Excellent video! There are a few tips you mentioned I will be incorporating into my plant care. I have a question. At what point do you stop fertilizing your plants? I’m in the United States and it’s autumn/ fall season now. I’ve read/heard that plants grow slower during the colder months.
Thank you Alfreda. Yes, plants grow slower during those seasons but plants in semi-hydro must always have nutrient solution added. Always. They grow slower but they do not stop growing. They are living things, they need to eat. Look at them that way and you will always feed them.
thank you sooo much for explaining the importance of soaking leca beforehand. i have never heard anyone explain the reason or logic behind it so i have always skipped that step thinking it must just be preference. but it makes so much sense now!
I'm so excited to find someone who is so refreshing and actually talks about what I'm wanting to learn !! Your awesome ,,I'm waiting on my leca to get here so I can get started I have alot of plants growing just in water,,and I have some of my plants for yrs in soil I have been wanting to get away from soil and I have learned alot from watching your videos! THANK YOU!
Hi Nora, I have about 30 plants (philodendron/ peperomia / pothos/ succulents/ lime / orchid) - a whole range. All moved from soil to Leca. Your videos helped me greatly in my journey. Especially your initial video on the long method when everything clicked in place! Thanks so much for smoothing the learning curve 😊
Very precisely on how to transition your plant from soil to leca. It’s not just taking the plant and put it in Leca you have to follow the steps to be successful and ask that I’m pretty sure you will become an expert even though you take chances to lose some plants, I am very happy that I saw this tonight. It was very well explained. Thank you Miss Nora.
Wow, your information is the best I have seen! I decided not to use leca but now that I watched your video I am ready to start! You are the peat plant educator! Thank you!
I have tried pothos, philodendrons, aglonemas so far. I haven't faced any issues in soil to leca system. All those in leca are doing well. I do not have fancy nutrition specifically for hydroponic system yet. I simply give sea weed and balanced NPK in diluted forms. I don't check pH of the system. My plants first grew water roots, then secondary and then they are growing leaves. I wash and refresh my leca every weekend. Some roots have grown into reservoir and some love in leca. I let plants do whatever they are happy in. I just keep them in bright indirect light. So far so good.
I think seaweed might be an exception to this “rule”, as opposed to something like fish emulsion, or blood & bone meal solutions… they say the composition of these “organic”-based fertilizers are specifically designed for soil microbes to break-down, which does have some truth to it, but interestingly, hydroponic nutrients work just as well in soil as they do in hydro or semi hydro! I think seaweed has a better molecular structure and it also won’t stink like fish emulsion!
i feel like i hit the jackpot with all your wealth of experience and knowlegde with LECA you keep it short sweet and directly to the point giving me the reasonings behind your strategy - i see many successul scenerios ahead for me with my plants. . . so many thanks to you i absolutely appreciate your time put into your helpful videos.
Excellent video, you give me confidence. But for now I've been transitioning to pumice & perlite under the soil. I need to buy some Leca and give it a try!!
So I am really new to LECA and travelling so much so many of my house plants have suffered. To stsrt I have some baby plants, and I will be working with just 3 to begin with, and then have a priority list of others to do if I am successful. Thanks for sharing your experience on Gardening Australia and I love seeing your passion for making us better gardeners.
You have helped me so much! Thank you so much. I am in the process of transferring all my plants over to leca and so far knock on wood. It’s all gone well. I’m really glad I did the long method on one of them because it looked like it had such great roots and I was ready to put it in leca, and when I pulled it out of the water all the roots came off! so now I get to put it back in the propagating solution and give it some more time but if I had not done that and had put it straight in leca, I wouldn’t of known that it didn’t have any good roots and probably would have rotted!
Love you & your videos. I am planning to switch some plants to leca-fungus flies make me crazy. I was surprised to see the African Violet- I have 6 & am now excited to try leca with them. Thanks for all your info.
I just ordered 40lbs of leca! So sick of gnats. Over them. So I have been stalking your channel and learning so much. I have switched a couple plants to leca and learned the process and how leca works to get a feel for it before I do the rest of my plants.
I’m about to start my first soil to leca transition. I’ve watched 2 of your videos, they’re great, and I took notes 😊 I already have the leca, and I need to choose a plant to begin with. Do you have a recommendation? Maybe a Hoya? Thanks a million!!!
Thank you so much I think I did this some little errors and some of my plants but I didn't know that you can put African Valley In leca Learn something new every time I watch you
Thanks for the video! I realize now I made a few of the mistakes you mention here. Don’t you go through a lot more nutrient solution with LECA than with soil? If you soak the LECA in it and then replace it very often once the plant is potted, you must go through it very quickly.
