Mineral Matrix: Foundation Pack (1500 gms)

Mineral Matrix: Foundation Pack — 1500 g of Deccan Basalt for Serious Plant Parents

The Mineral Matrix Foundation Pack is the workhorse of The Lithic Edit - two kilograms of premium, micronised Deccan basalt rock dust packed for the plant parent who has stopped experimenting and started building a routine. If the Trial Shot is an introduction and the Apothecary Shot is a habit, the Foundation Pack is a foundation. It is the size you reach for when you have a real collection, when you repot regularly, and when mineral-led care has become part of how you garden, not something you try.

Why It's Called the Foundation Pack

The name is deliberate. In horticulture, the foundation is the substrate - not the leaves you admire, not the flowers you photograph, but the soil that quietly decides whether anything thrives. A plant raised on mineral-rich, well-structured soil will tolerate the missed watering, the unexpected heatwave, the occasional pest visit. A plant raised on tired, depleted potting mix will struggle through every minor stress. The Foundation pack is the size that lets you build that mineral foundation across an entire indoor jungle, a balcony garden, a terrace setup, or a small nursery operation.

What's Inside

Two kilograms of 100% micronised basalt rock dust, sourced from verified Deccan Trap quarries in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh - the geological heart of one of the world's largest and most mineral-rich volcanic formations. Each batch is milled to a strict 100–200 mesh (75–150 micron) particle size, sieved for uniformity, dried, and packed without additives, fillers, or synthetic boosters. What you pour out of the pack is exactly what came out of the rock.

Typical Mineral Profile (Deccan Basalt)

• Silica (SiO₂): 42–50% — reinforces cell walls, supports stomatal regulation, and helps plants tolerate the abiotic stress of indoor environments.
• Alumina (Al₂O₃): 12–16% — contributes to soil buffering and structural stability of the substrate.
• Iron Oxide (Fe₂O₃): 10–15% — essential for chlorophyll synthesis and electron transport.
• Calcium Oxide (CaO): 8–12% — critical for cell division and the structural skeleton of leaves and stems.
• Magnesium Oxide (MgO): 5–10% — the central atom of every chlorophyll molecule.
• Trace Elements: 1–2% — the catalytic spectrum that drives enzymatic reactions and plant immunity.

This typical profile reflects standard Deccan basalt and is offered as a slow-release mineral reservoir, not a quick-acting fertiliser.

Coverage and Practical Use

Two kilograms of Mineral Matrix is enough to:

• Top-dress approximately 80–120 medium pots over a year
• Amend up to 120–160 litres of fresh potting mix at the recommended blend ratio
• Sustain a 30–40 plant indoor jungle for 12–18 months of mineral support
• Service a small terrace or balcony food garden across a full growing season

The Science of Slow Release

Synthetic NPK fertilisers act fast and exit fast. They give a plant a sugar rush of nitrogen and phosphorus, but they leave behind nothing for the soil. Within weeks, the substrate is back to baseline — sometimes worse, because excess salts can damage soil microbes and root tissue. Basalt rock dust works on a different timescale. The minerals locked inside each particle are released slowly, over many months, as soil acids and microbial activity etch the surface of the rock. This is the same process that built the world's most fertile soils. The Foundation Pack is sized to let you participate in that process — to build, layer by layer, a substrate that becomes more alive every season.

The Silica Story for Indoor Plants

Silica is the unsung hero of basalt. While not classified as a primary nutrient, contemporary research highlights its role as a botanical bodyguard — reinforcing cell walls, regulating stomatal closure under stress, and improving water-use efficiency. For collectors of variegated aroids, silica's reinforcement of structurally weaker, low-chlorophyll tissue is particularly valuable. Plants supplemented with basalt over time often show stiffer petioles, glossier leaf surfaces, improved tolerance to dry indoor air, and better recovery from pest pressure.

How to Use the Foundation Pack

1. Repotting Blend (most effective): Mix 1–2 tablespoons per litre of potting mix when repotting. Stir thoroughly so the powder is evenly dispersed.
2. Top-Dress (maintenance): Sprinkle 1–2 teaspoons per 6–8 inch pot every 2–3 months. Water in.
3. Compost & Worm Bin Enrichment: Add a tablespoon to each compost or worm bin layer. Worm castings made on basalt-enriched bedding are exceptional.
4. Vegetable & Edible Beds: Broadcast 50–100 g per square metre and rake in lightly before planting.
5. Bonsai & Cactus: Use a half dose; basalt pairs beautifully with mineral-heavy substrates.

Mineral Matrix is non-burning and pH-neutral to mildly basic. It cannot be over-applied in the way synthetic fertilisers can, and it is fully compatible with whatever liquid feed you already use.

Best For

• Aroid collectors: Monstera, Philodendron, Anthurium, Alocasia, Syngonium, Scindapsus
• Hoya, Dischidia, and other epiphytes
• Ficus, Calatheas, Marantas, and tropical foliage
• Variegated specimens — Albo, Thai Constellation, variegata Philos
• Edible gardens — tomatoes, chillies, herbs, leafy greens, root vegetables
• Bonsai, succulents, caudiciforms (in lower doses)
• Boutique nurseries and small commercial growers

Living Soil: The Mineral + Microbe Partnership

Rock dust does its best work in the company of biology. The organic acids released by microbes, mycorrhizae and earthworms slowly etch minerals out of basalt particles, releasing iron, magnesium, calcium and silica in plant-available forms. Pair the Foundation Pack with vermicompost, worm castings, or a microbial inoculant and you have a complete, self-renewing soil ecosystem. This is the heart of Living Soil — the partnership between rock, life, and root that makes nature's most resilient gardens possible.

Sourcing, Processing & Compliance

Every batch is sourced from verified Deccan basalt quarries, milled on calibrated equipment to 100–200 mesh, sieved for uniformity, and dried before packing. The product is screened for foreign matter and is produced in line with India's Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) framework for soil conditioners and mineral amendments, including limits on Arsenic, Cadmium, Chromium, Mercury and Lead.

Handling & Safety

Mineral Matrix is a fine mineral powder. Please avoid inhaling the dust during application — wear a simple dust mask when mixing larger volumes (especially with this 1500 g size), work in a ventilated area or outdoors, and wash hands after use. Once incorporated into soil, the product is non-toxic and safe around pets and children.

Pack Details

• Net Weight: 1500 grams
• Particle Size: 100–200 mesh (approx. 75–150 microns)
• Origin: Deccan Traps, India
• Ingredients: 100% micronised basalt rock dust. No additives.
• Coverage: 50–90 medium pots (top-dress) or 80–120 L of substrate (blend)
• Shelf Life: Indefinite when stored dry and sealed.

The Lithic Edit Promise

India sits on one of the planet's great mineral inheritances. The Foundation Pack is our most honest expression of that fact - a generously sized, fairly priced, beautifully presented Pack of Indian basalt for the plant parent who has decided that real soil deserves real minerals. It is the Pack we hope ends up beside your potting bench, half-empty, with a measuring spoon resting on top.