LECA is fantastic, and we know you will agree.
Step 1 is to get your LECA balls ready. To get rid of dust, rinse brand-new LECA balls in clean, lukewarm water. When none of the balls float to the surface, immerse the balls for 624 hours. During this process, you might need to hold them down with a heavy item.
Transfer your monstera in step two. Take your monstera plant out of the pot and give the roots a good massage to get rid of the dirt. If the soil is being difficult to remove, run the root ball under warm water. Then fill the fresh, clean container with your plant’s new 1-inch layer of LECA balls (choose a waterproof plastic or glazed ceramic pot for this). With about 0.6 inches of room remaining on top for water, place your plant in the container and fill the empty space with pebbles and LECA balls.
Step 3: When the LECA dries out, water and fertilize. Water and fertilize your plant when the LECA balls have dried. Because LECA is entirely sterile, it’s crucial to fertilize water in order to provide your monstera nourishment. For this, Monstera Plant Food is ideal.
Removing your monstera from the container the first two or three times you want will allow you to rinse the roots and LECA and get rid of any remaining fungus or bacteria if you weren’t able to completely clean the soil off the plant’s roots the first time. Don’t worry; after the roots are well cleaned, you won’t need to continue.
LECA is available online and at the majority of garden centers. Try them out and let us know your thoughts!
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The first time you utilize LECA, how do you do it?
Pre-treated clay is fired at high temperatures in a rotating kiln to create LECA, which is subsequently chilled. A light-weight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), which has grown five times in size as a result of this technique. Natural clay’s “pre-treatment” is a mystery, although it probably comprises chemicals and binding agents that, when in contact with heat, allow the clay to expand and form tiny balls. Even though some of the chemicals probably evaporated or became inactive during the fire process, these LECA balls undoubtedly include “stuff” or “crud.” Additionally, to lower the temperature once they are removed from the kiln, these balls are submerged in cool water, but what is in this water?
But my plants are fine—I just give it a rinse and use it!
many people on the internet claim. Yes, I can live in a house that is filled with garbage as well, but I won’t be happy about it!
It’s normally a good idea to treat LECA before using it to give your plant a healthy start in semi-hydroponics. A plant may grow much more slowly than it should if LECA is not properly hydrated. I’ve also observed that well-soaked LECA needs far less flushing than unsoaked LECA over the course of the past year of LECA growth. Make a decision on how you want to be lazy here if you use LECA and are inclined to be lazy. For me, a few more days of planning are well worth not having to flush every week.
Step 1: Rinse the LECA
Take the LECA out of the bag and thoroughly rinse it to remove any dirt or clay particles.
Pro tip: I perform this outside using a mesh laundry bag and my garden hose. Avoid pouring clay dust down the drain; it’s bad for the pipes.
Step 2: First Soak
Using hose water or tap water, soak the LECA for 24 hours. With this initial soak, the LECA will be cleared of the first wave of dirt.
You can use your LECA after letting the initial soak sit for at least two days if you’re feeling particularly indolent. (You must exercise patience if you want to be especially lazy.)
Pro tip: I place the LECA-filled wash bag in a big plastic container and soak it. I can fit the entire 50L of LECA into two mesh washing bags.
Science: After the initial soak, you can check the PPM of the soaking water. (See my nutrient solution tutorial for a PPM introduction.) My tap water has a PPM of about 150, and Hydroton LECA measured at 800 after soaking for 24 hours. That is a significant amount of more debris in the water compared to a fertilizer solution that is 300PPM. Imagine not soaking; your nutrient solution would make up 1/3 of the mixture, and the remaining 2/3 would be unidentified substances. Gross.
Step 3: Second Soak
Replace the soaking water with new tap or hose water after discarding the old water. Spend an additional day in the bath. You can use your LECA once you’ve soaked. However, keep reading if you want to know how to give high-value plants a strong start.