Hello lovely ? This heating mat you out your plant on should have thermostat or just a mat ? And also how long do I leave the plant on that mat after transition please ??
Hello, it really does not matter if it has a thermostat or not. Mine does not. I try not to overthink it. You just need the roots to be warm. I keep my plant on the plant fora few weeks after putting in leca or not at all depending on if I need the mat for some cuttings.
Hello Queen! Thanks for sharing that info. With so many of us trying to find the right medium for our houseplants, you provided vital info for us who are transitioning from soil, pon, Fluval, etc. to Leca. I'm doing that only with the hoyas because they can be quite fussy. I make sure to remove as much soil matter before adding to leca. I don't want to lose anymore hoyas!!! I love that you have African violets in leca! Who wudda thunk? I fail at that plant but I will try the leca method. Thanks again for the tips! Dee, New York USA
Thanks so much for this video. I'm about to start using leca so I've been binge watching your videos. Question that you touched on but didn't fully answer. Can I just mix up a huge batch of nutrient water and store it, then use it say over a month? Would I have to check the pH each time I use it? And any idea whats the max time the nutrient water would last sitting in a plastic container somewhere in my house? Thank you!
Welcome, and thank you for watching. I have the perfect video to help you with your nutrients question. Watch this: ruclips.net/video/nzc6sTqIv_c/видео.html
Love this channel! Where do you get those clear pots that you put holes in for leca? I'm looking for clear inner and outer pots, diy or affordable. Thanks!
Thank you Joann. I keep it on the heat mat after putting in leca for a few weeks or not at all if there is no space on there. I try to keep it as warm as possible.
I generally recommend boiling the leca for about 15 to 30 minutes. There are lots of other ways such as washing it and drying it out in full sun or chemicals such as bleach or using the oven, but I find boiling is the easiest for me to do. All the best!
How long does your nutrient solution stay “good” or usable in the premade containers? Does the pH start to change after a few days or a week? Or any other issues with it? Also, thanks for your excellent and informative videos!
My nutrient solution does not hang about for long. I am always making more because I have way too many plants. It should last for a few months if kept in a nice cool dark place.
Can I transfer a button fern to Leca? I just started using Leca for the second time and I had successful results so I'm now wanting to transfer almost every other plant. I have moved 2 calatheas 3 Alocasias and 1 hoya. 😊
Hi again Nora. After watching you and your beautiful plants I have started transplanting my plants to leca. I have done quite a few now but need to buy more leca. The soil ninja site I buy from sell so many different substrates and I was looking at the fine and course substrate which I believe is Pon. I wondered what your thoughts in this substrate is and if you have used it at all. Are there any benefits from this compared to the clay balls. Do you still need to use a reservoir the same way you do with the balls? So many questions but I was thinking of trying this instead of the balls this time but wondered if you had any advice or recommendations on this please. Xx
Hello Irene, thank you for watching! And well done for being brave enough to try semi hydro. I have recently started using pon so do not have too much experience with it. It is keeping my Alocasias alive so I guess it is working.In theory the principles are the same when using it. I use a reservoir when using pon as do many others. I suggest doing some research on how to use it when you are comfortable go for it. In as much as I love leca, the most important thing is you taking care of your plants in the best way you can. I hope this helps.
@@TheLecaQueen thank you again Nora for your quick reply. It must be really early in the morning in Oz at the moment and I wasn’t expecting a reply back so soon. I’m in Bonny Scotland. I have been researching this substrate but I wanted to check with the Queen first 😂. Xxx
@@irenewallace2533 It was yes, I like to respond to comments as I wait for my sleepy13-year-old to take a shower. I need to wait cause he will just stand there asleep in the shower!🤣🤣🤣
@@TheLecaQueen - Wonderful, thank you so much. I’m preparing my Leca now. It’s the first time ever using it. So I’m spending the next couple of days watching as many videos as possible so I know what to do one I have my first plant in Leca 🤞🏼
What about a monstera cutting that has roots about 2 inches long? Meaning they were reaching for the soil and now, I have it in nutrient solution, but because the stem below where the roots are is almost 4 inches long, to get the roots growing out of the node, I have to have a lot of the stems under water. Is that OK?
