SYBAStones is not soil. It is a mineral substrate: a blend of pumice, zeolite and lava rock that gives roots air, water and grip without breaking down. There is nothing organic in the pot to compact or rot, so the structure stays open for years. It is also reusable: rinse the stones and they are ready for the next plant.

Fungus gnats lay their eggs in organic material. There is none in SYBAStones: it is lava rock, pumice and zeolite, so there is nothing for them to breed in. The one thing that matters is the switch itself: wash every last bit of old soil off the roots, because that is where any existing eggs are.

Rinse the stones, take all the old soil off the roots and plant into a self-watering pot. Growing on SYBAStones works differently from soil, so we send you a step-by-step email right after your order with the full method.

Fill the reservoir of the self-watering pot and let the wick do the work. Let the reservoir run empty for a day or two before you refill, so the roots get air.