How to Convert Houseplants from Soil to Semi Hydroponics
Semi Hydroponic Setup
While there are many different types of set-ups you can use, the simplest and most basic in my opinion, is what I like to refer to as the ‘inner/outer pot’ method.
In this set-up, the plant is grown in LECA in a plastic pot with drainage holes at the bottom that sits in an outer cache pot, or alternatively a deep saucer, with no drainage holes. The outer pot is used primarily to hold the nutrient reservoir (hydroponic nutrients diluted in water).
Water from the reservoir enters the inner pot through the drainage holes and is drawn up through the LECA to supply the roots with nutrients and water. When filled, the nutrient reservoir is kept at a 1/3 of the height of the inner pot, with the plants roots planted just above the waterline. The inner pot makes it easy to periodically flush away excess salts and plant waste by running water through the pot and out of the drainage holes, before topping up the reservoir with fresh nutrient solution.
A basic semi hydroponic setup consists of a few simple components:
- A plastic inner pot with drainage holes (to house your plant) (Amazon)
- An outer pot or deep saucer with no drainage holes (to hold the nutrient reservoir) (Amazon)
- Your growing media (I like to use LECA) (Amazon)
- Hydroponic Nutrients (I use General Hydroponics Flora Series) (Amazon)
- A pH meter or pH testing kit (Amazon)
- pH up (Amazon)
- pH down (Amazon)
Step by Step: Converting a Houseplant from Soil to Semi Hydroponics
STEP 1: Soak and Rinse the LECA
- Place the needed amount of LECA in a large plastic bucket or container
- Fill with water and swirl LECA around to disturb dust particles
- Drain away and discard all water to remove dust particles and residue
- Refill with new clean water until LECA is completely submerged
- Soak for at least 12 hours to 24 hours
- When it comes time to plant, rinse the LECA using a sieve or colander under running water.
STEP 2: Remove Soil
- Remove the plant from the pot exposing the root ball
- Carefully remove the soil by gently loosening the soil with your hands (this tends to work better when the soil is dry)
- Gently, but thoroughly remove any remaining soil under running water
- Trim away any dead or damaged roots
Soil removal is definitely the most tedious part of converting a plant, but also one of the most crucial. Ideally you want almost ALL of the soil removed before planting in semi hydro, otherwise, roots coated with soil will stay wet in the consistently moist LECA, potentially leading to root decay or mold growth. If you find some roots still have a lot of soil that is particularly stubborn to remove, you can always trim those as well.
TIP: Younger plants have smaller and less established root systems, making soil removal and adjusting to semi hydro much easier. The risk of shock becomes greater the larger or more mature the plant is (due to their more established and extensive root systems). I would therefore recommend taking cuttings from larger plants to propagate in LECA instead. Some plants such as philodendrons and monsteras, tend to be easier to convert at a larger size due to their thicker and more robust roots.
Step 3: Plant in LECA
- Rinse the appropriate amount of presoaked LECA under running water to remove any remaining dust or residue
- Add LECA to the pot, filling to just over a 1/3 the height of the pot
- Place the plant in the pot, ensuring roots are evenly spread
- Add LECA to the pot, a little at a time, and gently shake the pot to ensure the media works its way into the root ball (do not compress the LECA around the roots)
- Continue adding LECA until you’ve reached the appropriate planting depth, which should be about the same depth as it was when previously in soil.
- Place pot in an outer cache pot or deep saucer with no drainage hole (this will be your nutrient reservoir)
TIP: You can reuse the nursery pots your plants came in as your inner pots. Just make sure to remove all traces of soil and sanitize them prior to use.
NOTE: In time, the roots will grow down through the LECA into the nutrient reservoir and may grow out the drainage holes. Ideally you want to avoid letting the root growth reach the point where the roots are so far beneath the waterline that they are constantly submerged and growing out of the bottom of the pot. To manage excessive root growth, I usually either remove the plant and replant in the same pot with the roots above the waterline, trim the roots back or move the plant to a larger pot.
Step 4: Mix the Nutrient Solution
Unlike soil, LECA is an inorganic medium with no nutrient content on its own, so hydroponic nutrients should be used. My go to nutrients are General Hydroponics Flora Series, and I use equal parts each of Flora Micro, Flora Grow and Flora Bloom.