Hi nora if I make a batch of solution how long does it last before goin off ? Do I have to refrigerate it ? I have bought a water solution an my leca balls . I also have a silica solution I’ve been using on my plants . Now can I add my silica to my hydro solution or do I have to buy a roots solution? I really want to try this leca as am sick of plant soil spills an gnats 😂thank u Nora ❤
I think that if your nutrient solution is of the hydroponic variety you won't likely see it "going off" before you get around to using it.. I mix 5 gallons at a time in one of those big blue water dispenser jugs and have had no issues with it sitting for a month or so. I add silica, grow tek foliage focus, and Cal max in it then PH the giant batch. If I want to add anything more organic to the mix like super thrive or mycobacteria, I add it into my watering cans ( not into the big 5 gallon batch/ jug) after I've dispensed the main solution from my giant batch via my sweet little battery operated auto pump. :) That said, I've got about 100 plants or more so 5 gallons only lasts me 3 -4 weeks before I run out and have to mix up more. Hope that helps.
Hello Nora! I am new to your channel and I have been thinking of making the transfer for some of my plants but not sure which nutrient solution to get. Do you have any recommendations? I see you mentioned a couple different types for different things. If you haven't made a video on that could you? And if you have could you point me in the right direction please and thank you!! 🤗🤗
Hi Erika, thank you for watching and loving leca. I use Growth Technology products I mainly use Foliage Focus as you only need one bottle. Others have used General Hydroponics range, or DynaGrow but I have no idea how they work as Ihave not used them before. You can get Foliage Focus in the US from this store: www.planthaulshop.com/
Okay. One thing I need to know is... can any plant be successful in leca? I've transitioned some to leca no problem but they're plants that I've heard of being "easier" in leca.. but whatever the plants you dont hear about like the bat flower?! Im way too scared to move her to leca because it's still new territory for me
OK, you’ve got me! The thing I don’t understand is you always say click on the link above? I’ve never seen a link above to click on when you were talking about a specific subject. I don’t know if somethings gone wrong on your end or I’m just not looking towards the proper screen. Thank you kindly
Hey Queen, When the roots of your plant grow out of the net pot do you still fill the reservoir 1/3 of the leca. I know these are water roots but will it be too much water? Especially for plants with finer roots. Should I repot or let them grow? 😊❤️🌿🍃🌼☀️
Loved this video. I struggled so much with alocasias and bought a baby black velvet that was in leca. I left it there and after a few months decided to move rest of alocasias to leca. So far so good. Love to see the new water roots going down bottom looking for water.
There is good and bad leca, but leca dry at the top is a whole other thing, see the explanatio in this short video: ruclips.net/video/La6arALi3Hc/видео.html
Hi there, I'm new to LECA, and it's only two weeks. I think I made many mistakes by watching other 'advice' on RUclips, and I feel like losing all my plants. My Peace Lily has gone into total shock, and I do not have hope that it will recover =( I follow 'advice' not to put any nutrients first 2-4 weeks and just soak LECA in water during the transfer to LECA. After moving it into LECA not to water it and let it dry for a week (I know it's stupid advice) to avoid root rot. I ended up taking Peace Lily and putting it into the water with nutrients and hope for 'resurrection'. The other plants, I rinsed through and put them in a water reservoir but I'm noticing a lot of yellow leaves. Is there a chance I can save my plants?
I am so sorry to hear about that. There is hope. What nutrients are you using? Keep your plants warm and brightly lit and be patient. FYI I have a Mastering Soil to leca program teaching about leca starting soon. Check my links or links in my instagram bio for more details.
@@TheLecaQueen I did not use any nutrients as that was the advice from other videos (not yours) suggesting that fertilisers might burn the roots if use straight away Could you send me the link for the program, please?
I think that if your nutrient solution is of the hydroponic variety you won't likely see it "going off" before you get around to using it.. I mix 5 gallons at a time in one of those big blue water dispenser jugs and have had no issues with it sitting for a month or so. I add silica, grow tek foliage focus, and Cal max in it then PH the giant batch. If I want to add anything more organic to the mix like super thrive or mycobacteria, I add it into my watering cans ( not into the big 5 gallon batch/ jug) after I've dispensed the main solution from my giant batch via my sweet little battery operated auto pump. :) That said, I've got about 100 plants or more so 5 gallons only lasts me 3 -4 weeks before I run out and have to mix up more. Hope that helps.
Great info! You know I just got a pretty big ficus lyrata (3 plants in one, 1,50 meter tall) I’ve had very good luck at transitioning medium sized ficus (lyrata, elástica, ruby, tineke, altisima) before, doing it directly … but I’m concerned about this one. I really don’t want to kill it. I’m trying to find a pot that suits the situation, but should I put it in clonex clone solution for a week first? It’s gonna be hard since the plant is pretty big I don’t know how I would keep the plant standing lol 😂
I love this!!!! What a challenge! I would love to do this!!! Putting it in CCS is a good idea. You would probably need a deep bucket or barrel stand up the plantandmaybe lean it against a wall or tie the plant to the bucket or barrel to keep it upright..I would love to know how you get on. Please let me know via Instagram or Facebook. I am tempted to buy one just to try.
