We have some spongy clay and when mixing dirt we pull out all the pieces and collect it, then put it back in another container or in the garden, our only issue with it is the constant cycle of pulling it out and putting it back in, it's endless~ We're always trying to make fluffy dirt, but the material technically is "chunky" so it's just so confusing having it in the dirt, but we recognize it's good to have in it.
Finally someone who explains Leca thoroughly 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 THANK YOU. I’m new to Leca and I was tired of sorting through millions of videos of people just showing me their plants in Leca lol
Fellow soil scientist here 🙋♀️😆. Well… technically I haven’t been in that world for about a decade (homeschooling SAHM now) but once a soil scientist always a soil scientist? 🤔😂 Love your videos, found you last week and I’ve been binging them all. I’m In Southeastern US (NC) ☺️
You are totally right about the sodium build up, but, from my experience, if you use an ec of 200-300 for fertiliser your plants you will not get the build up. I never did in 9 years. Plus if you soak the leca for 2 weeks or more, that will help a lot as well. I never flushed, and I don't get any deposits, the only thing that I am doing is 2 months in a year I water my plants without any nutrients. Love your channel 😊💚
This info and the vibes in this video are immaculate! This is the most informative video I’ve seen on LECA yet. So glad I found your channel. Thank you for explaining the science. I tend to not understand things unless I get all the science behind it. I must know why everything works the way it does lol!
Hi Ashley I hail from central Victoria (where the gold rush occurred in the 1850’s) in Australia. The soil is very poor, but I love the challenge of soil improvement & love your channel
I was wondering a lot of things about LECA. I had only heard of it in one of your videos. Well, questions answered, and then some! I've never tried to grow in a hydroponic or semi-hydroponic way. Maybe one day I'll give one or two plants a try this way. What a product! Gotta wonder how people think of using these things! So many interesting things in the plant world. So little time. Thanks for this all detailed information about LECA. Before it was brown balls that somehow helped plants grow. Now it's so much more. 🌱🌿🌎
Hi I'm a Southern neighbor in Ohio, USA. I am loving your video. I love the way you take to respond to everyone. I love your red hair reminds me of my niece she has the same challenges
Can I share with you some links to some people that are very experienced, have been using LECA for quite some time an have had wonderful success with LECA. They grow huge, wonderful plants and you would be totally amazed at the wonderful success they have had. I myself have just started using LECA and I'm also having much success. I am physically disabled and have found this new hobby is something I can do inside. Before my disability I loved to garden outside but that is not possible now so I've moved my beloved hobby inside. I also love to know the science behind everything just about and your videos I find very interesting and helpful.
Oh my gosh! Laughed when you said “ starts with an N and ends with a “ nurse brain here went straight to sodium! Great info as usual , I use a mix of degraded wood chips and expanded clay for my orchids , they are doing great, never thought about using the water from the fish tank on the plants , lots of good ideas .. all the best Jules
The thing about the plants getting larger and not being compatible with LECA, thank you for that. This is very helpful for me. I have some water propagations that I have added LECA to, which I intend to grow in LECA. I was thinking of transplanting them into a very well draining potting mix, but then thought since they are already in water and some LECA, I would continue with it. It is hard to decide, because I do have all the soil amendments etc. and all the terracotta pots.
I am growing tropical plants in cold, dry Denver CO. It’s a struggle. Also I am out of town 2 weeks every month. That’s why I need to make leca semi-hydro work-for the reservoirs!
A word of caution around LECA/Hydroton/Hydrocorn/Expanded clay/etc. It throws massive amounts of humidity into the air - which is not immediately apparent because the surface will (almost always) appear dry, due to the fact that any moisture that wicks its way to the surface of the top layer will evaporate off in short order. This can create serious humidity issues indoors if you're using a lot of it and/or have lots of grow lights. On the plus side, It's great to use in soil, and although it's a lot of work to do, it's even better if you smash it up before mixing it in. The porosity on the inside of the material is exceptional.
Questions - really hope you see this and can answer: 1) Do you still use leca and are you doing anything different with it these days? 2) If leca being lightweight can affect the plants’ ability to grow big and grow big root systems, how about mixing in or topping with lava rock or is that too heavy? 3) Thoughts on lava rock? In general I would very much like to hear your thoughts on broken up lava rock as an amendment. And of course, now I know to ask about the 3 keys: pH, porosity, and CEC! Loving the science in all of this. 4) Thoughts on SafeTSorb? I’m interested in info about using safe-t-sorb from Tractor Supply. I have used it as part of a grow mix for cactus and succulents and some others, and I have used it in aquariums. Would like to learn about it from your perspective including the 3 keys.
1) yes, I used it in my recent repot video 2) yes that would help 3) I can do a video on this no issue 4)i have to look into what exactly that is i have never heard of it before.
Hello Zone 3 Saskatchewan Neighbor! I have just recently started some Coleus, Wandering Jew, Dieffinbachia and a Peace Lily using the Leca method. So far they are still alive!
@@GardeningInCanada All mine were started from cuttings that I rooted in water - so far they are retaining the few leaves they had and looking healthy. I'm a big fan of growing without soil!
