CactiGuide.com

Does anyone use manufactured clay pebbles in their cactus soil mix? Apart from the cost, does anyone foresee a negative in using them?
I have used them in my agave soil mixes, and it seems to do a decent job in keeping the soil aerated. I am not partial to the look of them (they look manufactured) and they tend to bounce out of the pots if used as top cover. I am curious if they affect the chemistry of the soil. Thoughts?

...taken from a website: "there are several names it goes by: expanded clay pebbles, leca clay, and clay balls are all examples. It is made by heating clay to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit using a rotary kiln, which gives it that signature pebbly form. This process fills the clay with little air bubbles, making it perfect for holding oxygen as well as moisture around plant roots. It can be mixed with soil or used alone."

Thank you.
Andrew

I would assume it's too big. Other than that it could be very benificial

I'm using these mixed in soil. In my bag the size can vary a lot, smallest are like tip of a match, biggest are about size of a pea. For the smaller plants and pots I use the smallest pebbles, and as the top cover any size is ok, I think. These float, so when watering, I must be careful that the pebbles won't float away My bag says these won't dissolve in water. It's said, they are so clean and hygienic that any fungi or bacteria or other pests cannot live in it. Pebbleses PH is normally neutral or slightly acidic. So I think it wouldn't do anything "bad" for the soil?
I've had my plants for a while now, and they don't mind being planted in the mixture. I like the pebbles for a particular reason - they are super light (carrying the bag out of the store is easy)!

Pompom wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2018 5:18 pm It's said, they are so clean and hygienic that any fungi or bacteria or other pests cannot live in it.

IMO it's just a sales pitch. Other than that, clay pebbles are very good in a soil mixture and specially the size you mention. However, if they float, make sure they do that because they are very light and not because they are water repellant.

One brand is Hortag over in the UK and often used on the staging in gravel trays to stand the pots on rather than put in the soil. They are also used for hydroponic culture on their own without any soil.

https://www.epicgardening.com/expanded-clay-pellets/

http://forum.bcss.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=66974

You could always crush them if too large with a brick on a concrete yard if you want and put them through a sieve for the size you want.

ElieEstephane wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2018 5:22 pm

Pompom wrote: ↑Thu Jan 18, 2018 5:18 pm It's said, they are so clean and hygienic that any fungi or bacteria or other pests cannot live in it.

IMO it's just a sales pitch. Other than that, clay pebbles are very good in a soil mixture and specially the size you mention. However, if they float, make sure they do that because they are very light and not because they are water repellant.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a sales pitch But I hope there is some truth behind too! Basically it's just hardened clay with air pockets, so if there is some organism preferring living in tight airy place, it loves to live in it.
I think they float because they are so airy and light, when water is poured on them, they get wet and take some time to dry up. There are also the water repellant ones too, but I think they are used mostly in construct purposes. My bag of pebbles are made for being potted, sold as "Pot gravel" if directly translated.

I'm using those sometimes as drainage and top dressing stones. See no harm to plants.