https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca daily 0.75 2024-06-12 https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/alocasia monthly 0.5 2021-08-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1626562847841-Z7MZSYT7ICSQPKS1WNK1/alocasias+in+leca.jpg Plants in LECA - Alocasia - One phrase to sum it up - Alocasia LOVES LECA. I’ve watched my Alocasia develop beautifully in LECA, one new leaf after another, growing bigger and bigger with each leaf. They are one of the easiest plants to transition into semi-hydroponics because they love to grow roots, especially kept in a humid environment. My observations within the LECA community are the same, very little complaints about alocasia in transitions or growth. In this article, my friends Alison and Michelle contributed some of their experiences to mine. If you are looking to contribute content, please send me an email! https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/hoyas monthly 0.5 2024-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1616880891783-YEBFZABJALCDHNORPEIE/IMG_20210313_103612_585.jpg Plants in LECA - Hoyas - I have SO MUCH to say about Hoyas in LECA and why some say they are slow growers. Hoyas are one of my favorite plants in general, and one of the reasons I absolutely adore LECA. They are epiphytes - meaning they grow on trees in the wild, so their root system benefits from water and a lot of oxygen. This is one of the primary reasons LECA is a great substrate for hoyas. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1616882890124-2IEM2S5UJ2QET43QMLKH/IMG_20210327_161504_333.jpg Plants in LECA - Hoyas In conclusion, I highly recommend that hoyas are grown in LECA and pon substrate. It allows you to maintain the perfect balance between moisture and oxygen. That balance needs to be maintained as your hoya matures when its roots enter the reservoir in your semi-hydroponics setup. This is why the pot configuration for hoyas growing long term is so important to its health. https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/ferns monthly 0.5 2021-03-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1609100053297-5I6WJ39I2Q6IB4X1QY05/PXL_20201220_200545036.jpg Plants in LECA - Ferns - I don’t have a lot of ferns because I’ve never been a good consistent waterer. This is one of the reasons I switched to LECA. While I have many many plants in the monstera, philodendron, hoya, and orchid categories, I only have 2 ferns. Instead of the normal writeup I will tell you my story. Like I said, I'm a very inconsistent waterer and with ferns, you forget them for 3 days and they drop all their leaves. I conducted an unintentional experiment with my blue star fern pictured here, about 6 months ago. After losing half the plant because I let it go crispy dry, I decided to put the whole rootball into a self watering pot. This is the same pot I use for all my LECA setup. Why did I do that? Well I intended to put it into LECA, but after seeing the root system I was entirely not prepared and was too scared to proceed. The unintentional experiment is basically saying I chickened out, but the alternative is letting it die - so straight into the self watering pot it goes, dirt and all. I figured it would survive for a while but likely will be too moist and die of root rot. But after a few months I was pleasantly surprised that it was thriving. At some point I made the decision to tackle the roots and get it into LECA. This may look like a mass of black rotted roots but I assure you it is not. Fern roots are very dark and I'm pretty convinced they won't rot. The whole root ball is a solid mass. I bet I can drop it and the whole thing won't budge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1609100507830-U000HQ7JLIY275CMHC6T/PXL_20201220_030738663.jpg Plants in LECA - Ferns https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1609100508473-H5MXAF7Y66KBTHKJ2RL1/PXL_20201220_032439497.jpg Plants in LECA - Ferns https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1609100525263-RGETUI306SLKDQV4WFYU/PXL_20201222_173036757.PORTRAIT.jpg Plants in LECA - Ferns https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/philodendron monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1609095887372-EXK3BBGGVGYOIKIYLUTM/PXL_20201222_210957091.PORTRAIT.jpg Plants in LECA - Philodendron https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/calathea-roseopicta-medallion monthly 0.5 2021-07-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1602890091030-ZG04J77C6O39OPSOPFOP/image-asset.jpeg Plants in LECA - Calathea and Marantas - Calatheas are generally easy to transition for me in my environment, but seems a lot of people have trouble. Types: I’m mostly combining Calatheas and Marantas into the same category here for the sake of simplicity. I have not observed a difference in the context of semi-hydroponics so