My first time with LECA

Yay! I've finally got round to trying out the new fashionable growing medium: Leca!

In using leca, we create a semi-hydroponic system due to leca not being able to hold water in the same way that soil does.

*this is not my picture, source is linked!*

Here is an example of an Anthurium Clavernium living in leca, as you can see they are small clay balls and so don't naturally obtain much water.

What is leca?

This is an inorganic medium, unlike soil or sphagnum moss.

Leca are small balls or pieces of clay that wick up water from a reservoir and obtain it in order to provide roots with both water and nutrients.

Since leca is inorganic, we must use nutrients to supplement what would have been take up from the soil.

MASSIVE PRO: Leca is reusable!! When you need to repot your plant, you can simply rinse and boil the old leca balls and then reuse them for a different plant.

CONS: Leca are relatively expensive but, since they are reusable, in the long run they will actually be cheaper than constantly buying soil!

Also, top-heavy plants won't stay in leca due to the light nature of the leca balls. :(

My First Attempts

The plants that I used to plant in leca were my Hoya Carnosa Compacta, Alocasia Zebrina and Dieffenbachia!

The Alocasia I used, I had propagated in water and its had grown such a complex root system that I was afraid it wouldn't adjust well if I planted it in soil.

I felt leca was a good alternative that would allow the roots to adjust better to a growing medium.

Also, I know many people who have had great success with Hoya in leca so thought I would try it out with my carnosa compacta (which was not growing or anything in soil!).

The Process

1. Wash the Leca

*Picture is not my own, original source is linked!*

The leca will come in a bag and will have a lot of brown dust coating the expanded clay balls.

It is very important to thoroughly wash the leca in order for the water taken up by the plant to be suitable and for your plant to stay healthy.

2. Boil the Leca

This is a very important stage of the process! You must disinfect your leca before transferring your plant into the leca growing medium. Otherwise your plants may get root rot or worse!

3. Soak the Leca

In order for your plant to be supplied with sufficient amounts of water, the leca will need to absorb water before potting the plant. We soak the water so that it can absorb as much water as possible and so it will stay moist to keep your plant in good shape. You will want to soak the leca for a few hours, but if possible overnight.

4. The pot to use

*Not my picture, source linked*

IF YOU ARE USING A POT COVER: When potting the plant you will need a net pot, this will allow the water to be constantly supplied to the growing medium. In this case you can put the reservoir in the ceramic or plastic pot cover.

IF YOU ARE USING A JAR OR SIMILAR CONTAINER: You will only need the jar. The water will just be filled to a point inside the jar.

5. Potting the plant

You will need to fill the bottom of your container with leca so that it is about a third full. Then you can place your plant with clean roots in the container and fill leca up to the top. I then like to gently pat the sides of the container or give it a little shake so that the leca is packed in tight enough and is touching all of the roots.

6. Creating the reservoir

IF USING A POT COVER: Fill the cover up about a third, corresponding with the bottom of the roots. Ideally, the roots won't be sitting in the water, but it is ok of they are! Don't worry!

IF USING A JAR: Again, fill up the water in the jar until about a third of the way up (a little under if possible!).