Watching from Northern Ontario! Great video! I am starting to transition to leca because i hate fungus nats lol. After i wash the soil off the roots i put my plant in a jar of water for a couple weeks, then leca, Seems to help with the transition
I love your content!! Thank you for providing an amazing insight to gardening- especially since you actually studied soil! Have you thought of making a video for propagating plants/transferring water plants to soil? Thanks girl! subscribed :)
Great info. Thanks so much. I thought semi hydro was going to be my answer for all my plant troubles. Glad I watched this video. Now onto learning more about potting soil and leca mix
@@GardeningInCanada currently no issues with semi hydro (maybe 2.5 weeks into it) just realizing there’s a bit more maintenance of rinsing leca than I thought. Most all of my other soil plants get mold on top of dirt, so I reduce watering a bit and then it’s typically a quick spiral towards death 😑
Alot of the organic cannibis growers "supersoils" use leca in their blend. They say it helps hold nutrients and provides a home for some of the soil biology
Thanks for this video. I'm a beginner with plants and I found this video very interesting and helpful. I have subscribed to your channel and I am looking forward to look at the other videos. : )
We had great experiences with a huge monstera in only leca😊 so I wouldnt say thats a con to leca. Our monstera was in a huge selfwaterin pot and it was 2 meters high with at least 10 mature leaves😄
Hey, I know I’m late to the party, but I’m considering growing some plants in semi-hydro, so I’m really happy to have found this vid 😊 as a biologist I also like to look at things a little more science-y! I’m currently leaning more towards pon, because of the pH-buffering capabilities. But I’m actually wondering if I could mix it with leca and if so, what ratio would work. Say a 50-50 mix, would that still be a good idea? Of do I get pH- problems then. I don’t want to have to check and amend pH all the time 😅 (watching from the Netherlands btw)
I've used nothing but distilled water with leca and you still get salt build up it just takes longer, there's no way around it, if you use semi-hydro you have to flush the media from time to time.
Just subscribed because this is the shiz I’ve been looking for!!!! My name is also Ashley and I’m also from Canada!!!! And I love the science! Thanks girl!
im playing with leca and rain water with a tiny bit of algae growth in the water, seems magical for reviving plants or super charging their propogation. so far its gone great!
I’m not sure what strain or anything haha sorry but it is cannabis. My brother grew some from seed & too many survived (based on our laws here) so I snagged one before he decided to weed whack it. I honestly topped it way to many times and made a mini tree 😬.
I've never used Leca even in my aquaponic greenhouse system because I had free river gravel available and that also worked. Albeit gravel is very heavy and difficult to clean lol. This was very informative and I'm curious to try semi hydroponics for the first time so I'm researching all the options. So thank you so much for explaining it in detail! Also what's the difference between using Leca vs. pon or pumice stones in hydroponics? I'd love to see a comparison of different grow mediums that are commonly used and what are the advantages or disadvantages of each? ☺️
Hello Ashley! I am from Quebec and I thank you for your videos - there are so much contradictory informations on the net, it is very good to have you debunking stories (sorry my sentence might be half French/half English). I starting have a lot of Hoya babies and am looking to have the best growing medium for them :-) I saw on Facebook Hoya groups that some Hoya growers are switching from Leca to LeChuza Pon or even to DIY Pon (2 parts lava rock, 2 parts pumice and 1 part zeolite). I would like your scientific insight on that.
@@GardeningInCanada I do have some cuttings in Leca and a mesh pot, personnally I do not like it because it is unstable but I was surprised with the nice roots I got. I have some cuttings in LeChuza and still no roots. My question is more concerning the growth to adult plants. I do understand that I will need to add fertilizer but do you think it is a good growing medium for Hoyas? I read so much contradictor infos that I am all mixed up!!!
It depends. Generally adult plants do not enjoy being switched into leca and can have some die back initially. The other issue is adult plants are too heavy so you’d need to have form of weight on the leca to prevent the plant from tumbling out. I personally wouldn’t do it and would stick with a nice loose airy soil. But it’s truly up to you because you know you’re environment better than anyone else
I’ve been using glass containers without holes but I do change the leca with sterilize leca every time I remember. I also plan to transfer them in clear pots and tray with water.
@@GardeningInCanada oh no. I use the semi hydroponic fertilizer the one that is in a green bottle. But I don’t put it always just once in a while so the plant can have nutrients.
@@GardeningInCanada i was afraid of over fertilizing. Before I only put water no nutrients and my plants started giving me yellow leaves even tho the roots are fine. So, I’ve decided to start using fertilizer.
I've heard that after you remove the soil from the roots if you put the plant in water for a few weeks instead of straight into LECA it doesn't get quite as shocked and transitions better, is that true?
Thanks for the video- this is the only one that pointed out problems you may experience! Do you prefer a hole drilled on the side to maintain a certain water level or a hole drilled in the bottom while maintaining the water level in the outside container/cachepot?
On mine I do both, but I don’t think one is going to be inherently better then another. I think if you’re haven’t a lot salt issues it would definitely be a quicker fix.
Hello! I am starting my LECA journey and your video has been super informative--new subscriber here, and love the chemistry relations!! I heard when using tap water, we should pH balance it because of the harsh minerals (dependent on where you live). So when we rinse our LECA is it okay to use tap water? or should we still use the pH balanced water?
Hi Ashley and thank you for your investment in this soil science series! I’m doing research for a comparable replacement for Akadama and thought LECA might work. Sadly, the data I’ve found places LECA at virtually no CEC due to the high firing temperature. Akadama has a CEC between 25-27 I believe. Are you familiar with any substrates that could be comparable in a 1/4 inch diameter? Thank you again!
I'm wondering if you could infuse 1/4 inch biochar with something that'd give you the desired CEC. No idea how that'd work or what you'd use. Just thinking out loud, thought I'd pass it on. Did you find a suitable material?