I am using the long method to transfer ? plant to leca. My plant is in nutriens solution and placed on a heat mat, but my jar contains air bubbles. What does this means
What if you cant get all of the soil off of the roots? Even after scrubbing with a toothbrush, I cant get off the final layer. Will this hurt the plant to put it in leca with that soil residue on it?
I have kept my leca in a water for 24+ hours before using it but I still see that the top layer of my leca is not moist, they are always dry... Is it not working as a wick? What could be the issue or a miss here? Thanks!
With the nutrients I'm using it's a waste to change them once a week as they only need to be replaced every 14-25 days at any stage (General hydroponics aka. Terra aquatica: Tripart, Fulvic, Root Booster).
I have tried to covert from soil to Leca by your long method. Before it even gets to Leca, the plant bends over and wilts. It looks like it’s dying!! 😢
Changing water once a week is just as dangerous as not changing it at all. Both can work, both can kill your plant. I have an aquarium where I haven't done a proper water change in years and it's thriving. TechPlant did a comparison video on changing prop water once a day vs never. Understanding what makes success / failure is crucial, never/1x per week recommendations don't really help.
You getting it wrong you wanna wash all the dirt and loose severe of Leca when it comes too you fresh out the store it’s like veggies you buy out the store you wanna go home and wash them plants before eating so it is with Leca wash it off 3x and soak for 24 hours in nutrient juice. Then use it … it may seem dry at the top but that’s good your roots aren’t at the top it’s in the middle towards bottom . So it’s still great and have some moisture just not visualized by the eyes . But it does have it
Excellent video! There are a few tips you mentioned I will be incorporating into my plant care. I have a question. At what point do you stop fertilizing your plants? I’m in the United States and it’s autumn/ fall season now. I’ve read/heard that plants grow slower during the colder months.
Thank you Alfreda. Yes, plants grow slower during those seasons but plants in semi-hydro must always have nutrient solution added. Always. They grow slower but they do not stop growing. They are living things, they need to eat. Look at them that way and you will always feed them.
@@TheLecaQueenü
I wish I had found your channel in the beginning of my lecca journey! I would not have lost so many 😭 plants. You’re a natural teacher!
So nice of you to say. All the best with leca!
thank you sooo much for explaining the importance of soaking leca beforehand. i have never heard anyone explain the reason or logic behind it so i have always skipped that step thinking it must just be preference. but it makes so much sense now!
Sasparilla Baby you are very welcome!
I'm so excited to find someone who is so refreshing and actually talks about what I'm wanting to learn !! Your awesome ,,I'm waiting on my leca to get here so I can get started I have alot of plants growing just in water,,and I have some of my plants for yrs in soil I have been wanting to get away from soil and I have learned alot from watching your videos! THANK YOU!
Hi Nora, I have about 30 plants (philodendron/ peperomia / pothos/ succulents/ lime / orchid) - a whole range. All moved from soil to Leca. Your videos helped me greatly in my journey.
Especially your initial video on the long method when everything clicked in place! Thanks so much for smoothing the learning curve 😊
Hello! I am so glad to hear that things are going well. 😊
Loving the tip on soaking your leca in your nutrient solution, makes sense!
Glad it was helpful!
Very precisely on how to transition your plant from soil to leca. It’s not just taking the plant and put it in Leca you have to follow the steps to be successful and ask that I’m pretty sure you will become an expert even though you take chances to lose some plants, I am very happy that I saw this tonight. It was very well explained. Thank you Miss Nora.
Wow, your information is the best I have seen! I decided not to use leca but now that I watched your video I am ready to start! You are the peat plant educator! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I have tried pothos, philodendrons, aglonemas so far. I haven't faced any issues in soil to leca system. All those in leca are doing well. I do not have fancy nutrition specifically for hydroponic system yet. I simply give sea weed and balanced NPK in diluted forms. I don't check pH of the system. My plants first grew water roots, then secondary and then they are growing leaves. I wash and refresh my leca every weekend. Some roots have grown into reservoir and some love in leca. I let plants do whatever they are happy in. I just keep them in bright indirect light. So far so good.
That is the spirit Manju, find what works for your plants and keep doing it!😍
I think seaweed might be an exception to this “rule”, as opposed to something like fish emulsion, or blood & bone meal solutions… they say the composition of these “organic”-based fertilizers are specifically designed for soil microbes to break-down, which does have some truth to it, but interestingly, hydroponic nutrients work just as well in soil as they do in hydro or semi hydro! I think seaweed has a better molecular structure and it also won’t stink like fish emulsion!
