> I did the best search I could looking for Seramis, but could not find any
> source within the US. I did find something which may be similar though.
> Its called Isolite. Here is a link to some info. Anxious to hear if this
> stuff is an acceptable alternative. TC
>
> www.gardenweb.com/isolite
Another product is Turface. I paid $13 Cdn (about $8 US) for a large
(50 lb?) bag here in Toronto. It comes from Georgia, so you can imagine
how much less it costs nearer the source. The Profile product that Hilde
mentioned seems to come from the same or nearby clay pit. Turface is
specifically marketed to improve turf in playing fields and similar places
where compaction is a problem. If you look for it, be aware that it comes
in two grades, one is powdery and the other is coarser, similar to kitty
litter.
The general name of these materials is 'calcined clays'. Essentially, they
are fired at a temperature that makes them hold together and lose most of
their ability to exchange ions with soil water. A sequence for how hot
or thoroughly fired various materials are would be: kitty litter .... calcined
clays .... terracotta (like flower pots) .... earthenware (like some pottery
dishes) ..... china (porcelain).
Seramis seems to be marketed as a 'system', i.e. use our medium, fertilizers
and watering indicators, and you too can grow house plants without having
a green thumb.
Here's a link to an article about perlite, vermiculite, calcined clays, peat
and other potting soil additives:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/scripts/htmlgen.exe?DOCUMENT_CN004
Btw, the distributor for Turface in Canada seems to be Plant Products Ltd
in Brampton, Ont. (http://plantprod.com) I think their line of specialty
fertilizers can be found in most Canadian garden centres, so it shouldn't
be too difficult to get a local company to include some Turface in their
next order for you.
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