I collected enough eggshell to fill a yogurt cup, and it weighs about 60% as much as sand, which makes it very useful as a soil lightener, provided the sand content is replaced, and provided it isn't an ingredient in cement or something~
I just crushed the eggshells, and tried to make it fill the volume completely by pressing it in. The eggshell was completely dry weight, and the sand was from a closed bag outside, so I'm not sure of it's water content, but it felt dry. More scientific people can get a more accurate measurement, but it's good enough~ I tried crushing it some more and got it down to about 65%
Oh, like many things thrown into a composter, eggshells can attract wild animals, and if you're currently out of such materials, it's prolly not wise to start building them up where they can find it~
Hakunalaplanta on YT did an interesting video on 1 year later with a Thai and Albo Monstera and watching his amazing giant plants grown in semi hydro and tap water is interesting results 🤔 thanks for the info!
The the scindapsus pictus cuttings that I've rooted in water could be transfered to LECA, and live there the rest of their days? That seems like a good idea to me, as I've got a bag of LECA, but all of the soil is frozen.
I am curious about your thoughts on Geolite clay pebbles? It is basically LECA made from Italian clay; however, they are not perfectly round like conventional LECA, and they claim that the unique surface texture makes it ideal for fostering beneficial bacterial growth.
How will it interact with a coco/soil blend like bush doctor. Trying to incorporate it into this grow, and considering options. Possibly as a soil topping(insect protection)
OMG amazing video!! I have mixed LECA in with my soil for a while and it's good to feel a little bit validated ;-) I'm obsessed with your shirt! You said your friend's IG name so quickly I can't tell what it is. Could you link it in the description?
Great video, and I have been looking for one that addresses using aquariums as part of the process. I have several and am hoping to make the water changes part of the hydro process, as well as grow some things in them. I would like to see more information on this if you have time! I'm from Indiana. I appreciate the science humor as well!
@@GardeningInCanada yes, as well as using the aquarium water for plants outside of the aquarium in a semi-hydro setup. I'm not sure about how much, if any feeding I would need to do if using aquarium water, as well as the salt issue. I do have planted tanks and am using aquarium plant fertilizer (fish safe). Thanks for your response!
Hello! Your video is sooo informative. I have a question, would I be able to transfer a young/immature PPP or Anthurium? Im trying to rid my collection of soil due to pests. They are both good sizes. Id say the Anthurium is in a 4 inch pot and the PPP is in a 2-3 inch pot.
You can. How many leaves does it have? I would really focus on a pH stabilized fertilizer setup. I have a video on this as well. gardeningincanada.net/semihydroponic-fertilizer/
Love your channel. Very informative. How long have you been using leca with your fish tank water? I want to use fish tank water instead of chemicals for hydroponic.
Thank you sm for this video, it's sooo helpful! I've been watching a lot of videos about leca and am worried about fully switching over so I love the idea of mixing it into the soil/a layer in the bottom of the pot. I can't seem to find much info about that tho, so would you say to prevent root rot it's more beneficial to mix it in with the soil or do the layer at the bottom? And if I do a layer of leca at the bottom, would I be able to keep a small reservoir or would that not work with the soil layer above it? Basically would the soil wick up too much water from the leca?
You can do it either way. But if you choose to fully integrate it into the soil water it the same way you would watch a fully soil plant. Keep in mind you would need to water more often
Thank you for this video! I am using LECA for one year, but thinking convert to pumice+zeolite or pon (pumice, zeolite, lava rock). Do you have any experience with pon? Thank you :)
I did an entire video on pon actually. Some videos that will likely help you are these: czcams.com/video/45MwyGnZpvw/video.html czcams.com/video/R982Kd1TH8o/video.html
I’m from New Jersey by the coast. 7b I think🤔. I haven’t been interested in lecca. My houseplant collection is about half tropical and half succulent and cacti. I’ve always used soil, but I’m interested in incorporating grit to the succulents and cacti. I know nothing about that sooooo, if your into doing a video about that...🥴. Thanks
I’ve been using leca for a few months and have only been using diluted liquid dirt instead of hydroponic solution. I’ve been seeing pretty good results so far. Will this cause issues in the future? Is it necessary to only use hydroponic solution?
These videos are very useful! Thank you so much! I started mixing my own chunky aroid soil mix recently. Is there any benefit to adding LECA to the soil mix apart from the overwatering benefit? I replaced a portion of the perlite in my mix with vermiculite because I was told it had the ability to hold nutrients in the soil because of the "Cation-exchange capacity" like how you explained LECA does. Supposedly perlite doesn't have the same ability. I plan to use mainly liquid fertilizer when I water so having stuff in the soil that can actually retain nutrients is important to me. I was wondering if it'd be worth it to add LECA to my mix for that reason.
What about the inability to rinse out the salt regularly, if you're using a soil/LECA mix, say 50/50 or 75/25? At what point is their salt retention going to be a problem that outweighs the benefits, especially on larger plants that you don't necessarily want to repot often? I'm a new plant person and have noticed that the houseplants I've inherited came in white-crusted pots with compacted soil. I'm a Canadian expat in Saudi, and our two water options here are "raw" (barely desalinated) water and "sweet" water that's so treated we don't even want to wash our hair in it! I have started watering these plants with bottled water but that's not sustainable at all--not to mention that my husband or housesitter is unlikely to do it when I'm out of the country! Can I boil the chemicals out of the sweet water and use that? I feel like LECA would be great as an amendment when I repot these guys, but the salt part concerns me, over time. Thanks for all your help!
