What is Seramis?
Seramis clay granules are an ideal growing medium for all green and flowering plants usually potted into soils. Each granule has a porous structure, allowing it to absorb water like a sponge.
For optimal care for your plant use the Seramis clay granules, the Seramis watering indicator stick and the appropriate Seramis Fertilizer – the food for green and flowering plants.
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What is special about Seramis?
Each individual Seramis clay granule can absorb over 100% of its own weight in water. Because of the fine pores in the granule, water and nutrients from the fertilizer become evenly distributed throughout the pot. Each plant takes as much water as it needs and because Seramis clay granules are structurally stable (i.e. they do not rot and do not compact), the roots are always optimally supplied with oxygen.
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What is the raw material in Seramis?
Only selected Westerwald clays are used for the production of Seramis clay granules.
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How is the raw material handled and processed?
Only selected Westerwald clays are used for the production of SERAMIS ® clay granules. In addition to technical production requirements, a low salt content and a nearly neutral pH value are important. A certain iron content is a prerequisite to develop the later red-brown / terracotta color. The clay is liquefied with water and then a specially developed method creates the pores, giving a pore volume of about 80%. This is then dried, crushed to the desired particle size, sieved and then fired in a kiln at temperatures just below 1000 ° C to obtain the required strength. Through the combustion process and the oxidisation of iron in the clay, the granules get their reddish-brown color – no artificial dyes or color is added. To reduce dust in the packing and distribution process, the finished product is sprayed with a little water before packing.
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How is the quality of the SERAMIS granules guaranteed?
The raw materials used throughout the computer controlled process, and the finished product itself, is regularly subjected to strict quality controls.
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Is SERAMIS® safe for humans and animals?
SERAMIS® clay granules are only made of clay that is fired at about 1000 ° C.
Because of the firing process, the clay granules are biologically inert and chemically neutral. As a plant substrate, the granules serve as a carrier and transporter of water, which passes to the substrate surface to be made available for the plant’s roots. This means that SERAMIS ® is only a carrier, absorbing water.
If SERAMIS ® granules are swallowed, we recommend that you consult a doctor if there are any unusual symptoms or changes in behavior of your child / animal.
On request we can send you the material safety data sheets with more details on SERAMIS ® clay granules and the SERAMIS ® Fertilisers.
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Where can you buy SERAMIS ®?
The SERAMIS ® product range is available in a large number of countries throughout the world. It can be found in DIY/hardware stores, garden centres and nurseries, as well as large grocery retail stores.
In addition, you can also get SERAMIS ® online at our own website www.seramis.com as well as other websites eg www.amazon.de
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will cactus do well in seramis mix only?
Seramis is an ideal growing medium for all plant types and this includes cacti. Indeed, we have a number of cacti and succulent specimens in our office and greenhouse in Germany that have been thriving for many years in Seramis only.
We have also more recently carried out trials with a professional cacti growing company in Germany. The grower used a wide range of substrate formulations including his own professional mixes, specially formulated competitor products for amateurs and a range of blends using Seramis in differing proportions upto 100%. We have tried different cacti varieties in these blends and the formulations using Seramis have generally performed well and have even shown improvements in growth in some of the blends over other non-Seramis formulations.
You should feel confident using 100% Seramis for your cacti “straight from the bag”. However, for the more confident grower who prefers their own cacti blend, try adding some Seramis to the blend as this will offer the usual Seramis benefits of a natural and neutral pH substrate, which is both free-draining yet still has excellent water holding properties for the cacti roots.
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Can plant mix be used with bonsai trees, if so what kind of results are they getting. I also have a desert rose,can your plant mix be used with it
Seramis is an inorganic fired clay product made in Europe and available in many countries around the world. It is specifically designed to hold moisture in its carefully controlled internal pore structure but it is also of a particle size that is free-draining. Air is also trapped within the structure enabling a good balance of water and oxygen for bonsai plants. Being stronger than Akadama it will not break down over time.
Seramiscan be used completely on its own (sieving if you decide that your plant is best suited to a narrower granule range). However, it can also be mixed with other components – more grit for a faster draining soil or with 10 – 20% bark if an organic component is required for greater water retention (while still retaining good drainage properties).
Alternatively, you can include a portion of Seramis in your own favourite bonsai formulation –
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replacing some of the organic material
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to improve drainage,
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reduce breakdown and compaction
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optimise water and air retention
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To replace grit
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Improve water and air retention
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To replace Akadama and other inorganic materials
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To reduce breakdown and compaction
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optimise water and air retention
Seramis Orchid Mixis a formulation specifically designed using a larger Seramis granule and high-quality, pine bark for use with orchids. Although it is not specifically suited to bonsai, the hard pine bark in the formulation is a good choice for the organic, bark component for bonsai and simply needs to be sieved to produce the required particle size.