I treat these plants the same way. If you feel like there is a difference, please let me know. Roots & Transition: These roots are fairly easy to clean off, and they will be white when you can get all the dirt off. I would caution to be more gentle with these roots over something like hoyas or philodendrons because calatheas and marantas are very easily shocked. I’ve had multiple marantas go into shock when moving from soil to soil (normal repotting). With most of my calatheas, I have cleaned off the roots and moved them to LECA. I’ve had 100% success rate but I’ve seen more failures than success in the community. https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/anoectochilus-reinwardtii monthly 0.5 2021-07-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1602889739601-CFCPSMXU3WNMQXMG8025/IMG_20200929_150113_309.jpg Plants in LECA - Jewel Orchids - Jewel Orchids are a little different than normal orchids in their care. They are less fussy, so I generally treat them like normal house plants. Their root system are more like orchids and less like house plants, they are thick and stores water. With all orchids, you want to ensure a healthy root system so flushing is very important as you don’t want these to develop fungal infections or bacterial infections. Orchids are very resilient plants and will not show active signs of decline right away until all of their roots are rotted and they’ve used up all of their reserved resources. With the 6 jewel orchids I’ve transitioned and what I’ve read about from other folks experiences, these are not hard to transition, as the roots are easily cleaned. However do keep an eye on the roots for signs of decline and rot. Although my experiences were not successful (see update below), I’ve seen many with successful transitions to LECA. Terrestrial orchids don’t do very well in my environment apparently. https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/monstera monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1602889283565-36PQQ4FONOEWTZATAWPB/IMG_20201012_175647_035.jpg Plants in LECA - Monstera - Monsteras have been one of the easiest plants to transition into semi-hydroponics. They love to grow roots, especially with the addition of a heat mat. They usually don’t exhibit any signs of stress, nor do they abort any new growth. The roots are nice and thick, so soil is removed very easily. As with any plant, if you are rooting one leaf from one node, (such as an albo monstera cutting) make sure you do keep an eye on it. I’ve successfully adapted an Albo Monstera to a LECA environment and the root system is strong and fuzzy. This is one of the easiest groups of plants to transition into LECA. https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/category/Orchids monthly 0.5 https://www.lecaaddict.com/plants-in-leca/category/Jewel+Orchids monthly 0.5 https://www.lecaaddict.com/useful-products daily 0.75 2022-06-18 https://www.lecaaddict.com/starter-kit daily 0.75 2024-04-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/ce137067-3673-4f64-9567-26aed07b01ef/floramicro.jpg Starter Kit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/30f41297-be3f-479f-a802-27f0786ed4e7/floragro.jpg Starter Kit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/d5e30706-f1fb-49a7-b4ba-fb54c35ef1ed/florabloom.jpg Starter Kit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/203dd68f-34b8-4d17-b6eb-a802f6b37614/LECAAddictStarterKit_landscape.jpg Starter Kit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/a5c3879f-9e18-4a92-9419-8a17769f72c7/KitPot.jpg Starter Kit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1615784062624-Q8FT6WPZUF0KMHUR0OYZ/PXL_20210228_213332438.PORTRAIT.jpg Starter Kit https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1615784092810-A25GYHAT1E3QKBU6FZBA/PXL_20210228_212252803.PORTRAIT%7E2.jpg Starter Kit https://www.lecaaddict.com/products daily 0.75 2022-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1622001425372-GN8GB42YFNCYCO4OS4JX/leca+addict+starter+kit Products https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1622001572175-TZFPP7HMFYUY3FW0UXCI/image_2a49d028-c67a-4c5e-9be8-217870502005_1296x.jpg Products https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1622002110065-UKV4GQCPC9X211NB73QZ/perfect+pot Products https://www.lecaaddict.com/nutrients daily 0.75 2021-05-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/30f41297-be3f-479f-a802-27f0786ed4e7/floragro.jpg Nutrients https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/ce137067-3673-4f64-9567-26aed07b01ef/floramicro.jpg Nutrients https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/30f41297-be3f-479f-a802-27f0786ed4e7/floragro.jpg Nutrients https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1622001572175-TZFPP7HMFYUY3FW0UXCI/image_2a49d028-c67a-4c5e-9be8-217870502005_1296x.jpg Nutrients - Nutrients When you grow in