Clear speak, easily understanding .
thanks a lot queen ♛
You are very welcome!
i feel like i hit the jackpot with all your wealth of experience and knowlegde with LECA
you keep it short sweet and directly to the point giving me the reasonings behind your strategy - i see many successul scenerios ahead for me with my plants. . . so many thanks to you
i absolutely appreciate your time put into your helpful videos.
I appreciate that! Thank you for your kind words.
This is so helpful! And your personality and voice make the learning process so enjoyable! Thank you Leca Queen!
You're so welcome!
Excellent video, you give me confidence. But for now I've been transitioning to pumice & perlite under the soil. I need to buy some Leca and give it a try!!
Go for it!
So I am really new to LECA and travelling so much so many of my house plants have suffered. To stsrt I have some baby plants, and I will be working with just 3 to begin with, and then have a priority list of others to do if I am successful. Thanks for sharing your experience on Gardening Australia and I love seeing your passion for making us better gardeners.
Thank you for your lovely comment. I wish you and your plants all the best 👍
You have helped me so much! Thank you so much. I am in the process of transferring all my plants over to leca and so far knock on wood. It’s all gone well. I’m really glad I did the long method on one of them because it looked like it had such great roots and I was ready to put it in leca, and when I pulled it out of the water all the roots came off! so now I get to put it back in the propagating solution and give it some more time but if I had not done that and had put it straight in leca, I wouldn’t of known that it didn’t have any good roots and probably would have rotted!
I'm so glad I found your channel. I've learnt so much from you. Always informative and easy to understand.
Awesome! Thank you!
Love you & your videos. I am planning to switch some plants to leca-fungus flies make me crazy. I was surprised to see the African Violet- I have 6 & am now excited to try leca with them. Thanks for all your info.
You're lovely! Amazing and so helpful tips! Thank you so much! 😚
You're so welcome!
I just ordered 40lbs of leca! So sick of gnats. Over them. So I have been stalking your channel and learning so much. I have switched a couple plants to leca and learned the process and how leca works to get a feel for it before I do the rest of my plants.
All the best. I hope you have not just been stalking but also subscribed 😊
@@TheLecaQueen of course I subscribed! ❤️
I love all ur plants! Can u recommend self-watering pots with the wick for leca?
I am just starting to experiment with Lecca. I love your your channel!!!
Awesome! Thank you!
Love this video. I use LECA for my orchids. Can I store my nutrient solutions when I have leftovers or do I need to mixup fresh each time? Thank you!
I just love your videos. Amazing advice and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge ❤
Thank you so much!
I’m about to start my first soil to leca transition. I’ve watched 2 of your videos, they’re great, and I took notes 😊 I already have the leca, and I need to choose a plant to begin with. Do you have a recommendation? Maybe a Hoya? Thanks a million!!!
Thank you for sharing I have not started my plans as yet got to get the solution
I wish you all the best. Remember patience is key. Don't be afraid to experiment and most importantly have fun 😉
Thank you so much I think I did this some little errors and some of my plants but I didn't know that you can put African Valley In leca Learn something new every time I watch you
Glad I could help!😊
I am moving my first plant to Leca I have done all these things so I hope it works
Thanks for the video! I realize now I made a few of the mistakes you mention here.
Don’t you go through a lot more nutrient solution with LECA than with soil? If you soak the LECA in it and then replace it very often once the plant is potted, you must go through it very quickly.
It is all relative. Depending on how often you fertilise your plants in soil in the first place.
Is leca good for no drainage method? As i have seen people doing it a lot
Hello lovely ? This heating mat you out your plant on should have thermostat or just a mat ? And also how long do I leave the plant on that mat after transition please ??
Hello, it really does not matter if it has a thermostat or not. Mine does not. I try not to overthink it. You just need the roots to be warm. I keep my plant on the plant fora few weeks after putting in leca or not at all depending on if I need the mat for some cuttings.
Great video
excellent...no pain no gain.....
That's right Dolly!
Hello Queen! Thanks for sharing that info. With so many of us trying to find the right medium for our houseplants, you provided vital info for us who are transitioning from soil, pon, Fluval, etc. to Leca. I'm doing that only with the hoyas because they can be quite fussy. I make sure to remove as much soil matter before adding to leca. I don't want to lose anymore hoyas!!! I love that you have African violets in leca! Who wudda thunk? I fail at that plant but I will try the leca method. Thanks again for the tips! Dee, New York USA
African Violets love leca! Mine have never looked so good!