There are plenty of examples of people using Seramis for Bonsai on the web – look google images and type in Seramis + bonsai
We have no direct experience of growing Desert Rose in Seramis but we have many examples of growing cacti in it. Also as part of a plant growth trial we have successfully grown Crassula (another succulent) in Seramis and so there should be no problem.
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Is your production process enviornmentally friendly?
Our factory in Mogendorf is almost completely waste-free with products and waste from production either reused in the factory or recycled.
Any water used for cleaning or cooling is completely re-used, so that no waste water is generated in the process.
Particular emphasis is placed on the lowest possible energy consumption. Thus, the waste heat from the furnace is recovered and used in the drying process. To protect the environment, natural gas is used to fire the kilns.
The use of highly advanced technology ensures that all statutory limits are met at levels significantly lower than required.
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Are SERAMIS ® Clay granules reusable / recyclable?
SERAMIS ® clay granules can be used again and again, because it is structurally stable. If the roots of your plants were become with pests, you can heat the dry granules at 180 ° C for 30 minutes in an oven, and use them again.
It is recommended that clay granules with Efflorescence (white surface crystals from hard water or high levels of fertilisation) are thoroughly washed with water and they then can then be reused.
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How do I dispose of Seramis?
SERAMIS ® clay granules for indoor plants, and the special SERAMIS ® substrate for orchids, can be safely disposed of / recycled in small amounts in organic waste (composting).
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What plants can I use Seramis with?
SERAMIS ® is suitable for all types of indoor plants and plants can be repotted throughout the year without any problems.
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Can you put plants in SERAMIS ® outside?
SERAMIS ® can be used outside. However, because we recommend the use of SERAMIS ® with a sealed pot, they must have a hole made in the bottom to allow excess rainwater to drain away. You do not want a sealed pot to become water-logged and the roots to be sitting in water.
If you have used an open pot, make sure that you have used some “crocks” or a guaze at the bottom to prevent the SERAMIS ® being washed away.
Important: If SERAMIS ® used in open containers, we recommend the pot is placed on a saucer to prevent any reddish water causing staining on delicate surfaces. The coloring is caused by the flushing out of any red dust particles contained in the pores – it is completely normal and for this to happen to some extent and will diminish quickly as the dust is flushed out of the granulate.
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Can you use SERAMIS ® outdoors or in window boxes?
SERAMIS ® can also be used outdoors (see previous question) or in window boxes.
To use outdoors, the containers must be provided with a hole, so that excess rainwater can drain away. You can also closed vessels fitted with multiple holes, a few cm above the bottom (say 3-6 cm) - these openings serve as drainage and the area below the holes as additional water storage
Important: If SERAMIS ® is used in open containers / window boxes are used, we recommend that they stand on a mat or be equipped with a sump to collect the initial reddish excess water. The coloring is caused by the flushing out of any red dust particles contained in the pores – it is completely normal and for this to happen to some extent and will diminish quickly as the dust is flushed out of the granulate.
Your balcony and patio plants need a balanced supply of nutrients for optimum growth. We recommend that you fertilize your plants with either SERAMIS ® Vital nourishment for green or flowering plants with every watering. You can also mix SERAMIS ®-clay granules with potting soil. The addition of granulated clay-SERAMIS ®, ensures that the potting soil is loose, that the root ball gets better aeration and that water absorption is increased.
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Is SERAMIS ® frost resistant?
SERAMIS ® clay granules are structurally stable. However, repeated freezing cycles will lead to a slight deterioration of product quality.
In general, the product does not lose its properties, such as the high water holding capacity with freezing and so it can be used with plants that are exposed to moderate frost. However, it is important to ensure that water cannot collect in the container which freezes and then cracks the container. We also suggest that the container should be well covered (eg in bubble wrap), so the plant’s roots do not freeze
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Can you please give me the NPK factors for your plant food? Is any of the elements derived fron urea in your plant food?
Seramis is designed as a Planting System of granulate and fertilisers. Each of the Seramis fertilisers have been specifically developed to complement the characteristics of our granulate. When used regularly with each watering during the growing season, and in combination with the granulate, the fertilisers provide an ongoing, gentle food source for your plants, Used as recommended, this promotes consistent and healthy growth, and limits the risks of shock to the plant if high nutrient levels are experienced, which can damage delicate roots.
The NPK levels in our Green Houseplant Food are 1-1-2, according to US legislation. None of the elements are derived from urea; they are derived from Ammonium Nitrate, Potassium Nitrate, Phosphoric Acid and Potassium Hydroxide.
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