Usually, I start by using the lowest recommended concentration on the label, that being 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) of each nutrient per 4 litres (~1 gallon) of distilled water. After a few weeks, I double the concentration to 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) of each per 4 litres of distilled water. I use a graduate syringe to add the nutrients, but you can use any measuring device you have handy. It is also important to shake each nutrient bottle prior to use to ensure they aren’t settled and to shake the bottle of distilled water after adding each new nutrient.
- Get a 4 litre (1Gal) jug of distilled water
- Shake all nutrient bottles (micro, flora and bloom) vigorously prior to use
- Use a clean syringe to add 1.25 ml of Flora Micro to the distilled water, then shake
- Rinse syringe (or have three separate clean syringes)
- Use a clean syringe to add 1.25 ml of Flora Grow to distilled water, then shake
- Use a clean syringe to add 1.25 ml of Flora Bloom to distilled water
- Shake jug vigorously to ensure the nutrient solution is evenly mixed
NOTE: Be sure to add the Flora Micro first and always add the nutrients to water and not to themselves, as nutrient lock out will occur and your plants will not be able to get the desired nutrients from your solution.
Starting with a lower concentration (1.25ml) isn’t always necessary, but may be safer for more sensitive, sick/struggling or newly rooted plants. Many robust healthy plants do fine starting with the usual concentration (2.5ml).
TIP: It is important to note that the recommended ratios on the labels of hydroponic nutrients are geared towards growing vegetables. For houseplants, I’d recommend using a much lower nutrient concentration, which is usually the lowest ratio on the label.
Step 5: Adjust the pH of the Nutrient Solution
Once the nutrient solution is prepared, It is important to test the pH of the nutrient solution using a pH meter or testing kit.
The pH scale indicates how acidic or basic/alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. As the pH goes lower than 7, the solution is more acidic and as the pH goes higher than 7, the solution is more alkaline.
The ideal range of pH for houseplants is between 5.5 and 6.5. If the pH of the nutrient solution is too high (alkaline), or too low (acidic), pH down or pH up down can be used to adjust the pH accordingly.
Why is pH level important?
The pH level of the nutrient solution is important because it affects the availability and absorption of nutrients required for plants to grow. It determines how well each element of the nutrient solution passes through the cell walls of the roots. If the pH does not fall within the correct range, the roots will be blocked from absorbing nutrients and the plant will be starved, even if there is an abundance of nutrients available in the reservoir.
Step 6: Add Nutrient Solution to the Nutrient Reservoir
- After planting, place the plastic inner pot into an outer ceramic pot or deep saucer
- Pour nutrient solution through the top of the inner pot until the nutrient solution reaches a 1/3 the height of the inner pot
TIP: I like to use an outer ceramic pot with no drainage hole, or a deep plastic saucer, to hold the nutrient solution and serve as my nutrient reservoir. I also prefer an outer pot that is opaque, as the absence of light prevents algae growth.
TIP: Use tape or draw a line on the inner pot to mark where the height of the reservoir should be after planting. This makes it much easier to figure out where the waterline should be when adding your nutrient solution and topping up the reservoir. Eventually it will come naturally and you’ll be able to eyeball it.
Step 7: Top up the Nutrient Reservoir
In between flushings (this will makes sense when you get to step 8) you’ll notice that the nutrient reservoir will deplete as water is removed by evaporation and use by the plant.
I therefore top up the with pH adjusted filtered water or distilled water to maintain the water level of the reservoir at a 1/3 the height of the pot (I usually avoid using nutrients to top up with between flushings).
Topping up the reservoir ensures that water does not have to travel too far up the LECA to reach the roots and prevents excessive root growth from roots striving to reach the reservoir if its too low.
Why do I top up the nutrient reservoir with no added nutrients between flushing?
As the reservoir depletes, the concentration of nutrients and salts in the pot will begin to increase, since water is being removed faster than nutrients. If you were to top up with more nutrient solution, the concentration of nutrients and salts already in the pot could potentially become very high, adversely affecting the pH. I therefore personally like to use pH adjusted filtered water or distilled water, with no added nutrients, when topping up my reservoir to help keep the pH and salt levels stable.
It is important to note that if you are topping up without added nutrients, you should avoid going longer than two weeks between flushing and adding new nutrient solution. If on the other hand, you decide to top up with added nutrients, it may be a good idea to keep the concentration on the lower side and to monitor the pH level of the reservoir to ensure it is within the correct range.