You are a great teacher!
Thank you! 😃
Omg! Makes so much sense 😮
Thank you Dear ❤
You're welcome 😊
The best explanation. Great video. ❤
MuthaTruckin Kat Thank you!
Thanks so much for this video. I'm about to start using leca so I've been binge watching your videos.
Question that you touched on but didn't fully answer. Can I just mix up a huge batch of nutrient water and store it, then use it say over a month? Would I have to check the pH each time I use it? And any idea whats the max time the nutrient water would last sitting in a plastic container somewhere in my house? Thank you!
Welcome, and thank you for watching. I have the perfect video to help you with your nutrients question. Watch this: ruclips.net/video/nzc6sTqIv_c/видео.html
Love this channel! Where do you get those clear pots that you put holes in for leca? I'm looking for clear inner and outer pots, diy or affordable. Thanks!
Thank you. I get them from our local store Bunnings. I have looked but can not find them anywhere in the US.
Can a Medusa plant be grown in Leca?
Great video as usual. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. How long should the plant stay on the heating pad?
Thank you Joann. I keep it on the heat mat after putting in leca for a few weeks or not at all if there is no space on there. I try to keep it as warm as possible.
Great tips! Can you please elaborate more on soaking the leca before putting a plant in it? Is this only for the initial transition to use wet leca?
The leca must always be wet, never use dry leca.
I was given a bucket of previously used lecca. How would you recommend cleaning it. Would flushing it with water be enough?
I generally recommend boiling the leca for about 15 to 30 minutes. There are lots of other ways such as washing it and drying it out in full sun or chemicals such as bleach or using the oven, but I find boiling is the easiest for me to do. All the best!
How long does your nutrient solution stay “good” or usable in the premade containers? Does the pH start to change after a few days or a week? Or any other issues with it? Also, thanks for your excellent and informative videos!
My nutrient solution does not hang about for long. I am always making more because I have way too many plants. It should last for a few months if kept in a nice cool dark place.
Can I transfer a button fern to Leca? I just started using Leca for the second time and I had successful results so I'm now wanting to transfer almost every other plant. I have moved 2 calatheas 3 Alocasias and 1 hoya. 😊
Hi again Nora. After watching you and your beautiful plants I have started transplanting my plants to leca. I have done quite a few now but need to buy more leca. The soil ninja site I buy from sell so many different substrates and I was looking at the fine and course substrate which I believe is Pon. I wondered what your thoughts in this substrate is and if you have used it at all. Are there any benefits from this compared to the clay balls. Do you still need to use a reservoir the same way you do with the balls?
So many questions but I was thinking of trying this instead of the balls this time but wondered if you had any advice or recommendations on this please. Xx
Hello Irene, thank you for watching! And well done for being brave enough to try semi hydro. I have recently started using pon so do not have too much experience with it. It is keeping my Alocasias alive so I guess it is working.In theory the principles are the same when using it. I use a reservoir when using pon as do many others. I suggest doing some research on how to use it when you are comfortable go for it. In as much as I love leca, the most important thing is you taking care of your plants in the best way you can. I hope this helps.
@@TheLecaQueen thank you again Nora for your quick reply. It must be really early in the morning in Oz at the moment and I wasn’t expecting a reply back so soon. I’m in Bonny Scotland. I have been researching this substrate but I wanted to check with the Queen first 😂. Xxx
@@irenewallace2533 It was yes, I like to respond to comments as I wait for my sleepy13-year-old to take a shower. I need to wait cause he will just stand there asleep in the shower!🤣🤣🤣
Do you ‘flush’ the Leca with filtered water? Or is tape water (im in Sydney) okay?
Tap water should be fine.
@@TheLecaQueen - Wonderful, thank you so much. I’m preparing my Leca now. It’s the first time ever using it. So I’m spending the next couple of days watching as many videos as possible so I know what to do one I have my first plant in Leca 🤞🏼
@@buildinglove7288 you got this!
What about a monstera cutting that has roots about 2 inches long? Meaning they were reaching for the soil and now, I have it in nutrient solution, but because the stem below where the roots are is almost 4 inches long, to get the roots growing out of the node, I have to have a lot of the stems under water. Is that OK?
