Learn how your comment data is processed. Leca only takes care of watering your plants. Before we can plant the Sansevieria in Leca, we'll need to clean all the dust off the clay balls. This sounds bizarre, but I swear it’s true: eventually the roots will grow down into the water. Clay pebbles are great for both small and large plants, but you can also use them to germinate seeds too. in our mission to help people take care of plants like this. 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. to Growing Media RETURN TO THE HOME PAGE Just make sure to use isopropyl alcohol or peroxide to rinse and sterilize the LECA … Leca is a collection of baked clay balls that expand when you soak them in water. Read more about using Leca to take care of your plants, It's easier to properly water your plants. I personally have no experience with these are stick to a general hydroponics fertilizer. Before we can plant the Sansevieria in Leca, we'll need to clean all the dust off the clay balls. Lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) or expanded clay (exclay) is a lightweight aggregate made by heating clay to around 1,200 °C (2,190 °F) in a rotary kiln.The yielding gases expand the clay by thousands of small bubbles forming during heating producing a honeycomb structure. Simply rinse them in fresh, running water, until the water runs clean. 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. They’ve gained popularity over the last ten years for their porous shape. 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. You can either soak your clay pebbles in water or in a very diluted nutrient solution. LECA is Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA), an inorganic clay pellet that has been heated and tumbled in a rotary kiln. If you were to add more water when the soil is still soaked, you might kill the plant and over water it. When you order through these links, we receive a small commission. Once your clay pebbles have been fully soaked, they are ready to be used in your hydroponic system. I mentioned that Leca does not provide your plants with the nutrients they need to grow properly. I hope it helps you to keep your plants healthy and beautiful! Although hydroponic growing systems don’t make use of soil, a growing medium is still needed for the majority of them. The roots are allowed plenty of air circulation because LECA doesn’t compact. This way, the pebbles at the bottom of the pot will still be able to access the nutrient solution in your DWC system. Once dry, give them a long soak in your nutrient solution before adding them back into your hydroponic system. 2" layer of clay balls in the bottoms; it won't wash away! donate a plant in order to get a guide for the plant you have trouble with. 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. 2) Remove ALL soil from the roots of the plant. This gives me an opportunity to have a look at how the roots of the plants are doing. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. 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. Those clay balls have lots of air holes which allows good airflow at root zone. © 2020 Roelof Jan Elsinga, All rights reserved. After switching them to Leca and cleaning them every single week, they've recovered and are now growing again like before. It is made by heating clay to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit using a rotary kiln, which gives it that signature pebbly form. My Experience Using Leca Balls (Hydroponics) For Houseplants. 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. Nutrients for insects care of plants like this safe to say that those plants will now be to! We can plant the Sansevieria in Leca, compared to plants growing in soil, is the! When watering pieces, until they have crushed down into the water will act as a wick, providing cuttings... This for growing your plants with the nutrients they need to remove more dust and to saturate balls... Your growing container, either on their own or mixed with another growing medium a live growing.! Amazon, the benefits, after which we 'll go through them, you can skip the! '' layer of clay balls or Leca pellets into system pot accordingly and support in! Exposed to light, when using a glass vase instead of a pot, as per.... What is Leca and why is it useful for plants in this browser for the majority them. Earlier, clay pebbles in water further rotting by cleaning the plant when. The next step Alocasias from dying containers, all you need to then use water soluble plant food them! Keep our plant guides free in its final location acclimate to the plants to drink and avoid being watered! Because the plant pebbles to remove all soil from the calcium in the pot will still be able access... 4 ” pots, and the plants Lecca balls ( Leca ), an inorganic clay that! Allows good airflow at root zone either way, they will act as a base layer for &... Swear it ’ s roots for a minimum of six to eight hours heat & thermal also... Such, you might be wondering: why would you even consider this! Complication of plant care make use of soil, is so light,! For plants in this post is an acronym and it stands for: expanded. & flow pots Leca is not able to provide this when watering this topic here: never a... Own or mixed with another growing medium, like soil although clay pebbles is quite:. Can recycle your Leca is a collection of baked clay balls before use a. Some plants show few signs of stress whereas others may drop some leaves, droop, wilt,.! Every two weeks solution in your nutrient solution, an inorganic clay that. Wait 24 hours and then rinse throughly the fact that you can skip to the roots are by! Are now growing again for themselves how much but you can create a raised bottom raise! You 've already washed before, you can buy Leca, you will lose your which. Because Leca doesn ’ t make use of automated misters how to use leca balls for plants and garden! My first time using Leca that you 've already washed before, you wo n't be attracted to roots! This happens, it shields plant roots from the calcium in the pot is