Science: After 24 hours, the second soak typically produces between 300 and 400PPM. Do you still recall learning about the Law of Chemical Equilibrium in high school science class? Yeah, I don’t either. The water and chemicals inside the LECA, however, need to be in balance with the water outside until they are equal inside and out when your LECA (product) is combined with water (reactant). If your water is 100PPM and your LECA is 800PPM, your water will gradually increase in PPM while your LECA will decrease in PPM over time. The second soak is done to expedite the procedure. If you soak LECA at 800 ppm in 100 ppm water as opposed to 400 ppm, the 100 ppm water will move much more quickly, and the equilibrium point will be lower.
Step 4: Dry and Store
If you won’t utilize the LECA right away, drying and storage are advised. The mesh washing bags are perfect for drying the LECA because they have such great ventilation! You can skip this step if you want to use the LECA right away.
Pro tip: For all the LECA I intend to use in the winter, I will complete Steps 1 through 4 outside in the summer. Additionally, if you leave your LECA outside and it rains, you win twice because nature will wash your LECA for you! But keep in mind to bring those mesh washing bags inside once you’re finished; the reason my bags are damaged is because animals tried to peek inside.
Step 5: Third Soak
A second soak is not a bad idea, particularly for expensive plants. When performing this step, I use distilled, reverse-osmosis, or filtered water at 0PPM.
Some people like to soak LECA for more than two weeks prior to use. If you’re utilizing cleaned, dried LECA from earlier procedures, this is also a good idea. Never use LECA that is dry; always use LECA that has been soaked and wet.
Along with any rooting hormones like KLN, you can also add CalMag (a calcium magnesium supplement) to the soaking water. As the Ca and Mg ions replace the less desired soluble minerals in the LECA, these supplements can be added as early as the first soak.
I have two buckets that are constantly stocked with LECA that are located in CalMag and KLN. Before I use it up, they might occasionally soak for a few weeks.
Why shouldn’t you use dry LECA, according to science? The reason is that LECA wicks water very well. Roots may become desiccated if they come into contact with excessively dry LECA, which will draw water away from the roots. Prior to usage, always make sure they are thoroughly wet.
Can plants be grown in LECA alone?
growth environment Although it might sound absurd, LECA can be used to grow indoor plants in place of dirt. LECA is a fantastic substrate for indoor plants because it is naturally neutral and much less dirty than soil. Your indoor plants can benefit from the perfect balance of moisture, food, and air that these clay pebbles can offer.
Does Monstera grow well in LECA?
Many monstera fans are beginning to grow monstera plants with LECA balls as the popularity of hydroponics and semi-hydroponic growing techniques among owners of houseplants rises.
If you’re completely perplexed, the following definitions should help:
Any technique for growing plants without soil is referred to as hydroponics. (It is feasible, indeed!) It frequently entails merely cultivating plants in water! Similar to hydroponics, semi-hydroponics typically refers to a technique for growing plants in an inorganic medium.
Growth in LECA balls is one of the most well-liked and effective semi-hydroponic growing techniques for monstera plants. If you struggle with overwatering and are looking for a new adventure with your monstera plant, LECA might be the answer!
Small, porous clay balls known as LECA balls are used as a growing medium to guard against pests, acidity, and root rot. “Lightweight expanded clay aggregate” is what LECA stands for.
Because LECA balls have a high porosity, they improve drainage and aeration, which helps the plant retain moisture from the water and maintain healthy roots.
LECA balls’ primary drawback is their ability to dry out your plants. Although LECA balls can keep some moisture and are excellent at aiding in water drainage, they have a weak capacity for storing water, and they dry out very rapidly once they have been drained.
Advantages of Growing Monstera Plants with LECA
Put an end to pests. Insects prefer the dim, moist environments that are frequently found in soil, but they can’t survive long in LECA.
No more excessive irrigation (or root rot)! If you tend to love your monstera to death by overwatering it, LECA balls are an excellent alternative because they dry out faster than soil. The fungus and bacteria that might cause illnesses like root rot are absent since LECA balls are also sterile.
fantastic root aeration. You won’t ever need to aerate your monstera’s roots or be concerned about compacted soil because LECA balls are incredibly porous.
LECA balls can be used again. Your LECA can be recycled and used repeatedly for other plants! Just be sure to wash and sterilize the LECA with isopropyl alcohol or peroxide in between recycling them.
