As such, you'll need to add nutrients to water yourself. 3. If you're using Leca that's already washed by yourself, you can skip this process altogether and start planting your plant in the Leca, but if you just bought a bag of Leca (or clay balls) at a store, this guide is very important. The fact that you can "check-in" on your plant so easily is what helped me to save my Alocasias from dying. Don’t forget to soak the pebbles first! HYDROTON is good for: top drip pots like dutch pots; good as a base layer for ebb & flow pots. The roots are allowed plenty of air circulation because LECA doesn’t compact. If you're using Leca that you've already washed before, you can skip to the next step. Clay pebbles or hydroton (sometimes referred to as LECA—light expanded clay aggregate) are a hydroponic substrate with units about the size of marbles or peanuts. This means that bugs won't be attracted to the rotting roots and soil. When searching for information on this subject, you will find there are several names it goes by: expanded clay pebbles, leca clay, and clay balls are all examples. Opposed to using soil, Leca is not able to provide nutrients to your plants by itself. It's fun to do semihydro in plant life. Every once in a while your leca balls might turn white from the calcium in the water you're using. You will need to use fresh water that has a neutral pH, or a pH-neutral solution, to do this. Then, use a hammer to break up the pieces, until they have crushed down into much smaller particles. If you're using Leca that you've already washed before, you can skip to the next step. Back to top So using Leca, you can create a raised bottom and raise your plants' roots from the bottom of the pot. Most general hydroponics fertilizer is fine, but there are also specific types of fertilizer you can use to help your plants. This can either be done manually, or with the use of automated misters. Once your system is ready, using the clay pebbles is quite simple: 1. I love decorating my home backyard with beautiful landscape design and creative garden care techniques I develop myself. This will increase their surface area, enabling them to retain more moisture. 3. When you order through these links, we receive a small commission. The most important thing you have to think about when growing your plants in Leca is to never later their roots sit in water and to add a hydroponics fertilizer of some sort to your water. To do this, first place your clay pebbles into a bag. 3. This has worked well so far, so it may be something you can consider using as well. This is much simpler when using Leca because you're watering when the water in the pot is gone. However, when you're growing your plants in Leca, you'll be able to look at the roots every single day if you choose so. Often used in hydroponic and aquaponic settings as a growing medium (think of it as a replacement for soil), LECA has recently been used for houseplants such as orchids in a semi-hydroponic setting to take the guess work out of when to water and how much. Learn how your comment data is processed. The water that's soaked up in the clay balls can be used to water plants. I have some smaller plants, and smaller containers, where it would make more sense to use LECA that's about 4-7mm in diameter, but I'm having trouble figuring out where to find it. That's quite a bit of extra work just to get a plant … Hydroton grow rocks, or expanded clay pellets, also referred to as leca clay, clay balls, are one of the most helpful and versatile growing media to any traditional and hydroponic grower. ... i use filtered water and do the ph kit and my plants are doing really well. The LECA hold water and hydrates the plant’s roots. Perfect leca for starting out! Leca is a collection of baked clay balls that expand when you soak them in water. More LECA ball projects to … *Tip: Rinse the clay balls before use in a colander to remove all that red dust. I am a sustainable focus gardener. If the humidity in your growing environment is particularly low, consider placing a humidity dome over your growing containers, as this will give your seeds a good start. Where to Buy Leca Balls. Ideally, this needs to be something that will store and deliver just the right amount of nutrients and moisture to your plants, which is exactly why expanded Jill is a sustainable focus gardener. When it comes time to plant, rinse the LECA using a sieve or colander under running water. Hydroton is 100% reusable when kept in proper condition. They will act as a wick, providing your cuttings with enough moisture without the risk of drowning them. Basically, semi-hydroponics means that plants are potted using LECA clay pellets. You should only water your plants in Leca when the clay balls aren't able to soak up any new water from the bottom of the pot. Because the plant chooses when to drink and how much. As I've mentioned in "How to avoid overwatering your plants" the most important part of growing your plants in Leca is that the roots are not allowed to sit in water. However, your cutting will probably need access to more drip emitters – aim for at least three per cutting, with each one releasing about a gallon of water each hour. This way your plants get the nutrients they need and drink when they're thirsty. Leca is a collection of baked clay balls that expand when you