TIP: If you do not have pH up or down to adjust the pH level of your filtered water, you can use distilled water to top up your reservoir. Distilled water has a low and slightly acidic pH of around 5.8, which falls within the ideal pH range. Moreover, since the pH of the nutrient reservoir tends to increase over time as water depletes, using distilled water actually helps to prevent the pH from becoming too high. Again, it is important to monitor the pH of the reservoir over time to determine frequency of flushing and whether you opt to top up with distilled water, or with or without added nutrients. Experimentation is key and the rate of reservoir depletion and frequency of topping up can vary depending on the type of plant and the growers home environment.
Is it okay if the waterline of the nutrient reservoir drops below a 1/3 the height of the pot?
When the nutrient reservoir is full, the oxygen contained in the air pockets of the LECA beneath the waterline dissolves. The dissolved oxygen mixes with water helping roots beneath the waterline to absorb nutrients. Therefore, when the reservoir depletes somewhat, it allows the air pockets to refill with oxygen before you top up the reservoir again.
However, it is important to avoid allowing the waterline to deplete too much lower than a 1/3, since this can cause the LECA to become very dry and lose its wicking ability. I therefore try to top up regularly to maintain the water level at a 1/3 the height of the inner pot, but I also don’t panic if the water level depletes ‘somewhat’. Topping up regularly helps to keep the LECA more uniformly saturated throughout the pot and prevents the roots from drying out.
With that said it is important to monitor root growth over time. Upon planting, the roots will be above the reservoir, but in time, they grow down through the LECA below the waterline. In my experience, i’ve found that most plants in semi hydroponics have very hardy roots and maintain steady growth despite root growth being submerged for extended periods of time. However, I have noticed that for some plants, especially after the 6-9 month mark, roots may begin to show signs of deterioration and die off if submerged growth is not monitored and roots are left to grow wild in the reservoir. If the root growth becomes so substantial that it has grown down through the reservoir and out of the drainage holes, I either trim the roots back, replant in the same pot, or move to a slightly larger pot with the roots replanted above the reservoir.
Step 8: Flush the Pot
In time, a white crusty residue may begin to appear on the surface of the LECA. This is nothing to be alarmed about, as it is just salt residue that has been drawn up through the LECA and has dried at the surface. Some salt crust is normal, but when it becomes excessive, it means your plant is due for a flushing; which should be about every one and a half, to two weeks.
When flushing, hold the pot under running water so that the water runs though the pot and out through the drainage holes. This allows you to rinse or “flush” away, any salt buildup and plant waste. You should also use this time to clean the outer pot or saucer. Afterwards, you add new pH adjusted nutrient solution to a 1/3 the height of the inner pot.
Why is it important to flush the pot?
As water evaporates out of the nutrient reservoir, or is used by the plant, the concentration of minerals and salts in the pot will increase. Over time, if left to build to a high level, the excess salts can cause damage to the roots. The increased concentration can also adversely affect the pH level, impeding the plants ability to absorb nutrients and lead to deficiencies in the growth. Regular flushing is therefore important to restore the chemistry of the pot and reset the media to salt free.
Final Thoughts
And thats it guys – my step by step guide on how I convert my houseplants from soil to semi hydroponics! So far, I have the majority of my houseplants growing in this set-up and I must say, it has truly been a rewarding and wonderful experience!
If like me, you hate the hassle that comes with keeping plants happy in soil and are looking for an fun and rewarding alternative, semi hydro might just be a great option for you! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions down below!
Happy planting!
Disclaimer: Since the majority of this blog is sharing my personal experiences and advice on growing houseplants soil-free, I feel it necessary to state that I do not have a formal education in horticulture or hydroponics.The vast majority of my knowledge has been acquired through a lot of research, experimentation, trial and error, advice exchanged with other enthusiasts and a lot of hands on experience. I am not a horticultural expert. I am more of a self-taught hobbyist/enthusiast with a tremendous passion for continuous learning. The aim of this blog is to bring awareness to, guide and inspire others about using alternative methods for growing houseplants soil-free. Therefore, while this blog is meant to act as a resource and source of inspiration, it is important to understand that the decision to convert – and the vitality of – any plant converted to soil-free using the techniques outlined in this blog, is done at your own risk.
Katie Paterson
This is a great article, thank you! I’m wondering what will happen if you don’t use the added nutrients? Will the plant die or just not grow as much/at all?
Georgia Gravel
Thanks! If you don’t add nutrients the plant will eventually begin to suffer from deficiencies in nutrients and growth. Growth will be stunted and the plant may eventually die. Unlike soil, LECA is inorganic and has no nutrients on its own, so nutrients should be used to promote the health and vitality of the plant.
