OH NO! What should I do?

So I recently got a whole shit load of CFL's in the mail and with the packaging came all of these STYROFOAM PELLETS. Having read that one can use these at the bottom of large containers for drainage I packed them into a few of the plants I repotted a couple of days ago. The thing is I spilled some water on them a few minutes ago and a weird thing happened, THEY TURNED TO MUSH. So these styrofoam pellets are like some strange, porous pellet that I havne't come across before. Maybe they aren't even styrofoam.

So I don't think these are going to drain well. They might just turn to goo and still release the water or, who fucking knows???

Do I have to repot these? Or if I'm careful not to over water should I be ok? Lame!

(we're talking about a few five gallon containers here, with FF soil, so clearly, I don't want that to go to waste.)

Any ideas?

deffo repot but the roots mingle with the mush, sounds like its goin to slow drainage down and theres no point risking root rot

lol. I would just trash them. They dont seem like the real thing, "Having read that one can use these at the bottom of large containers for drainage I packed them into a few of the plants I repotted a couple of days ago."
Did they get in your soil mix?

No, they're at the bottom but get this. I picked up one of the pots and the mush they've created has spawned fucking MAGGOTS! I'm definitely repotting. I figure I can use the majority of the soil and clean the bottom out. Sucks though, I really hate dealing with squirming vermin.

Sounds like those "eco friendly" packing peanuts. You want the real polystyrene or polyethylene stuff. Better living through chemistry my friend!

those pellets are made from maze or corn,we get them in the uk for packaging.You can however use the polystyrine(styrofome)pellets for drainage as i do.

Yeah dude, that eco-friendly shit caused a maggot outbreak, luckily I only used them in two plants, and I just repotted. CRISIS AVERTED.

Ahhh, corn huh? That explains why they smelled like those veggie-corn puffs I eat. Those damn things created maggots at the bottom of my pot. Never again!

dielaughing said:

Ahhh, corn huh? That explains why they smelled like those veggie-corn puffs I eat. Those damn things created maggots at the bottom of my pot. Never again!

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thats crazy but good thing u got it under control. good luck man. I use a inch of hydro balls in the bottom of my buckets and a shit load of perlite and it works good

Wow. That's insane dude.
Good thing you caught it before it's too late. Im sure you've transplants or removed that shit by now though.
Cheers and good luck on your harvest!
-KG