soak them in water. After accomplishing the program of level 1 sub-specialty in Pediatrics, he was awarded the Chevening Scholarship for his Master’s degree of Public Health in the University of Edinburgh in 2019. Ideally, plants are “hardened off” in a greenhouse to allow them to acclimate to the new growing medium. LECA balls are very porous, so you’ll never have to aerate your monstera’s roots or worry about compacted soil. Because they’re so lightweight, easy for transplanting and harvesting, and easy on the hands, they’re a favorite of small producers using media bed or Dutch bucket techniques. If your plants are really thirsty, they will start to grow towards the water that's in the bottom of the pot and drink directly from that. This means that it could also contain nutrients for insects. No matter what you may be growing, one of the most important things to remember when using clay pebbles is that the pebbles should never be allowed to completely dry out. That's what you'll find out in this post. All they do is soak up a little water and expand accordingly. You will need to fill your net pot about halfway with clay pebbles, but only insert your cuttings so that they are just an inch below the surface of the pebbles. The difference for plants growing in Leca, compared to plants growing in soil, is that the plant chooses when to drink. to Growing Media RETURN TO THE HOME PAGE This gives me an opportunity to have a look at how the roots of the plants are doing. 2) Remove ALL soil from the roots of the plant. Learn about Perlite Learn about Coco Coir Return From L.E.C.A. Simply place them into your growing container, either on their own or mixed with another growing medium, before adding your plants in. This attracted insects and the plants almost died because of this. You would need to then use water soluble plant food for them to get the nutrients they need. Hydroton grow rocks, or expanded clay pellets, also referred to as leca clay, clay balls, are one of the most helpful and versatile growing media to any traditional and hydroponic grower. It's not even able to properly feed my plants. You might hear some people refer to them as LECA beads or clay pebbles while others call them clay balls or LECA pellets. Once your seedlings have developed a root system, you can then gently lift them out and move them into a container with full-sized clay pebbles. Leca, Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate, helps to keep the immediate environment of your plant humid, because air can very easily travel between the clay balls and absorb moisture as it does this. In between planting and repotting them, you won't really know what the roots look like and how they're doing. Opposed to using soil, Leca is not able to provide nutrients to your plants by itself. Basically, semi-hydroponics means that plants are potted using LECA clay pellets. They're great as a medium for plants to grow in because it makes watering your plants much easier, you reduce the risks of getting pests, and you can easily "check-in" on your plants. However, unlike soil, Leca is just a collection of clay balls and doesn't contain any nutrients. Insects usually carry and cause deceases for your plants, so avoiding them altogether helps you to reduced the chances of dealing with a sick plant. Essentially, Leca is a growing medium, like soil, in which you can grow your plants. However, be careful not to crush them too much – if they turn into a powder, they will fall through the drainage holes of your growing container. ... i use filtered water and do the ph kit and my plants are doing really well. You often won’t be able to see this happening until the build-up has gotten quite severe, in which case you will notice a white residue forming over the top of the clay pebbles. request a plant guide or So now that you know Leca is just a collection of expanding clay balls, you might be wondering how this has any benefit for your plants. No spam, notifications only about new products, updates. This way, the pebbles at the bottom of the pot will still be able to access the nutrient solution in your DWC system. Soil is organic matter, which nutrients and is "alive". Although clay pebbles are known for being inert, they do still absorb nutrients, and some of these end up sticking around. Drip Irrigation Hydroponics System Guide (Design, DIY Setup & Watering Schedule), Best Hydroponic Systems Grow Kits (Complete Setup) For Beginners, The Ultimate Guide to Hydroponic Nutrient Solution, Hydroponic Gardening: Definition, Benefits, System Setup and Best Plants to Grow, The Ultimate Guide to Hydroponic Growing Mediums, DIY Worm Composting For Beginners: How to Start Vermicompost and Process, Small (Mini) Indoor Growing Ideas Design for Easy DIY Setup, 41 DIY Cheap, Easy Compost Bins Plans to Build & Make Your Own, Hydroponic Microgreens: How to Grow Microgreens Hydroponically (Without Soil), Best Hedge Shears Reviews and Buying Guide, Best Weed Torch: Weed Burner Buying Guide & Weed Torch Reviews, Composting 101: Definition, What to Compost & How to Start DIY Composting Guide for Beginners, Best Aquaponics & Hydroponics Water Pump Guide, Leca balls (which stands for light expanded clay aggregate), The air bubbles within each pebble, along with the space that surrounds them in their growing container, allows for, The pebbles