Tap water does contain a small amount of trace minerals, so while the plant may not die, it is unlikely to grow much (for example, pothos survive extremely well in just water, but growth is minimal). If you’re using distilled water, you definitely need to use nutrients since its purified and literally contains none.
You can definitely propagate cuttings in lECA without added nutrients but once there is root growth, you’ll want to go ahead and start using nutrient solution especially if your planting them in semi hydro.
Joanne Barnard
Great information. Beautiful site! Well done
Georgia Gravel
Thank you so much!
Yvette
Beautiful blog! Thank you for all of the extremely helpful information.
I have a few questions; Do you use store-bought distilled water every time you make the nutrient solution? Is it ok to use tap water/ do you know if there is a way to treat tap water?
Also, I have lots of ceramic and clay pots with drainage holes and glazed clay saucers, do you think they would work instead of using plastic or would they dry too fast or negatively impact the LECA wicking capabilities?
The last question, as an alternate setup option have you ever used a glass vessel without drainage holes? I’m wondering if it would work if it’s flushed often enough by pouring the water out from the top and nutrient solution is poured into it 1/3 of the way up from the bottom (since you’d be able to see through it to monitor the roots and water level). I’ve seen this done for orchids before and wondering what your opinion is.
Thank you!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Yvette! thank you for your questions! I do use distilled water every time I make my nutrient solution! It has a very low pH that once nutrients are added to falls in the perfect range (around 5.5) for houseplants. On its own, it has a pH below 5.5, so I also like to use it to top up my reservoir between flushings (this helps to counteract the pH of the nutrient reservoir as it rises over time).
I prefer not to use tap water since it contains chlorine or chloramines which are toxic to plants. Depending on the area, your tap water may be “hard” meaning it contains an excess of minerals that can result in a very high pH. You can remove chlorine form tap water by leaving it out for a few days in direct sunlight (the uv rays disintegrate it) and you can remove chloramine using an activated carbon filter. Hard tap water can also be helped by using a water filter.
Clay pots aren’t ideal for semi hydro because they dry out very fast! you would have to top up the reservoir daily!
For glass vessels, I only use them when i’m propagating cuttings in LECA. The lack of drainage keeps the LECA very moist which is great when cuttings are first forming roots. However, once a cutting has substantial root growth I always move it to a plastic saucer with drainage holes that sits in a cache reservoir. Drainage holes are essential to flush the media and remove accumulated salts, waste and residue and to restore the chemistry to salt free. With a solid glass vessel, it makes it difficult to flush the media and to change the solution being used. Salt and mineral buildup in the vessel therefore cannot be removed and this can cause the pH to become very high, and a high pH prevents the plant from absorbing nutrients which can lead to deficiencies in growth. Hope this helps!
Linda Yeung
Hi thanks your info has been extremely useful. Just a few questions.
1. How many times do you top up the solution with distilled water before adding more nutrient water?
2. Are you able to boil and filter tap water or must distilled be used?
3. There is limited number of outer pots without drainage as hydroponic is not common practice yet. Would did u end Up using? Vases?
Georgia Gravel
Hi Linda!
1. I only top up if the reservoir depletes below a 1/3 the height of the inner pot, so maybe a handful of times before I add new nutrient solution (Which I add after I flush the pot, every two weeks).
2. If you’re going to use tap water, filtering is definitely the way to go! Tap water contains chlorine and chloramines which are determental to plants in semi hydro, and in some cases water can be very ‘hard’ (hard water is high in mineral ions that will result in the pH being way too high). You could invest in a reverse osmosis or filtering system, but both can be quite expensive. Because I require a lot of water when topping up my nutrient solution (I have over 60 plants in semi hydro!), I personally find it easier to buy gallons of distilled water.
3. There are actually a lot of decorative cache pots available without drainage holes! Most home improvement stores, big box retail stores like Ikea and Walmart also sell them. I only use vases when i’m propagating plants in LECA, but not for a semi hydro setup because since there is no drainage, it makes it difficult to flush the pot to remove salt buildup without having to take the plant out and rinse the LECA every time. You could use a cache pot, vase, or any container that has no drainage holes as your outer cache pot to hold the nutrient reservoir. I prefer to use one that is opaque and not transparent since opaque pots blocks the light, which prevents algae formation.
Dee
Omg you have no idea how helpful your posts are about semi hydro houseplants! I have a couple of questions.