In LECA, can Monstera deliciosa grow?
The Monstera can now be planted on the nursery pot’s bottom layer. You can approach this as you like. Just make sure you cover every root by Leca so that it doesn’t get any light on it. You can reposition your plants as you desire, then top off the Leca as seen in the illustration below.
Your plant ought to be able to remain where you’ve put it. If not, you may require a larger pot or can support your Monstera with a stick or moss pole.
How frequently should LECA be flushed?
Once a month, you can flush all of your containers, add nutrients, and then you can just keep adding water till the following week. This is what? (Kindly keep this a secret, but at my house, it normally takes AT LEAST two months between flushings, which is pretty decent going.)
What types of plants struggle in LECA?
Passive hydroponics is referred to as LECA, or lightweight expanded clay aggregate. Indoor gardeners may assert that every houseplant thrives in LECA, but I don’t agree. Which plants don’t thrive in LECA, I want to inform you today? those who don’t.
In LECA, the following plants might not thrive:
- prayer tree
- Stromanthe
- a thorny bushes
- Ferns
- pearly whites
- Pothos
- Potatoes
- Corn
I’ll repeat myself, but many indoor gardeners can cultivate the aforementioned plants in LECA. But much more so, cultivating the aforementioned list of houseplants in LECA will result in delayed development or dormancy as well as other unattractive side effects for indoor gardeners.
Should I change my LECA?
I appreciate you reading this. I hope it will help you maintain healthy and attractive plants! You may always request a plant guide or donate a plant to acquire a guide for the plant you need if you’re looking for more information on a certain type of plant.
Step 1: Preparing LECA for First Use
It’s crucial to flush the clay balls until the water flows clear before planting your plants in LECA. When you use LECA for the first time, you’ll notice that they are covered in a dried clay residue that formed as a result of the clay balls rubbing against one another during packaging. It’s critical to wash this off before usage because the dust could harm your plants.
To ensure that all of the debris is removed, you can also simply soak the LECA for two or more days if you’re feeling particularly lazy. We advise giving high-value plants a second bath for about a day. In between soakings, you should swap out the water and allow the LECA air dry.
Even if it takes a little patience, this action will ultimately save you time, money, and effort.
Step 2: Selecting the Right Pot
Depending on how big you want your plant to get, decide on the size of your vase. Since you may always move your plant into a larger pot later, you don’t necessarily have to be wed to a specific size.
Additionally, we’ve observed that your plant’s growth in LECA may be impacted by the pot’s transparency. Both have advantages and disadvantages. For instance, clear vases are more likely to grow algae, which makes the LECA more difficult to clean and may disturb the root system. Contrarily, non-clear pots reduce the likelihood of algae growth but make it difficult to gauge whether to add extra water because it is difficult to monitor water levels.
A good general rule of thumb is to select your pot based on the location in LECA where you intend to keep your plant. For instance, it’s usually advisable to use an opaque jar if you intend to place your plant in more direct sunlight. Algae growth is likely if not. However, a clear container works well if your plant will be out of direct sunlight, where algae growth is less significant.
Step 3: Potting your Plant in LECA
It’s time to pot your plant in LECA now that you’ve prepped your LECA and its new home! Before we get started, we should note that plants with established root systems respond best to this growing medium.
If you’re relocating a plant from soil, you should start by carefully cleaning the plant of all the dirt. Given that LECA maintains such consistent, even moisture, any soil left on the plant will be damp at all times and may result in root rot or fungus.
The root system is then placed inside using LECA. Due to the fact that this stage is similar to potting with dirt, it is rather self-explanatory. Grab your pot and fill it between halfway and three-quarters full with LECA before submerging it in water. After that, put your plant’s roots in the pot and add LECA to the remaining space. In order to reduce the likelihood that one root can spread rot to the other roots, try to position the roots so that they don’t touch.
Simply adding water is the final step! To distribute nutrients uniformly, we advise adding your liquid nutrients to the water before filling your pot. To avoid the roots sitting in water while still maintaining a moist environment, pour in the nutrient water until it barely touches the bottom of the root system.