some Lecastone into the mix will give planters the extra weight they need to resist getting knocked over by wind, rain or small animals.
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