1. Can the roots rot? And what do you do if it does?
2. Can you fill up the reservoir higher than 1/3 or no?
3. How are your semi hydro houseplants vs soil houseplants compared when it comes to all the be pests?
5. Do all the general care guidelines for each specific houseplant still apply to them when converting to semi hydro? Like humidity, misting, and sunlight. (I’m assuming yes)
Georgia Gravel
Hi Dee! thank you so much!
1. When you first convert a plant from soil to semi hydro, some of the roots may have been damaged during the process and may die off so its a good practice to remove the plant from the pot every couple of weeks in the beginning to check on the roots and trim away any roots that didn’t make the transition. This doesn’t always occur but its a good practice so as to avoid any dead roots from decaying in the medium. Some plants will also shed the outer layer of their soil roots as the roots are adapting to growing in a new medium. This is nothing to be worried about and can take a few months for the plant to complete. As long as the plant looks healthy and you’re seeing new leaf and root growth, all is good! In terms of just rotting from being in constantly wet LECA, semi hydro actually prevents rather than causes root rot since its a balance of water, nutrients and oxygen and there is no soil in the equation! 🙂
2. I don’t recommend filling the reservoir higher than a 1/3 since you want the roots of the plant to be planted above the waterline. The LECA pulls water up to the roots by capillary action, so the roots have a constant supply of nutrient solution and really thrive in a moist, but airy/oxygen rich environment. If you have the waterline too high, the roots will submerged beneath the water and you won’t get these benefits (it would basically be the same as just growing the plant in a vase of water instead of a semi hydro setup). In time, the roots may grow down into the reservoir on their own, which is fine, although you’ll eventually want to either trim the roots or replant in the same or a slightly larger pot if they get too long.
3. I had so many pest issues before converting to semi hydro! The difference form soil to semi hydro has been absolutely amazing to me! I haven’t had any pest issues so far. Im sure its still possible, but the likelihood is definitely decreased. Like night and day. With that said, I also do routine maintenance on the foliage of my plants. Every few weeks I use a damp cloth to wipe their leaves down and about once a month I’ll usually add some insecticidal soap just to be on the safe side. I also quarentine, treat and spray the foliage of any new plants I bring home before I convert them to avoid any pests migrating to my other plants.
4. I’d say general care guidelines such as light, temperature, etc would still apply in most cases, although semi hydro has the added benefit of naturally increasing the humidity around the plant so you wouldn’t need to mist as often for humidity loving plants. For instance, my marantas have stopped getting brown crispy edges since converting to semi hydro since they have a constant supply of water and greater humidity 🙂 Watering/filling the reservoir and adding the nutrient solution is pretty much the same for all houseplants across the board (which makes life much easier!)
Tran
I am exploring the world of transitioning all or most of my houseplants to semi-hydro and I loved your post! I have probably 70-80 plants hehe. I had a couple questions, not sure if you could help me!
1 — I know you said try not to let it get bone dry — what about “overwatering”, is it bad if the water is higher than 1/3 — sometimes it is hard to eyeball through the cache pot!
2 — Do the same rules over rootbound and overpotting apply to semi-hydro? For example, when you would typically pot up in soil, do they need to be potted up in leca? and would it be bad if you planted a smaller plant in a bigger net pot?
3 — is there a nutrient bottle that contains everything they need in one bottle?
Thank you for any help!!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Tran! Thats so exciting you’re exploring semi hydro!
1. I avoid having the waterline higher than a 1/3 because I don’t want the roots to be submerged below the waterline. Its not necessarily “bad” but the roots won’t get as much oxygen or the benefits growing in an airy oxygen rich environment. If the water is too high it’d basically be the same as growing the plant in water rather than LECA.
When I first started semi hydro, I used clear pots to help me gauge where the waterline should be in relation to the roots! But with experience I’ve learned to eyeball it. If your using an opaque plastic pot, you can always stick a piece of tape or draw a line at the 1/3 mark so you know where the waterline should be every time you top up the reservoir 🙂
2. Keeping an eye on root growth is just as important in semi hydro as it is with soil. If the root system becomes too large in semi hydro, they can congest the airspaces between the LECA and the roots can become starved of oxygen and may eventually begin to die off. The great thing with semi hydro vs soil is its very easy to remove the plant from the pot and check on the roots. If the root growth is too much for the pot size you can either trim back the roots or move the plant into a large pot size. It wouldn’t be bad at all to plant a smaller plant in a bigger pot since capillary action will work the same regardless. If its a plant that you know is going to grow much larger, you could start it in a larger pot, or start it in a smaller pot and gradually increase in size as need be.
