The prices for expanded clay in garden centers are high. Often, a much cheaper alternative is enough to fulfill the purpose of the additive, for example in plant containers. The following alternatives can often be used as a cheap substitute:
The properties of expanded clay and clay shards are similar in many ways. However, the water storage capacity of clay shards is significantly lower than that of expanded clay. They are very suitable as a drainage layer and you can do without expensive expanded clay. So, if the next time a clay pot breaks, think about keeping the shards.
If you use the expanded clay only as a drainage layer at the bottom of your pot or container, you can replace it with pebbles. The coarse structure prevents soil from being washed out of the pot and still allows water to drain easily. However, note that unlike expanded clay, pebbles do not store water.
If you use expanded clay to improve the water storage capacity of your substrate or to prevent the soil from clumping together, this is often a practical method. However, this addition is often only necessary because the soil used is not of high quality or not suitable for your plant or location. Substrate with a higher sand content allows water to drain more quickly, and substrate with compost or peat content retains moisture longer. In some cases, using high-quality plant soil can be more cost-effective than adding expanded clay.
If you use expanded clay so that your plant containers do not dry out too quickly in a sunny location in summer, you can also use water-absorbing foam mats. These are placed in the bottom of pots and containers and store water here, without the roots of the plant standing in water and the risk of rotting.
Ask in a building materials trade near you about loose fill insulation. This is broken expanded clay that is sold much cheaper than the original in the garden center.
If you use expanded clay to prevent the plant soil from drying out too quickly, you can also consider using plant pots or containers with a built-in water reservoir. These have a double wall or a double bottom in which water is stored and only released to the plant soil when it becomes dry.
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