Cation Exchange Capacity (Nutrient Retention) Infomation
steadyGROWpro CEC = 4.03 meq/100gm*
SteadyGRO-H+ CEC = 4.03 meq/100gm*
What Is CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity)?
Soils or soilless growing media can be thought of as warehouses for nutrients needed by plants. The ability of a growing media to store a particular group of nutrients known as the cations is referred to the cation exchange capacity or CEC. The cation (positively charged ions) group of nutrients are important for plant nutrition. The major cation nutrients include Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium.
CEC ultimately measures the ability of the growing media to efficiently provide the necessary nutrients introduced in the water supply to the plant. It is expressed in terms of contribution per unit volume. Most commonly expressed as meq ( millequivalents per 100 grams of media).
The major disadvantage of a low CEC includes the limited availability of the important nutrients to the plant, and the inability to hold nutrients introduced. As a result, plants growing in a media with a lower CEC ratio spend too much energy looking for it's needed nutrients instead of expending this energy for root development, growth, flowering, or fruit production.
With a CEC of 4.03 meq/100gr, you will find steadyGROWpro to have a superior CEC measurement than other soilless growing media alternatives.
Sources:
Purdue University
www.rose-black-spot.com
International Soil and Reference Information Center
www.microsoil.com
*Studies conducted by Purdue University Horticulture Department