retain their pellet-like shape throughout the entire growing process, making it, Clay is a natural material, making clay pebbles a, Once saturated, clay pebbles can end up quite, Although they can be reused, washing clay pebbles will leave you with lots of red dust, which can end up quite, While clay pebbles may be natural and renewable, the clay used to produce these is strip-mined, which is, Pebbles that haven’t been fully saturated before use, or those that have dried up during the growing process, can end up floating, which could cause, The excellent drainage qualities of clay pebbles can mean that the growing environment is. I personally have no experience with these are stick to a general hydroponics fertilizer. Over time, certain nutrients can build up to toxic amounts, which will prevent your plants from absorbing the nutrients they actually need. Simply rinse them in fresh, running water, until the water runs clean. Do check out our guide on other hydroponic growing medium too: Rockwool, Coco Coir. *Tip: Rinse the clay balls before use in a colander to remove all that red dust. Apart from ornamental looks , it shields plant roots from heat & thermal shock.It also helps maintain humidity to the roots of the plants. Once you lift the clay pebbles out from the water in which they were soaking, you will notice that they feel much heavier in weight – this is a sign that they are now well-saturated. Leca balls can be bought from Amazon.com. I mentioned that Leca does not provide your plants with the nutrients they need to grow properly. The roots are allowed plenty of air circulation because LECA doesn’t compact. This helps to keep the immediate surroundings of your Calathea more humid than soil would be … Using Leca as a growing medium allows for the precise control of growing conditions, and it is easy to see when the plant needs more water, repotting, or disease treatment. LECA balls are clay pop corns. When searching for information on this subject, you will find there are several names it goes by: expanded clay pebbles, leca clay, and clay balls are all examples. Expanded clay pebbles look like small, marble-sized balls of clay, although they are slightly oddly-shaped and just semi-rounded, rather than being perfect spheres. Learn about Perlite Learn about Coco Coir Return From L.E.C.A. Thank you for reading this post! Not only would this mean that your plants won’t have access to water, but the clay pebbles will end up absorbing moisture from the plants themselves, which would quickly be fatal. Like I mentioned at the beginning, Leca stands for Lightweight expanded clay aggregate. My Experience Using Leca Balls (Hydroponics) For Houseplants. Back to top These can range from growth hormones to fertilizer to help the roots grow faster and stronger. If you are in between crops, then you can save some time by just flushing out your entire system with a pH-neutral solution instead, rather than removing the pebbles. Clay pebbles are known by a few different names, such as: Before you use clay pebbles in a hydroponic system, you will need to first wash them. Just make sure to use isopropyl alcohol or peroxide to rinse and sterilize the LECA … If you're looking for more guides on specific plants, you can always How to use. Another reason why using Leca reduces pests is because unlike soil, Leca is not a live growing medium. Fewer bugs mean fewer pests. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 2" layer of clay balls in the bottoms; it won't wash away! Your plants will now be able to choose for themselves how much water they want. So you might be wondering: why would you even consider using this for growing your plants? donate a plant in order to get a guide for the plant you have trouble with. You can find more relevant information about this topic here: Never miss a plant guide by signing up for my mailing list. If you are reusing the clay balls for another plant, it needs to be washed thoroughly first. Because they’re so lightweight, easy for transplanting and harvesting, and easy on the hands, they’re a favorite of small producers using media bed or Dutch bucket techniques. This process could take up to 30 minutes. © 2020 Roelof Jan Elsinga, All rights reserved. Leca Balls. Those clay balls have lots of air holes which allows good airflow at root zone. When you get a new bag of Leca and you want to use it for your plant, you have to wash all of the dust off the clay balls first. It's a growing medium for plants. You can either soak your clay pebbles in water or in a very diluted nutrient solution. Here's my first time using LECA balls (lightweight expanded clay aggregate). Once you are certain that your clay pebbles are clean, you will need to soak them. However, due to how good they are at draining away excess water, this can leave seeds too dry to germinate, so you would need to crush the pebbles first. If you were to add more water when the soil is still soaked, you might kill the plant and over water it. LECA is Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA), an inorganic clay pellet that has been heated and tumbled in a rotary kiln. Non soil system call them clay balls ( Semi Hydroponics ) for some of my Houseplants were! All or the plant has drunk it all up a glass vase instead of a pot, can... 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