Hi nora if I make a batch of solution how long does it last before goin off ? Do I have to refrigerate it ? I have bought a water solution an my leca balls . I also have a silica solution I’ve been using on my plants . Now can I add my silica to my hydro solution or do I have to buy a roots solution? I really want to try this leca as am sick of plant soil spills an gnats 😂thank u Nora ❤
I think that if your nutrient solution is of the hydroponic variety you won't likely see it "going off" before you get around to using it.. I mix 5 gallons at a time in one of those big blue water dispenser jugs and have had no issues with it sitting for a month or so. I add silica, grow tek foliage focus, and Cal max in it then PH the giant batch. If I want to add anything more organic to the mix like super thrive or mycobacteria, I add it into my watering cans ( not into the big 5 gallon batch/ jug) after I've dispensed the main solution from my giant batch via my sweet little battery operated auto pump. :) That said, I've got about 100 plants or more so 5 gallons only lasts me 3 -4 weeks before I run out and have to mix up more. Hope that helps.
Hello Nora! I am new to your channel and I have been thinking of making the transfer for some of my plants but not sure which nutrient solution to get. Do you have any recommendations? I see you mentioned a couple different types for different things. If you haven't made a video on that could you? And if you have could you point me in the right direction please and thank you!! 🤗🤗
Hi Erika, thank you for watching and loving leca. I use Growth Technology products I mainly use Foliage Focus as you only need one bottle. Others have used General Hydroponics range, or DynaGrow but I have no idea how they work as Ihave not used them before. You can get Foliage Focus in the US from this store:
www.planthaulshop.com/
Okay. One thing I need to know is... can any plant be successful in leca? I've transitioned some to leca no problem but they're plants that I've heard of being "easier" in leca.. but whatever the plants you dont hear about like the bat flower?! Im way too scared to move her to leca because it's still new territory for me
OK, you’ve got me! The thing I don’t understand is you always say click on the link above? I’ve never seen a link above to click on when you were talking about a specific subject. I don’t know if somethings gone wrong on your end or I’m just not looking towards the proper screen. Thank you kindly
There is a text box that floats at the top. I will check this video again to make sure they are there. Thanks
Hey Queen,
When the roots of your plant grow out of the net pot do you still fill the reservoir 1/3 of the leca. I know these are water roots but will it be too much water? Especially for plants with finer roots.
Should I repot or let them grow? 😊❤️🌿🍃🌼☀️
I just let them grow, especially the finer rooted ones like pilea. If you are concerned you could try the Kratky method.
i put my avocado tree in a leca mix, has not been doing well. definitely made these mistakes.
I hope you can get it back on track.
Can I plant my avocado and lemon and lime plant and umbrella plants in leca ? If so, how I do not want to kill them. Any suggestions, please?
Loved this video. I struggled so much with alocasias and bought a baby black velvet that was in leca. I left it there and after a few months decided to move rest of alocasias to leca. So far so good. Love to see the new water roots going down bottom looking for water.
Thank you. I wish you and your Alocasias all the best!
Is there good and bad leca? I feel like the kind i got stays dry on top no matter how long i soak it.
There is good and bad leca, but leca dry at the top is a whole other thing, see the explanatio in this short video: ruclips.net/video/La6arALi3Hc/видео.html
Hi there, I'm new to LECA, and it's only two weeks. I think I made many mistakes by watching other 'advice' on RUclips, and I feel like losing all my plants. My Peace Lily has gone into total shock, and I do not have hope that it will recover =( I follow 'advice' not to put any nutrients first 2-4 weeks and just soak LECA in water during the transfer to LECA. After moving it into LECA not to water it and let it dry for a week (I know it's stupid advice) to avoid root rot. I ended up taking Peace Lily and putting it into the water with nutrients and hope for 'resurrection'. The other plants, I rinsed through and put them in a water reservoir but I'm noticing a lot of yellow leaves. Is there a chance I can save my plants?
I am so sorry to hear about that. There is hope. What nutrients are you using? Keep your plants warm and brightly lit and be patient. FYI I have a Mastering Soil to leca program teaching about leca starting soon. Check my links or links in my instagram bio for more details.
@@TheLecaQueen I did not use any nutrients as that was the advice from other videos (not yours) suggesting that fertilisers might burn the roots if use straight away Could you send me the link for the program, please?
@@nicolebolton398 nora-mutalima.mykajabi.com/mastering-soil-to-leca?fbclid=IwAR3UvVT8vgMJAsdnqAKCW_YrQYdx9ybH6bV0o0OA28y28-wu_ho3HdAOSZQ
How long can you keep your nutrient solution on hand? If I premix it does it go bad after a certain amount of time?
