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Horticulture and Landscape
Lightweight expanded shale and clay (ES&C) soil conditioner is playing a new and valuable role in today's horticulture.
It is generally understood that to achieve healthy turf and other plant life, it may be necessary to amend soils with materials that promote strong root development. Soil is a fragile growing medium consisting of three components: solid particles, water and air. Maintaining a careful balance of these elements is necessary to establish a good soil profile.
The following physical characteristics explain why ES&C performs well in many varied soil conditioner applications. These characteristics include:
- Environmentally friendly, made from natural material
- Improves drainage and aeration
- Non-toxic and odorless
- 100 percent inert, inorganic
- Will not compress, degrade, decompose, or react with agricultural or horticultural chemicals
- Retains a high percentage of its weight in absorbed water, giving it the ability to release the water to the root system at a later time
ES&C is also user-friendly because it is:
- Lightweight
- Easy to handle
- Economical
- Readily available
Common Uses
- Soil conditioner (landscape mixes, roof gardens, plants, trees, potting soil, etc.)
- Soil amendments for turf (lawns, athletic fields, polo fields, horse tracks)
- Decorative (ground cover)
- Mud blocker (Horse stalls, pens, walkways, fill-in for low wet problem spots)
- Walking trails, running tracks
- Herbicide and fertilizer carrier
- Hydroponics
- Structural soil
- Backfill
- Drainage gravel
Related Products
A blend of TXI's Expanded Shale and Clay lightweight aggregate and a suitable sandy clay loam properly mixed and compacted for use as a temporary, overflow parking surface. Learn More…
TXI’s TruGro expanded shale soil amendment has certain chemical and physical properties that make it an excellent plant growing media. Its primary function is to provide physical strength and resistance to deformation. Learn More…
Case Studies
Lightweight Aggregate for Rooftop Gardens
Expanded Aggregates Solve Soil Problems
Featured Projects
The Botanical Research Institute of Texas
Nasher Sculpture Center
From the Deck Up: TXI Expanded Shale Use at the Klyde Warren Park
White Papers
A Down to Earth Application
The Benefits of Turf (Ohio State University)
Additional Resources
