Turning Six-Packs Into Thriving Plants

Albuquerque, NM, October 30, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Imagine taking 250 tons of discarded glass bottles out of New Mexican landfills each month and turning it into a high-performance horticulture products. No small feat. Yet, that’s exactly what Growstone ® does in their manufacturing plant located right in the middle of the Albuquerque landfill.

For Growstone, it all begins with crushed beer bottles, wine bottles, soda bottles, etc. Then they mill them into a flour-like powder and bakes them in a kiln. The material then comes out in large sheets looking like “brownies”. After they cool, they are broken into different size “stones” for various horticulture products from growing mediums to soil aerators to fungus gnat control top dressings. “A six-pack of beer bottles is roughly enough to Growstones to grow one tomato plant,” says CEO, Mike Langone. “It’s a horticultural and environmental win-win.”

Growstones highly porous, lightweight “stones” produce superior results for container and raised bed gardening. They provide a perfect balance of moisture control, drainage and soil aeration – without the toxic load, or strip mining and unsustainable practices used by many products in this category, such as perlite and diatomaceous earth.

Their newest product, Gnat Nix!, is a non-toxic fungus gnat control top dressing. It is the only scientifically proven, chemical free product that eradicates gnats on plants, indoors or out. No matter where gnats are in their lifecycle, Gnat Nix! works – either by preventing the adult emergence from hatching larvae or deterring females from laying eggs. There is no other product on the market that does without the use of chemicals or pesticides.

Gnat Nix! is now available in a 2-liter bag – perfect for 2-3 houseplants, or a 9-liter bag for a multitude of plants. Gardener, J.M. at Northside Garden Supply, said, “Gnat Nix! destroyed our gnat population!” Grower, C. Fuller, said, “It works killer! Best thing on the market.”

Growstone also makes a line of soil aerators called Mix This! that can be mixed with potting soil, coco coir, peat or even compost. Mix This! provides excellent aeration for a plant’s roots while eliminating under or overwatering, as well as protecting against root rot. “Plants need air as much as they need water for optimum growth. Mix This! does both. It holds 30% of its volume in water and 50% of its volume in air after irrigation. That means that when blended with potting soil, Mix This! brings the roots all the aeration and fast drainage they need, while providing available water. It’s the best of both worlds,” says Dr. Paula Costa, Director of Research and Development.

All of Growstone products are made from 100% recycled glass and 100% American made. For information, go to www.growstone.com or join their tribe at facebook.com/growstone.