soil, you should fertilize your plants during periods of growth. When you grow in LECA, you must fertilize all the time because LECA is an inorganic medium and has no nutrients. The 4-bottle nutrient pack that's in the LECA Addict Starter Kit includes the following products. Scroll down to view full guaranteed analysis. KelpMax Premium Liquid Seaweed Concentrate General Hydroponics FloraMicro General Hydroponics FloraGro General Hydroponics FloraBloom https://www.lecaaddict.com/privacy-policy daily 0.75 2021-09-03 https://www.lecaaddict.com/contact-1 daily 0.75 2021-07-17 https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information daily 1.0 2024-10-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/97366cd2-67b0-48a4-a2ac-b63d753d85f5/Free+Shipping+%2872+x+24+in%29+%281%29.jpg https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/swedish-plant-guys-pumice-approach monthly 0.5 2021-08-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629771115187-H5BCNVZYMRX646GASJVY/1+-+SPG+10+year+NSW+pumice+plant+2020.JPG LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - 10 year old Hoya Swedish Plantguys illustrate this using a hoya that’s been in pumice for over 10 years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629773236746-0Z9N41F42QHKBV6KAPX0/calathea+in+SPG+semi-hydroponics LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629773768126-2DJUC72N2XFOGVXCKQYY/teddy+bear+tradescantia+in+SPG+semi-hydroponics+pumice LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629774844512-MHCLP5NPX4WAEYNYI9Y7/4+-+SPG+supplies.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Supplies needed Pumice (preferably 1/8 to 3/8 inch size pieces) Pot of choice (any of the potting setups explained here will work) [link to potting configuration page] Aquarium rocks (optional, for aesthetic purposes) Plant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629775357504-JSANPHOGUT4VFC5CWGBX/5+-+SPG+brush+off+soil.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629775416829-FBB7BF3WM5AW4CR132KB/6+-+SPG+pot+size.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629776305325-COGTF4H00ERP0YNYQ9DW/SPG+Graphics.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629776509416-ICLSA5YSM05SD82ZFO3S/SPG+Graphics+%281%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1629776717327-GJQ0TH1SZ2D4XONU9SWI/SPG+Graphics+%282%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Swedish Plant Guy's Pumice Approach - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/6-things-you-shouldnt-do-in-semihydroponics monthly 0.5 2022-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/843545a8-b245-4376-acc7-1020066163ca/5+%281%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/21ea3abd-c100-453a-9ce9-dc8f0dc44b1a/5+%282%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/b729e6fa-462d-49c2-8a4b-7649046ad034/5+%283%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/c1d50ca8-c221-4158-b8da-66806c3bcb60/5+%284%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/c2187255-8c38-4a54-ab43-459b6005609a/5+%285%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/eabbaca7-6523-40b1-bd5a-528d254948e8/5+%286%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628174455985-11O1KT9H4HV2H2SU3WOD/5.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - 6 things you shouldn’t do in semi-hydroponics Throughout my experience in growing in semi-hydroponics, I’ve done a lot of research and reading, and there are a few things that come up very frequently in forums and the answers to these questions wildly differ from one advice giver to another. This article addresses some of these commonly held myths, misunderstandings, but more importantly, the science behind why you shouldn’t do these things. Be prepared, this is going to get a little wordy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628174816846-9BNSW6E21UXCK89RJNPK/5+%281%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - This one deserves the #1 spot because it’s one of the worst things you can do to your plants. These common and terrible recommendations include: Repotting the plant every few weeks to move the roots up so it’s not in the reservoir Flushing by taking the plant out, rinse the LECA really well, and then repotting it back Taking the plant out every few weeks to trim the roots Let’s think this through for a second, how is this sustainable long term? Do you want to spend every 2 weeks repotting a plant? On top of losing your mental sanity by making this way harder than it should be, disturbing a root system every few weeks is just asking for trouble. