Eric Suchman on thu 2 may 02
There used to be a product called Turface available for many years(late 70's
anyways). Clay chunks, (shards), that had been run through a tumbler of
sorts. This was graded for size. This medium worked great for both cactus
and succulents as well as orchids. Sharp edges are basically inonsequential
to the plants. I'm sure the rounding of the surfaces had more to do with
damaging the handlers of the medium than the plants.
> From: Fredrick Paget
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 14:36:57 -0700
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: Extruded Clay Beads as Plant Media
>
> The claly plellets have been sold for growing orchids and hydroponics for
a
> number of years. Actually this material is made for use as a light weight
> aggregate in concrete where light weight was needed such as bridge decks
> and roof decks etc. The first kind I saw was being sold by Fennel Orchids
> in Florida.( Now out of business.)
> What he had was an expanded shale product made by overfiring shale pellets
> until they bloat. It had plenty of sharp edges but the plants did not
seem
> to mind.
> Here in California a similar product is made in a continuous process by
> overfiring a low fire clay pellets in a continuous process. They make it
by
> the ton. It is pretty dirty stuff, There is a small company here (Dynagro)
> that cleans it up and sells it to orchid growers for about 10 dollars a
> cubic foot.
> A similar product called Alipor or something like that and is imported
from
> Venezuela and sold to orchid growers in the southern states.
> Fred
>
>> When we were in the airport in Paris waiting for the plane home, we
>> noticed that their indoor planter beds were filled with, what looked and
felt
>> like, clay beads. They were very light weight and about the size of the
last
>> section of your pinkie finger. I thought they might be made of paper
clay,
>> they were so light weight.
>> Then my husband saw something online in the hydroponics section on
>> extruded clay beads for plant media. Does anyone have any idea how this
is
>> done? I have a North Star extruder that would extrude long coils. How
are
>> the ends rounded off? Or do they have to be rolled by hand. They should
not
>> have any sharp edges or they might damage the plant roots. Thanks for
any
>> suggestons.
>>
>> Diane Florida Bird Lady
>
>
> From Fred Paget, Marin County, California, USA
>
>
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Diane Woloshyn on thu 2 may 02
When we were in the airport in Paris waiting for the plane home, we
noticed that their indoor planter beds were filled with, what looked and
felt
like, clay beads. They were very light weight and about the size of the
last
section of your pinkie finger. I thought they might be made of paper clay,
they were so light weight.
Then my husband saw something online in the hydroponics section on
extruded clay beads for plant media. Does anyone have any idea how this is
done? I have a North Star extruder that would extrude long coils. How are
the ends rounded off? Or do they have to be rolled by hand. They should
not
have any sharp edges or they might damage the plant roots. Thanks for any
suggestons.
Diane Florida Bird Lady
Remembering the stunning flowers in The Netherlands.
Fredrick Paget on thu 2 may 02
The claly plellets have been sold for growing orchids and hydroponics for a
number of years. Actually this material is made for use as a light weight
aggregate in concrete where light weight was needed such as bridge decks
and roof decks etc. The first kind I saw was being sold by Fennel Orchids
in Florida.( Now out of business.)
What he had was an expanded shale product made by overfiring shale pellets
until they bloat. It had plenty of sharp edges but the plants did not seem
to mind.
Here in California a similar product is made in a continuous process by
overfiring a low fire clay pellets in a continuous process. They make it by
the ton. It is pretty dirty stuff, There is a small company here (Dynagro)
that cleans it up and sells it to orchid growers for about 10 dollars a
cubic foot.
A similar product called Alipor or something like that and is imported from
Venezuela and sold to orchid growers in the southern states.
Fred
> When we were in the airport in Paris waiting for the plane home, we
>noticed that their indoor planter beds were filled with, what looked and
felt
>like, clay beads. They were very light weight and about the size of the
last
>section of your pinkie finger. I thought they might be made of paper clay,
>they were so light weight.
> Then my husband saw something online in the hydroponics section on
>extruded clay beads for plant media. Does anyone have any idea how this is
>done? I have a North Star extruder that would extrude long coils. How are
>the ends rounded off? Or do they have to be rolled by hand. They should
not
>have any sharp edges or they might damage the plant roots. Thanks for any
>suggestons.
>
>Diane Florida Bird Lady
From Fred Paget, Marin County, California, USA
Russel Fouts on sun 5 may 02
Diane, Wolodi@AOL.COM
>> When we were in the airport in Paris waiting for the plane home, we
noticed that their indoor planter beds were filled with, what looked and
felt like, clay beads. They were very light weight and about the size
of the last section of your pinkie finger. I thought they might be made
of paper clay, they were so light weight. Then my husband saw something
online in the hydroponics section on extruded clay beads for plant
media. Does anyone have any idea how this is done? I have a North Star
extruder that would extrude long coils. How are the ends rounded off?
Or do they have to be rolled by hand. They should not have any sharp
edges or they might damage the plant roots. <<
I don't think what you saw were made that that way at all. As I
understand it they're fired until they puff up and bloat. I remember
reading an article on using them as insulation in a low fire kiln once
as well.
So what else did you see in Europe besides "puffed up pottery mulch" and
the flowers in the Netherlands? ;-)
Russel
-----------------------------
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