I don’t find it’s needed but if you have a particularly dusty Leca then rinsing it would be good! I honestly just fill the pot and then keep the water line at 1/4 - 1/2 whatever keeps the leca moist to the top of the pot. If it’s in a tank or has running water then all the way is fine. I haven’t heard of that product before. Could you send me a link? I’d be interested in ready about it.
So, I'm getting ready to try the leca and I rinsed them and decided I'd clean my little tank haha so I swapped the water and I'll use that this time. I put some in a bottle to use as I do more. I was curious about these products in case I'm ever in a position not to be able to use my fish water.
Hi! I have seen someone on Tiktok using 'fluval stratum' as a substrate for propagation. It is a volcanic mineral rich substrate for aquarium plants. I found that very interesting. Do you think it is a good substrate for semi hydro?
Yea! So I have an one issue I have is my hair (despite not looking that way) is thin and any oils I use make it greasy. Are there any good ones out there for thin hair that you know of?
Euphorbia, FWIW, are not cacti, despite the appearance of some of them, and have greater water needs than true desert cacti. Have you tried this with actual cacti? For the moment, I'm accepting that it can work for succulents, which is a revelation for me
There is no reason shouldn’t work besides the obvious of keeping things on the semi drier side. It’s all relative which is the nicest part about the leca
Thanks for watching! Who uses LECA & what issues have you found? Here is your LECA AMAZON LINK: geni.us/FWRq
We have some spongy clay and when mixing dirt we pull out all the pieces and collect it, then put it back in another container or in the garden, our only issue with it is the constant cycle of pulling it out and putting it back in, it's endless~ We're always trying to make fluffy dirt, but the material technically is "chunky" so it's just so confusing having it in the dirt, but we recognize it's good to have in it.
It’s a good thing! More air flow and healthy roots
Hey just wanted to let you know your leca link is only good for Canada.
Thanks! I’ll find American one too you’re awesome 😊
@@GardeningInCanada I think it's biggest disadvantage is it's heavy weight.
Best plant channel on the internet ✌️
You are from now on my go to channel. Every plant parent should be following you for real information. Thanks and please stick around!
Oh wow! Thanks so much! That’s a huge compliment
Finally someone who explains Leca thoroughly 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 THANK YOU. I’m new to Leca and I was tired of sorting through millions of videos of people just showing me their plants in Leca lol
New subscriber new Instagram follower, happy to have found you!!
glad you found it helpful!
Thank You! be sure to share
Wow! Enjoying your videos and the info.
I’m an expat living in Qatar, Middle East.
Glad you enjoyed
Fellow soil scientist here 🙋♀️😆. Well… technically I haven’t been in that world for about a decade (homeschooling SAHM now) but once a soil scientist always a soil scientist? 🤔😂
Love your videos, found you last week and I’ve been binging them all. I’m In Southeastern US (NC) ☺️
You are totally right about the sodium build up, but, from my experience, if you use an ec of 200-300 for fertiliser your plants you will not get the build up. I never did in 9 years. Plus if you soak the leca for 2 weeks or more, that will help a lot as well. I never flushed, and I don't get any deposits, the only thing that I am doing is 2 months in a year I water my plants without any nutrients. Love your channel 😊💚
Oh that’s super interesting! I didn’t think about the soaking idea, I bet if you used warm water to soak it would even be higher
Great video! I just started slowly transitioning all my houseplants to LECA and this is the best info I've found so far! Thanks!!
That is awesome! I’m happy to hear that
This info and the vibes in this video are immaculate! This is the most informative video I’ve seen on LECA yet. So glad I found your channel. Thank you for explaining the science. I tend to not understand things unless I get all the science behind it. I must know why everything works the way it does lol!
Thanks so much I appreciate that and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Feel free to share the video with anyone you think it may help.
Hi Ashley I hail from central Victoria (where the gold rush occurred in the 1850’s) in Australia. The soil is very poor, but I love the challenge of soil improvement & love your channel
I was wondering a lot of things about LECA. I had only heard of it in one of your videos. Well, questions answered, and then some! I've never tried to grow in a hydroponic or semi-hydroponic way. Maybe one day I'll give one or two plants a try this way. What a product! Gotta wonder how people think of using these things! So many interesting things in the plant world. So little time. Thanks for this all detailed information about LECA. Before it was brown balls that somehow helped plants grow. Now it's so much more. 🌱🌿🌎
I agree! I wonder how people think of some of this stuff
Hi I'm a Southern neighbor in Ohio, USA. I am loving your video. I love the way you take to respond to everyone. I love your red hair reminds me of my niece she has the same challenges
Thank you so much!
Now this is my kind of channel. Science = logic and logic just makes sense to me. Sending much love! You go girl!!!
Haha thanks. And yes that is exactly how my brain works as well.
Lovin' the femme science vibes! (Hello from Minneapolis, Minnesota US )
Hahah femme science vibe is my MO 🤓👩🔬
I’m from North Carolina. Garden mostly outdoors but a little indoors,too. I’m a doctor and love science.
Woohoo. That’s awesome a bit of everything then
finally someone talks about science! Thank you!
thank you :) be sure too share. helps more the the algorithm
Can I share with you some links to some people that are very experienced, have been using LECA for quite some time an have had wonderful success with LECA. They grow huge, wonderful plants and you would be totally amazed at the wonderful success they have had. I myself have just started using LECA and I'm also having much success. I am physically disabled and have found this new hobby is something I can do inside. Before my disability I loved to garden outside but that is not possible now so I've moved my beloved hobby inside. I also love to know the science behind everything just about and your videos I find very interesting and helpful.