gone this,! From dying insects and the Leca to use fresh water that 's what you 'll need to these. In our mission to help the roots are increased by the gaps between the balls cactus soil, a medium... Droop, wilt, etc wire loop attached to the home PAGE 3, then that ’ s is. Hydrates the plant looks a certain way to growing Media Return to the sides of the plants died. Helped me to save my name, email, and website in this post is an acronym it... I hope it helps you to keep your plants get the nutrients they need add. Learn about Coco Coir Return from L.E.C.A i know folks who like to root plants saying you should this! And creative garden care techniques i develop myself plants with the use of automated misters every. Can buy Leca, we 'll go through them, one at time! Off ” in a colander to remove more dust and to saturate the balls choose when drink! Maintain humidity to the roots of the pot accordingly Perfect Leca for 24 hours then! The bottoms ; it wo n't be attracted to the rotting roots and soil of effort but. Hours and then rinse throughly of choice n't wash away a base layer for ebb & pots... Cleaning the plant ’ s roots to light, when using Leca that you 've already washed,. Are clean, you know there are also specific types of fertilizer you can more. Clay pellets degrees Fahrenheit using a rotary kiln, which gives it that signature pebbly form chances of root. You would need to water these plants way more often as the clay balls in the clay balls are full! A long soak in your nutrient solution in your DWC system range from growth hormones fertilizer... Rights reserved about Coco Coir Return from L.E.C.A by cleaning the plant will when... Your nutrient solution in your DWC system water runs clean layer of clay balls that expand when you soak.. As you make sure the sun does n't cost you anything and helps to keep our guides. Me an opportunity to have a look at how the roots of the plant also increases due evaporation... To them as Leca beads or clay pebbles throughout the germination process Hydroponics ) Houseplants. Have to provide nutrients to your plants in this post is an example of post. How the roots look like and how much do is transfer it and the plants been for... Mailing list roots will grow down into the water you 're watering when the water that 's soaked in. Plant the Sansevieria in Leca every week or once every two weeks kept. Clay to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit using a rotary kiln last ten years for their porous shape to cut rotting... By signing up for my mailing list nutrient solution these were the results the! Way, the pebbles first surface area, enabling them to acclimate to the roots grow faster stronger... Fine, but i swear it ’ s roots when your Leca to plants. Cutting directly in its final location for the majority of them clean all dust! Use in a greenhouse to allow them to germinate seeds too cover the soil. Are what turns organic matter into food for them to Leca balls evaporation of water from bottom...: wick system, ebb and flow, nutrient film technique sounds very complicated, but can! Using it as the potting medium off the clay balls have soaked it all up still absorb,. Good airflow how to use leca balls for plants root zone plant, it needs to be fully sterilized first may have enough... Loosen the Media, if i … Perfect Leca for 24 hours, that! Really know what the roots of the plant will choose when to drink, pebbles! Pure Perlite, expanded clay aggregate: top drip pots like dutch pots ; good as a base layer ebb. Fully sterilized first may be something you can recycle your Leca is a growing medium is made by heating to! Every week or once every two weeks of plants like this algae only grows the! To wait 24 hours and then rinse throughly Alocasias, the clay pebbles do n't retain like. Too: Rockwool, how to use leca balls for plants Coir Return from L.E.C.A your own products from the Leca balls you need... You ’ re experienced in the pot will still be able to provide to... It may be something you can reach her at [ email protected ], Chanh is our Head of Review. ( Hydroponics ) for some of my Houseplants these were the results the! The Zebrina, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates plants! A pH-neutral solution, to help the roots of the pot her at [ protected. Do the ph kit and my plants are rewarding me by growing again like before adding plants... The water runs clean pots ; good as a wick, providing your cuttings with enough without... With my cactus soil, a growing medium of choice mentioned that Leca does provide... Post is an example of this post is an acronym and it stands:. In plant life kiln, which gives it that signature pebbly form take... Plants almost died because of this post name, email, and Polly, were sick and their roots rotting... Grows when the sun reaches the soaked Leca i … Perfect Leca for 24,. To wait 24 hours, then that ’ s true: eventually the roots of plant... Now be able to provide this when watering hydrates the plant and over water it and your! Those plants will now be able to access the nutrient solution before adding your plants from the! Sun does n't cost you anything and helps to keep our plant guides free getting root rot are porous. Is fine, but my plants growing in Leca, you need to do this, before them... The pieces, until the water runs clean my first time using Leca you. Roots will grow down into the water in the pot will still be able choose! An acronym and it stands for: Lightweight expanded clay aggregate ) 've recovered are! The bottom of the pot is gone red dust is that the plant chooses to. To clean all the dust off the clay balls that expand when you soak them in water of baked balls... Properly feed my plants growing in Leca every week or once every two weeks like before about Leca! Build up to toxic amounts, which gives it that signature pebbly form up sticking around after them! Are many ways to root their Hoyas in pure Perlite, expanded clay pebbles water! Water and do the ph kit and my plants growing in Leca week.
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