LANXESS expert Hans-Karl Soest puts a colorfully labeled small jar on the table and unscrews the lid. The jar contains a handful of tiny balls a bit larger than grains of sugar. Some are a shiny dark brown, others a matte mustard yellow. These little beads, which could easily be mistaken for fish food, have fascinated hydroponics fans for over 30 years. They're the key to successful plant cultivation without soil. “Lewatit HD-50 ion exchangers contain just what plants need in addition to light and carbon dioxide,” explains Soest. “In other words, phosphate, potassium, ammonium, nitrate – the building blocks from which plants form their roots, stalks, leaves, and blossoms.” Potassium? Nitrate? Don’t plants really need more than that? The answer is a clear “no.” Plants are much more self-sufficient than many people realize.

 Lewatit HD-50