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628176282827-L4032O2DVPKV6O767M6J/don%27t+use+tap+water+for+semi-hydroponics LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - Water out of the faucet can work for your plants in soil, but it should not be used for hydroponics without treatment first. Water quality across the US and across the world vary wildly. You can typically look up information about your local tap water and how it’s treated in the US. Your water source matters a lot in semi-hydroponics, especially if you’re going to continue growing your plants this way for the long haul. Tap, well, and rain water often has minerals and dissolved solids that are unknowable unless you get it tested and measured. If you can, invest in an under-the-sink reverse osmosis system, or a portable one. If you’re just starting out, invest in a good carbon-based filtering pitcher, or buy distilled water. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628192853570-4RXOOWE5EWS0DWTEKNNB/5+%283%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - Organic fertilizers are slowly released and work with the biome of soil to break down into usable NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, essential elements for plant growth). In hydroponics, this is technically possible but requires a bio-filter so your reservoir doesn't stink, because the process of organic materials breaking down produces stinky gas. In semi-hydroponics this is even more difficult and time consuming to achieve and maintain the biome and balance. You should avoid products that contains worm castings, fish emulsion, compost tea, and organic hydroponics fertilizers to make growing in semi-hydroponics more controllable and easier. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628190807382-HRKU2LSAN8ZYVKYJXQ31/don%27t+use+fertilizers+without+a+guaranteed+analysis LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - Without a guaranteed analysis, you don’t know what a fertilizer contains, or how much of each ingredient is present. Feeding your plants precisely in semi-hydro is much more important and consequential than feeding soil plants. When you use products where the NPK values are unknown, it becomes much harder to troubleshoot. The consequences of underfeeding plants include slow or deformed growth, smaller than normal leaves, and new growth dying off. Many of these consequences typically take several months to a year to show up. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628193897201-VWZK3SQAENVNS9WYLMWH/why+you+should+stop+using+superthrive+all+the+time LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - In the semi-hydroponics community, superthrive is recommended by many on social media, especially during an initial transition. This practice makes sense in the short term when transitioning a plant to prevent shock and to encourage root growth, but do NOT use products like these with every watering long term. Overuse of direct and indirect stimulants can lead to leaf deformation, stunted growth, or even death of the plant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1628194824756-CXSBXG1EUVY88TPCDPDE/don%27t+trust+social+media+suggestions+without+doing+your+own+reserach LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - 6 things you shouldn't do in semi-hydroponics - I entirely get the irony of this. In the world of semi-hydroponics growing, there aren’t a lot of good resources available. I understand why we turn to social media to find the answers. But how do you know the person with the advice is actually giving you good advice? Here are a few tips to wade through the noise. At the end of the day, do your own research. Experiment in your own environment. Come to your own conclusions. https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/common-misconceptions-about-growing-in-semi-hydroponics monthly 0.5 2022-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/c664fff8-dbb4-45a1-82cb-47b9b7a8b56d/1.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics Plants have to shed soil roots and grow water roots https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/3a8917e7-a58f-4e01-b85c-1c5212574cb6/2.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics You won't get pests if you grow in LECA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/31949610-5885-492f-bd80-efd6807b6c8e/Common+Misconceptions+about+Growing+in+Semi-Hydroponics+%281%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics Semi-Hydroponics is not a long term option your plants won't grow as well https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/2ebeae56-156f-4820-9884-1d439288e9bc/Common+Misconceptions+about+Growing+in+Semi-Hydroponics+%282%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics There is a lot of information out there about growing in semi-hydroponics and not all of it is correct. What really are “water roots”? Do you really get less pests? Is it sustainable for long term growing? Let's explore these topics. This post addresses some of these common misconceptions about growing in Semi-Hydroponics. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/c664fff8-dbb4-45a1-82cb-47b9b7a8b56d/1.