Oh my gosh! Laughed when you said “ starts with an N and ends with a “ nurse brain here went straight to sodium! Great info as usual , I use a mix of degraded wood chips and expanded clay for my orchids , they are doing great, never thought about using the water from the fish tank on the plants , lots of good ideas .. all the best Jules
Yea! That’s the perfect mix for orchids! They hate straight Leca for whatever reason
The thing about the plants getting larger and not being compatible with LECA, thank you for that. This is very helpful for me. I have some water propagations that I have added LECA to, which I intend to grow in LECA. I was thinking of transplanting them into a very well draining potting mix, but then thought since they are already in water and some LECA, I would continue with it. It is hard to decide, because I do have all the soil amendments etc. and all the terracotta pots.
Glad you found it helpful!
I am growing tropical plants in cold, dry Denver CO. It’s a struggle. Also I am out of town 2 weeks every month. That’s why I need to make leca semi-hydro work-for the reservoirs!
A word of caution around LECA/Hydroton/Hydrocorn/Expanded clay/etc. It throws massive amounts of humidity into the air - which is not immediately apparent because the surface will (almost always) appear dry, due to the fact that any moisture that wicks its way to the surface of the top layer will evaporate off in short order. This can create serious humidity issues indoors if you're using a lot of it and/or have lots of grow lights.
On the plus side, It's great to use in soil, and although it's a lot of work to do, it's even better if you smash it up before mixing it in. The porosity on the inside of the material is exceptional.
Questions - really hope you see this and can answer: 1) Do you still use leca and are you doing anything different with it these days? 2) If leca being lightweight can affect the plants’ ability to grow big and grow big root systems, how about mixing in or topping with lava rock or is that too heavy? 3) Thoughts on lava rock? In general I would very much like to hear your thoughts on broken up lava rock as an amendment. And of course, now I know to ask about the 3 keys: pH, porosity, and CEC! Loving the science in all of this. 4) Thoughts on SafeTSorb? I’m interested in info about using safe-t-sorb from Tractor Supply. I have used it as part of a grow mix for cactus and succulents and some others, and I have used it in aquariums. Would like to learn about it from your perspective including the 3 keys.
1) yes, I used it in my recent repot video 2) yes that would help 3) I can do a video on this no issue 4)i have to look into what exactly that is i have never heard of it before.
Happy that I've found you! One of the best videos about LECA out there, thank you for sharing!
Watching from Sydney, Australia.
Cheers :)
Thank you so much!
What helped you out the most?
Thank god i found this channel!!!
Awe ❤️ that’s kind! Be sure to share with anyone you think it may help!
So glad there’s a soil scientist perspective on leca! So much good info, thanks! Watching from northern part of New Jersey, USA :)
Hello Zone 3 Saskatchewan Neighbor! I have just recently started some Coleus, Wandering Jew, Dieffinbachia and a Peace Lily using the Leca method. So far they are still alive!
Did you loose any leaves? I’ve noticed that before when switching but other then that’s it’s been pretty awesome.
@@GardeningInCanada All mine were started from cuttings that I rooted in water - so far they are retaining the few leaves they had and looking healthy. I'm a big fan of growing without soil!
That’s awesome. Are you getting any “burnt” edges? I stopped getting that when I flipped to fish tank water
@@GardeningInCanada nothing like that so far. Man now I need to get a fish tank going! It never ends 😂
Watching from Northern Ontario! Great video! I am starting to transition to leca because i hate fungus nats lol. After i wash the soil off the roots i put my plant in a jar of water for a couple weeks, then leca,
Seems to help with the transition
That’s fair those little buggers are irritating
I love your content!! Thank you for providing an amazing insight to gardening- especially since you actually studied soil! Have you thought of making a video for propagating plants/transferring water plants to soil? Thanks girl! subscribed :)
I most definitely could make a video on that!
@@GardeningInCanada looking so forward to it!!! youve been my favorite channel find this year!:)
That’s a huge compliment thank you.
Great info. Thanks so much. I thought semi hydro was going to be my answer for all my plant troubles. Glad I watched this video. Now onto learning more about potting soil and leca mix
What issues are you having in particular?
@@GardeningInCanada currently no issues with semi hydro (maybe 2.5 weeks into it) just realizing there’s a bit more maintenance of rinsing leca than I thought. Most all of my other soil plants get mold on top of dirt, so I reduce watering a bit and then it’s typically a quick spiral towards death 😑
Alot of the organic cannibis growers "supersoils" use leca in their blend. They say it helps hold nutrients and provides a home for some of the soil biology
Great video
Thank!
I agree, I find that water roots are sometimes different that soil or air roots. You can go from water to soil, but soil to water won’t work.
❤️❤️❤️
Sending tons of plant love from South Africa💚
Thanks! ❤️🇨🇦
Super
Thanks for this video. I'm a beginner with plants and I found this video very interesting and helpful. I have subscribed to your channel and I am looking forward to look at the other videos. : )
Thanks for the sub!
In my house, we call LECA "forbidden cocoa puffs."
We had great experiences with a huge monstera in only leca😊 so I wouldnt say thats a con to leca. Our monstera was in a huge selfwaterin pot and it was 2 meters high with at least 10 mature leaves😄
That’s awesome. How did you weight it down enough so it doesn’t topple? That’s always my hang yp
Hey, I know I’m late to the party, but I’m considering growing some plants in semi-hydro, so I’m really happy to have found this vid 😊 as a biologist I also like to look at things a little more science-y! I’m currently leaning more towards pon, because of the pH-buffering capabilities. But I’m actually wondering if I could mix it with leca and if so, what ratio would work. Say a 50-50 mix, would that still be a good idea? Of do I get pH- problems then. I don’t want to have to check and amend pH all the time 😅 (watching from the Netherlands btw)
I am adding inorganic bonsai rocky mix that helps with weight and helping to secure larger plants.