I think that if your nutrient solution is of the hydroponic variety you won't likely see it "going off" before you get around to using it.. I mix 5 gallons at a time in one of those big blue water dispenser jugs and have had no issues with it sitting for a month or so. I add silica, grow tek foliage focus, and Cal max in it then PH the giant batch. If I want to add anything more organic to the mix like super thrive or mycobacteria, I add it into my watering cans ( not into the big 5 gallon batch/ jug) after I've dispensed the main solution from my giant batch via my sweet little battery operated auto pump. :) That said, I've got about 100 plants or more so 5 gallons only lasts me 3 -4 weeks before I run out and have to mix up more. Hope that helps.
Great info! You know I just got a pretty big ficus lyrata (3 plants in one, 1,50 meter tall)
I’ve had very good luck at transitioning medium sized ficus (lyrata, elástica, ruby, tineke, altisima) before, doing it directly … but I’m concerned about this one. I really don’t want to kill it. I’m trying to find a pot that suits the situation, but should I put it in clonex clone solution for a week first? It’s gonna be hard since the plant is pretty big I don’t know how I would keep the plant standing lol 😂
I love this!!!! What a challenge! I would love to do this!!! Putting it in CCS is a good idea. You would probably need a deep bucket or barrel stand up the plantandmaybe lean it against a wall or tie the plant to the bucket or barrel to keep it upright..I would love to know how you get on. Please let me know via Instagram or Facebook. I am tempted to buy one just to try.
What is the advantage of going from soil to leca, and how do plants in leca get nutrients.
I am using the long method to transfer ? plant to leca. My plant is in nutriens solution and placed on a heat mat, but my jar contains air bubbles. What does this means
The top of my leca is dry too and i soaked it for 2 days. I wonder of it’s a lack of humidity?
Top dry leca is normal.
Leca queen, can you make a video about transferring palm from soil to leca? 🥺😭
I wish I could help but I draw the line at Palms 🌴!! I would try a small one using the long method.
i wasnt soaking mine at first. i just chopped my wild monstera D. and i made sure i soaked my leca first
You absolutely have to soak it. I know some people say for an hour but it has to be soaked for longer than that.
please explain what you mean by changing your nutrient solution. do you mean flushing ? or using a different solution ?
Putting fresh solution removing old solution washing cache pot and putting fresh solution
What if you cant get all of the soil off of the roots? Even after scrubbing with a toothbrush, I cant get off the final layer. Will this hurt the plant to put it in leca with that soil residue on it?
nope, as much as you can will do.
I can’t afford to get distilled water for all of this. Can I use my aquarium neutralizer to clear up the water?
I have kept my leca in a water for 24+ hours before using it but I still see that the top layer of my leca is not moist, they are always dry... Is it not working as a wick? What could be the issue or a miss here? Thanks!
This is truly a college course on Leca 101
Thank you 😊
Why is rinsing important? Is there debris?
yes there is TONS of debris and dust if you're talking about rinsing the leca before it's initial use.
Can we Plant string of heart in leca
Indeed you can, I know people who have. I do not have one though, I do not have a good track record with strings of things!
Brick n Leca made out same thing?
Brick can be made of clay like leca but the difference would lie in the manufacturing process.
I’m trying now with a majesty palm…wish me luck
Good luck!
With the nutrients I'm using it's a waste to change them once a week as they only need to be replaced every 14-25 days at any stage (General hydroponics aka. Terra aquatica: Tripart, Fulvic, Root Booster).
All good, what works for you and your plants is always the goal.😊
Just started watching - I think i'm going to see some of my errors on here 🤣.
I hope not!
Thank you. U needed this, Because I killed my spider plant 🥴🥺😢😭😭😭.
Oh nO! I hope this helps.
I have tried to covert from soil to Leca by your long method. Before it even gets to Leca, the plant bends over and wilts. It looks like it’s dying!! 😢
Tell me more please
Changing water once a week is just as dangerous as not changing it at all. Both can work, both can kill your plant.
I have an aquarium where I haven't done a proper water change in years and it's thriving.
TechPlant did a comparison video on changing prop water once a day vs never. Understanding what makes success / failure is crucial, never/1x per week recommendations don't really help.
Ohhh I'll figure out a reason it doesnt work... lol Im good at that.
Didn't you mention in your newer videos about top part of LECA being dry being normal? So LECA preparation is a myth.
You getting it wrong you wanna wash all the dirt and loose severe of Leca when it comes too you fresh out the store it’s like veggies you buy out the store you wanna go home and wash them plants before eating so it is with Leca wash it off 3x and soak for 24 hours in nutrient juice. Then use it … it may seem dry at the top but that’s good your roots aren’t at the top it’s in the middle towards bottom . So it’s still great and have some moisture just not visualized by the eyes . But it does have it
What does your nutrient solution consist of?
I have killed countless alocasia trying to transfer but my hoyas do ok 😢