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics - The first obvious question to this misconception - well shouldn’t they be LECA roots, or pon roots? What are “water roots”? We assume they are the fuzzy white roots you often see with Semi-Hydroponics growing. In reality, calling them “water roots” doesn’t accurately describe what is happening and can lure us into a false sense of security about transitioning plants. Have you ever transitioned a water-propagated plant into LECA and it rots out, and it leaves you super confused? Yup, this happens - read on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/e2c9b07f-a375-40bb-b088-7834484efdf9/2.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics - Sorry to break it to you, this is sadly not true, you will get pests. However, some pests are less likely to thrive in the absence of organic medium. There are also different ways to treat pests when you grow in LECA to make treatment and prevention easier. In this section we touch on types of pests when growing in semi-hydroponics, pest treatment, and some tips only LECA growers can do easily. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/66a2c80e-d007-420d-a4ed-8aeb50fa744b/Common+Misconceptions+about+Growing+in+Semi-Hydroponics+%281%29.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Common Misconceptions about Growing in Semi-Hydroponics - This is a very common misconception about growing in semi-hydroponics. The root cause is that it’s not natural for plants to grow in inorganic medium, it’s natural to grow in soil. However, hydroponics growing has grown in popularity over the last few decades and it’s a proven methodology in commercial agriculture. So why do we assume a houseplant grown in semi-hydro will just fall over and die one day? Growing in inorganic medium is different. You will need to learn about some aspects of growing that most organic-substrate growers take for granted - like nutrients, pH and availability, salts, and how to troubleshoot for your plants to thrive. https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/leca-preparation monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1609085181140-CJ0X99OG778NFVZGTD0M/PXL_20201220_210606035.PORTRAIT.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - LECA Preparation https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/4fea734b-e454-40a6-89be-fddd27adc659/Screen+Shot+2022-06-19+at+11.43.14+AM.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - LECA Preparation https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/grow-lights-comparison-monios-vs-barrina-t5-and-t8 monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1607728865130-J1CUUL4ZWCT6D7HR7IVZ/PXL_20201207_152102924.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Grow Lights Comparison - Monios vs Barrina T5 and T8 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1607730643795-NH181OL44XWOL2JESTBP/129644247_10164564357985002_6752648817973978806_o.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Grow Lights Comparison - Monios vs Barrina T5 and T8 Source: http://herebutnot.com/light-recommendations-ppfd-par-for.../ https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/semihydroponics-plant-care-and-maintenance monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1602958563916-YA3FS38M7FEW0I3UOKUC/IMG_20200928_013825.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Semi-Hydroponics Plant Care and Maintenance https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1604359541059-52SLK3TMJQ5X9WA3H5CF/PXL_20201102_205502162.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Semi-Hydroponics Plant Care and Maintenance https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1604364343571-WEVVITV2BD0G09CWAL40/PXL_20201022_040139701.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Semi-Hydroponics Plant Care and Maintenance https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/transferring-plants-into-semi-hydroponics monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1603143057278-CREQLJMU9VUP35J5L281/PXL_20201001_223411772.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Transferring Plants into Semi-Hydroponics https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1603143777030-G04S64C28XHBG70G1HY0/PXL_20201002_051127233.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Transferring Plants into Semi-Hydroponics Alocasia is cleaned and ready to be potted in LECA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/39150823-c916-482b-b862-7b2439ec99c7/Screen+Shot+2022-06-19+at+12.52.14+PM.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Transferring Plants into Semi-Hydroponics https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/nutrient-solution-for-semi-hydroponics monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1602956389074-4HJMAN5SLGHPJG8EIYEX/IMG_20200920_210532.