That is smart!
I've used nothing but distilled water with leca and you still get salt build up it just takes longer, there's no way around it, if you use semi-hydro you have to flush the media from time to time.
Yea it’s just the clay it’s made from
Hope you see this, my favorite fertilizer is the Alaska fish fertilizer can I use this diluted when watering?
With leca you can try ideally it’s ph neutral and already bioavailable
Just subscribed because this is the shiz I’ve been looking for!!!! My name is also Ashley and I’m also from Canada!!!! And I love the science! Thanks girl!
Haha what are the chances 😂 glad to have you!
Checking in from Dartmouth, NS.
im playing with leca and rain water with a tiny bit of algae growth in the water, seems magical for reviving plants or super charging their propogation. so far its gone great!
Yes! Love algae
This is amazing! Love your content
Glad you love it!
Outstanding video
thank you
joe
thank you! Feel free to share
Watching from Vancouver! So glad to have found your channel! Ty for all the info!
That’s really kind thank you for watching!
Lover of all plants here! Lol me and my gf were chatting about what plant we believe to be in the tent behind you?
I’m not sure what strain or anything haha sorry but it is cannabis. My brother grew some from seed & too many survived (based on our laws here) so I snagged one before he decided to weed whack it. I honestly topped it way to many times and made a mini tree 😬.
I've never used Leca even in my aquaponic greenhouse system because I had free river gravel available and that also worked. Albeit gravel is very heavy and difficult to clean lol.
This was very informative and I'm curious to try semi hydroponics for the first time so I'm researching all the options. So thank you so much for explaining it in detail! Also what's the difference between using Leca vs. pon or pumice stones in hydroponics? I'd love to see a comparison of different grow mediums that are commonly used and what are the advantages or disadvantages of each? ☺️
Hey from Massachusetts
Hello!
Hello Ashley! I am from Quebec and I thank you for your videos - there are so much contradictory informations on the net, it is very good to have you debunking stories (sorry my sentence might be half French/half English). I starting have a lot of Hoya babies and am looking to have the best growing medium for them :-) I saw on Facebook Hoya groups that some Hoya growers are switching from Leca to LeChuza Pon or even to DIY Pon (2 parts lava rock, 2 parts pumice and 1 part zeolite). I would like your scientific insight on that.
Yea I think those are both great options! I personally like using straight moss but I think they would do great in either of those.
@@GardeningInCanada I do have some cuttings in Leca and a mesh pot, personnally I do not like it because it is unstable but I was surprised with the nice roots I got. I have some cuttings in LeChuza and still no roots. My question is more concerning the growth to adult plants. I do understand that I will need to add fertilizer but do you think it is a good growing medium for Hoyas? I read so much contradictor infos that I am all mixed up!!!
It depends. Generally adult plants do not enjoy being switched into leca and can have some die back initially. The other issue is adult plants are too heavy so you’d need to have form of weight on the leca to prevent the plant from tumbling out. I personally wouldn’t do it and would stick with a nice loose airy soil. But it’s truly up to you because you know you’re environment better than anyone else
@@GardeningInCanada Thank you Ashley! I really appreciate your fast replies and am looking forward to look at your videos!
I’ve been using glass containers without holes but I do change the leca with sterilize leca every time I remember. I also plan to transfer them in clear pots and tray with water.
That’s awesome. And honestly if your water isn’t heavily treated there is nothing wrong with that method
@@GardeningInCanada oh no. I use the semi hydroponic fertilizer the one that is in a green bottle. But I don’t put it always just once in a while so the plant can have nutrients.
Yea that’s awesome sounds like you’ve found a balance
@@GardeningInCanada i was afraid of over fertilizing. Before I only put water no nutrients and my plants started giving me yellow leaves even tho the roots are fine. So, I’ve decided to start using fertilizer.
Yea forsure they need a little bit.
I've heard that after you remove the soil from the roots if you put the plant in water for a few weeks instead of straight into LECA it doesn't get quite as shocked and transitions better, is that true?
It’s most likely the case in some situations but not all. It’s just a normal process but soaking isn’t a bad idea
This is super informative. Love it. Thank you!
awesome I’m glad!
Super
very informative! Thank you for sharing! 🥰
No problem glad you found it helpful!
Thank you. This was very helpful.
No problem! Anytime
Thanks for the video- this is the only one that pointed out problems you may experience! Do you prefer a hole drilled on the side to maintain a certain water level or a hole drilled in the bottom while maintaining the water level in the outside container/cachepot?
On mine I do both, but I don’t think one is going to be inherently better then another. I think if you’re haven’t a lot salt issues it would definitely be a quicker fix.
Hello! I am starting my LECA journey and your video has been super informative--new subscriber here, and love the chemistry relations!! I heard when using tap water, we should pH balance it because of the harsh minerals (dependent on where you live). So when we rinse our LECA is it okay to use tap water? or should we still use the pH balanced water?
Test your tap water pH if its 6.5 in an around you will be just fine.
Hi Ashley and thank you for your investment in this soil science series! I’m doing research for a comparable replacement for Akadama and thought LECA might work. Sadly, the data I’ve found places LECA at virtually no CEC due to the high firing temperature. Akadama has a CEC between 25-27 I believe. Are you familiar with any substrates that could be comparable in a 1/4 inch diameter? Thank you again!