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Semi-Hydroponics Nutrient Water and pH Adjustment https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/46bb33f7-14fa-4a02-9a54-515d0b4dad77/Screen+Shot+2022-06-19+at+2.51.22+PM.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Semi-Hydroponics Nutrient Water and pH Adjustment https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/pot-configurations monthly 0.5 2021-02-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1612730518091-FL8YX8RYCYW0FDUO4FAS/wicking+configurations+in+semi-hydroponics LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Pot Configurations https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/a682242e-b07a-4fcf-82e7-f583cde253ff/theperfectpot.jpeg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Pot Configurations - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1612732019258-1POKL265RQ3B2NDAOF8C/non-wicking+pot+configuration+in+semi-hydroponics LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Pot Configurations https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1612733018735-EMX78KVWY79M8CSX4CMD/self+watering+pot LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Pot Configurations - The white pot on the left is another interesting choice. This is a pot you can buy on Amazon and the bottom can be detached so you can flush the system really easily. It works via capillary action of the LECA - as you fill the pot with LECA, the ones in the bottom in the “X” is in contact with the water reservoir and wicks the water up to the plant roots. I have a few of these and I like them better than the glass jars because of the larger reservoir. There are bigger options available here. The white pot in the back left is a fancy lechuza-style pot. It does not use wicks either, and the LECA you put in the inner pot is in contact with the reservoir so it works by wicking action. This pot has an even bigger reservoir, and a gauge to display water levels. You can purchase on Amazon in a few different sizes. I’m a big fan of this pot but it is definitely the more spendy option. In some cases I also add a wick to this pot. Note: Amazon products constantly change. This pot doesn’t seem to be available anymore as of 2022, but I will keep my Amazon Ideas Lists updated to link some of the nicer pots coming onto the market. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/6f093e9e-77d7-403b-843d-5db1cb691850/Screen+Shot+2022-06-19+at+12.10.59+PM.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Pot Configurations https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/94c42414-8bd8-47f7-ba8c-6a7b41d238c9/Screen+Shot+2022-06-19+at+12.11.17+PM.png LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Pot Configurations https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/why-grow-in-leca monthly 0.5 2022-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/1612628289085-Q64L6AVZ6QDS5C192BS6/philodendron+rio LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Introduction: Why do I grow in LECA? - Now, look at a plant like this Philodendron Rio and map it to my goals. This plant is a special variegated version of a Philodendron Brazil. It has a lot of the same characteristics, one of which is it hates being transitioned to LECA from soil. The watering requirements for this plant aren't crazy. I can ignore it for a week or two and it won't die. The amount of work in getting this plant into LECA is not worth the effort (lifestyle choice). You have to take cuttings and reroot the entire plant before you can safely transition it to LECA (in my experience, in my environment). Revisiting my goals: 1) Low mental burden to water this plant. I spot it being slightly droopy, give it some water. 2) I can already ignore this plant for 2 weeks. It would be nice if it can be more but is it worth the trouble of keeping an eye on this through a 1-2 month transition? 3) Gnats can definitely be a problem but Bonide systemic granules can take care of that. 4) This seems like a lot of work to move it to LECA when I can just water it in soil when I feel like it… This doesn’t mean that I will never transition this plant to LECA, it’s just very very low on my priority list. https://www.lecaaddict.com/leca-information/leca-and-pon-cost-comparison-analysis monthly 0.5 2022-06-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/ab158f75-3e87-400d-9451-6187a338eaae/PXL_20220618_164120610.PORTRAIT.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Cost Comparison: LECA vs Lechuza Pon vs DIY Pon - Make it stand out Same Volume of Hydroton LECA and Lechuza Pon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f885c2502aacc42895f745d/5f00ddcc-5cbf-4f81-baa3-741a1abe9864/PXL_20220618_163705071.jpg LECA and Semi-Hydroponics Guide for Beginners - Cost Comparison: LECA vs Lechuza Pon vs DIY Pon - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.