I'm wondering if you could infuse 1/4 inch biochar with something that'd give you the desired CEC. No idea how that'd work or what you'd use. Just thinking out loud, thought I'd pass it on. Did you find a suitable material?
Great way to explain all this very good
Thanks so much! I didn’t want to miss anything
@@GardeningInCanada i think you explained everything:)
Awesome vid! I'd definitely like to learn how to keep succulents and cacti in leca
Awesome! On the list!
If you use leca as a bottom drainage layer in a pot, how do you flush out the salt buildup weekly?
You Definitely could and I have!
I collected enough eggshell to fill a yogurt cup, and it weighs about 60% as much as sand, which makes it very useful as a soil lightener, provided the sand content is replaced, and provided it isn't an ingredient in cement or something~
That’s interesting! Did you crush it or powder it?
I just crushed the eggshells, and tried to make it fill the volume completely by pressing it in. The eggshell was completely dry weight, and the sand was from a closed bag outside, so I'm not sure of it's water content, but it felt dry. More scientific people can get a more accurate measurement, but it's good enough~ I tried crushing it some more and got it down to about 65%
Oh, like many things thrown into a composter, eggshells can attract wild animals, and if you're currently out of such materials, it's prolly not wise to start building them up where they can find it~
I just put moss in it, seems like a good use for it~ Wups, calcium carbonate has a pH of 10, so that might be doomed to fail~
Nice! That’s pretty good
Watching from Illinois! I have overwatered many plants.
Nice!
Some of my orchids hated the transition but more of the terrestrial ones adapted fast
Yea orchids have their moment with leca not sure why. My one I lost basically all the roots in the transition
Zone 5 in Pennsylvania
Hakunalaplanta on YT did an interesting video on 1 year later with a Thai and Albo Monstera and watching his amazing giant plants grown in semi hydro and tap water is interesting results 🤔 thanks for the info!
That’s wild!
You have gorgeous hair!!!
Oh goodness thank you so much, I used to hate it all of elementary and highschool 😂
The the scindapsus pictus cuttings that I've rooted in water could be transfered to LECA, and live there the rest of their days? That seems like a good idea to me, as I've got a bag of LECA, but all of the soil is frozen.
I am curious about your thoughts on Geolite clay pebbles? It is basically LECA made from Italian clay; however, they are not perfectly round like conventional LECA, and they claim that the unique surface texture makes it ideal for fostering beneficial bacterial growth.
Im not confident it would have a big impact
How will it interact with a coco/soil blend like bush doctor. Trying to incorporate it into this grow, and considering options. Possibly as a soil topping(insect protection)
Nice plant
Thanks!
Hi from ont Canada!!!! (Shelburne to be exact)
hey!!! 🙂🙂🙂
OMG amazing video!! I have mixed LECA in with my soil for a while and it's good to feel a little bit validated ;-)
I'm obsessed with your shirt! You said your friend's IG name so quickly I can't tell what it is. Could you link it in the description?
Just send her a dm and she will be able to help you. Just say the WAP. Shirt Ashley always wears instagram.com/diyxe?igshid=bwxa1a9xtirz
Great video, and I have been looking for one that addresses using aquariums as part of the process. I have several and am hoping to make the water changes part of the hydro process, as well as grow some things in them. I would like to see more information on this if you have time! I'm from Indiana. I appreciate the science humor as well!
So growing in an aquarium specifically?
@@GardeningInCanada yes, as well as using the aquarium water for plants outside of the aquarium in a semi-hydro setup. I'm not sure about how much, if any feeding I would need to do if using aquarium water, as well as the salt issue. I do have planted tanks and am using aquarium plant fertilizer (fish safe). Thanks for your response!
If you have lots of fish you honestly don’t need to fertilize. It would be fine without any fertilizer
@@GardeningInCanada thank you!
Absolutely anytime
North East Mn.
hello!
Hello! Your video is sooo informative. I have a question, would I be able to transfer a young/immature PPP or Anthurium? Im trying to rid my collection of soil due to pests. They are both good sizes. Id say the Anthurium is in a 4 inch pot and the PPP is in a 2-3 inch pot.
You can. How many leaves does it have? I would really focus on a pH stabilized fertilizer setup. I have a video on this as well. gardeningincanada.net/semihydroponic-fertilizer/
learning in Ottawa :)
Hello over there! 😊
Love your channel. Very informative. How long have you been using leca with your fish tank water? I want to use fish tank water instead of chemicals for hydroponic.
Glad you enjoy! Hopefully you hit the subscribe button ❤️ and about a year. Works awesome
Thoughts on using pumice instead of LECA for a hydroponic system?
that is reasonable to use
Thank you sm for this video, it's sooo helpful! I've been watching a lot of videos about leca and am worried about fully switching over so I love the idea of mixing it into the soil/a layer in the bottom of the pot. I can't seem to find much info about that tho, so would you say to prevent root rot it's more beneficial to mix it in with the soil or do the layer at the bottom? And if I do a layer of leca at the bottom, would I be able to keep a small reservoir or would that not work with the soil layer above it? Basically would the soil wick up too much water from the leca?
You can do it either way. But if you choose to fully integrate it into the soil water it the same way you would watch a fully soil plant. Keep in mind you would need to water more often
Leca propagation is the same process as a rooted plant in leca? Do you have to do something a bit different?
Same as water propagation yup!
@@GardeningInCanada fill the leca all the way up with water or just like 1/3? I want to try and propagate in leca but I never have before.
Fill it all the way at first and then you can back off once you have established roots
What about using LECA in soil? Specifically, what about the sodium buildup? Plz someone have any idea?
its great for airation
@@GardeningInCanada what about sodium buildup on the LECA when in soil?
Thank you for this video! I am using LECA for one year, but thinking convert to pumice+zeolite or pon (pumice, zeolite, lava rock). Do you have any experience with pon? Thank you :)
I did an entire video on pon actually. Some videos that will likely help you are these:
czcams.com/video/45MwyGnZpvw/video.html
czcams.com/video/R982Kd1TH8o/video.html
From Kenya. If I transplant Greenhouse tomato’s from compost to Leca or pumice hybrid - 60% and 40% compost, Will I experience any problems.
It’s likely you will yes. Try to do it very gradually
I’m from New Jersey by the coast. 7b I think🤔. I haven’t been interested in lecca. My houseplant collection is about half tropical and half succulent and cacti. I’ve always used soil, but I’m interested in incorporating grit to the succulents and cacti. I know nothing about that sooooo, if your into doing a video about that...🥴. Thanks
Yea! Absolutely I can do that
I love crazy redhead hair 😆 🤣
🤓
Raised in Regina, now in Ottawa
Nice! That’s close to me!
what about pion then for weight etc
Can you show us your process of transitioning plants to leca?
Yea! Sure
😉😉
I’ve been using leca for a few months and have only been using diluted liquid dirt instead of hydroponic solution. I’ve been seeing pretty good results so far. Will this cause issues in the future? Is it necessary to only use hydroponic solution?
It’s hard to say are you using any biological filtration or simply just water?
No just water.
They you may see nutrient deficiencies over time
Can you substitute pumice for leca?
These videos are very useful! Thank you so much! I started mixing my own chunky aroid soil mix recently. Is there any benefit to adding LECA to the soil mix apart from the overwatering benefit? I replaced a portion of the perlite in my mix with vermiculite because I was told it had the ability to hold nutrients in the soil because of the "Cation-exchange capacity" like how you explained LECA does. Supposedly perlite doesn't have the same ability. I plan to use mainly liquid fertilizer when I water so having stuff in the soil that can actually retain nutrients is important to me. I was wondering if it'd be worth it to add LECA to my mix for that reason.
It’s truly only the drainage benefit and then the nutrient sequestered in the LECA. Keep in mind those are both very valuable benefits.
@@GardeningInCanada thanks so much for the response!!
Yea absolutely anytime. I answer all my comments 😊
What about the inability to rinse out the salt regularly, if you're using a soil/LECA mix, say 50/50 or 75/25? At what point is their salt retention going to be a problem that outweighs the benefits, especially on larger plants that you don't necessarily want to repot often? I'm a new plant person and have noticed that the houseplants I've inherited came in white-crusted pots with compacted soil. I'm a Canadian expat in Saudi, and our two water options here are "raw" (barely desalinated) water and "sweet" water that's so treated we don't even want to wash our hair in it! I have started watering these plants with bottled water but that's not sustainable at all--not to mention that my husband or housesitter is unlikely to do it when I'm out of the country! Can I boil the chemicals out of the sweet water and use that? I feel like LECA would be great as an amendment when I repot these guys, but the salt part concerns me, over time. Thanks for all your help!
Do you have access to fish tank dechlorinators in the Saudi Arabia?
@@GardeningInCanada I'm sure we do... what should I do with it/those, specifically?
I would treat your sweet water with it because that would solve a lot of the issues your having.
So, do you soak leca first? Like what's basic info and steps? Also what do you think of liquidirt?
I don’t find it’s needed but if you have a particularly dusty Leca then rinsing it would be good!
I honestly just fill the pot and then keep the water line at 1/4 - 1/2 whatever keeps the leca moist to the top of the pot. If it’s in a tank or has running water then all the way is fine.
I haven’t heard of that product before. Could you send me a link? I’d be interested in ready about it.
www.liquidirt.com/
The other one people I hear use is noot.
www.growwithnoot.com/
So, I'm getting ready to try the leca and I rinsed them and decided I'd clean my little tank haha so I swapped the water and I'll use that this time. I put some in a bottle to use as I do more.
I was curious about these products in case I'm ever in a position not to be able to use my fish water.
So is it essentially a concentrated or dilute fertilizer?
Hi! I have seen someone on Tiktok using 'fluval stratum' as a substrate for propagation. It is a volcanic mineral rich substrate for aquarium plants. I found that very interesting. Do you think it is a good substrate for semi hydro?
i haven't no
If I use perlite as a semi hydroponic medium, will it have buildups as well?
Most likely yea. It’s just a natural process that happens with the use of city water & fertilizer.
@@GardeningInCanada thank you very much for your fast answer! 😊
Anytime!
Look into oils for your hair! 🥰
Yea! So I have an one issue I have is my hair (despite not looking that way) is thin and any oils I use make it greasy. Are there any good ones out there for thin hair that you know of?
Euphorbia, FWIW, are not cacti, despite the appearance of some of them, and have greater water needs than true desert cacti. Have you tried this with actual cacti? For the moment, I'm accepting that it can work for succulents, which is a revelation for me
There is no reason shouldn’t work besides the obvious of keeping things on the semi drier side. It’s all relative which is the nicest part about the leca
@@GardeningInCanada Thank you 😊
No problem!
Sacramento CA! 9b :)
Hello and welcome