3. I haven’t found any hydroponic nutrients that are an all-in-one. Most I’ve come across are two or three step nutrients that are used together in combination. Most hydroponic nutrients are geared towards growing vegetables through different stages so hydroponic growers would use different nutrients in different ratios throughout the crops lifecycle. Since we’re growing houseplants, we use all the nutrients in combination, but at the lowest concentration.
hope this helps! 🙂
Katie
I was wondering if there are certain plants that DON’T respond well with this? Like plants that typically like to dry out between waterings? This system seems desirable for houseplants, but I’m having trouble finding specifics on whether certain plants wouldn’t thrive this way. Thanks for any info!!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Katie! Great question. For the most part i’ve found most plants do really well when first moving into semi hydro. The few exceptions I’ve had difficulties with right off the bat were my coffee plant (it didn’t like semi hydro at all, leaves went crispy and it stopped growing), my strawberry begonia (it didn’t like the humidity and wetness from the leca so close to the leaves which would start to get mouldy and die off), my thankgsgiving cactus (this was more likely due to me not allowing the cuttings to callous over properly before planting in leca).
I’ve found almost all plants do really well in semi hydro for the first 6 to 9 months, even the ones that don’t like to have wet feet like peperomias, pileas, ficus etc. They go through the root shedding phase and once thats complete and they have a strong healthy root system, growth really flourishes for months and months. However you are right to wonder whether all plants like semi hydro – more specifically over the long term.
My pileas and peperomias did really well for 6-9 months in semi hydro and then their root systems started to decline. I ended up moving them to lechuza pon without a reservoir and they’re now much happier.
So in my experience, most plants do really well in semi hydro, but some only for ‘a period of time’.Those that have very fine, delicate roots like peperomias, and those that don’t like to have wet feet, like pileas, begin to suffer when they get between the 6 month to one year mark.
Another example would be ficus. I’ve found ficus do extremely well in semi hydro and more or less grow new leaves none stop. Much faster than they do in soil. But root shedding takes ages and ages and if roots grow down into the reservoir and aren’t trimmed, you can experience some root die off.
Personally, I now prefer to grow any thinner rooted, delicate rooted, drought tolerant, or plants that don’t like wet feet soil free – but in lechuza pon substrate without a reservoir (just water once a week as normal) instead of in leca in semi hydro with a reservoir.
The reason being that while they do well for some time in leca/semi hydro the root system can get extremely dense and intricate and begin to block airflow causing a buildup of carbon dioxide and a lack of available oxygen. Normally with thicker rooted plants like philodendrons or monsteras, its very easy to pull the plant out of the LECA, trim excess root growth and easily replant in the pot.
With delicate, thinner rooted plants, trimming back dense tangled root growth is next to impossible without causing serious damage to the root system. These damaged roots are hard to remove and can begin to die off in the centre of the root ball causing root rot and a deterioration in overall root health. Then there is the issue that some plants, while they do well for a time in semi hydro for some reason or the other don’t like their roots to be wet over the long term.
However, I still really like to start most of the plants im converting to soil free in semi hydro and once they’ve shedded and grown a new root system, move it to lechuza pon if they are the plants I described above. I also sometimes propagate these types of plants in water, then move to lechuza pon.
All of my other more tropical ticker rooted plants seem to be doing well in semi hydro (regularly trimming the roots back, repotting above the waterline or using a self watering pot that keeps roots suspended above the waterline really helps to maintain a strong healthy root system). If that makes any sense. Hope this helps!
Jordan
Hi! Love your blog. I was wondering if there are any tips about going on vacation with semi-hydro. I know with soil you can use things like hydrospikes or humidity mats (or a plant-sitter) but is there anything like that to extend water top-offs if you were to go out of town?
Thank you!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Jordan! Great question. One way to extend water top-offs would be to use a self-watering pot. That way, rather than having the LECA wick nutrient solution up from the reservoir by the inner pot needing to sit directly in the reservoir itself, the inner pot is suspended above the reservoir and a wick is used to draw nutrient solution up to the LECA. This allows you to have a much larger reservoir that does not need to be topped up as often.
Evan
Hi Georgia! Have you ever had issues with mold/algae forming in your nutrient water? I’ve found that after sitting in my gallon jug for a few days, the nutrient water begins to look a bit cloudy. I’m kinda worried about watering my plants with water that could be harboring microorganisms. I use distilled water, the 3 GH nutrients, and Super Thrive in my nutrient water. I wonder if the Super Thrive might be feeding the bacteria?
Georgia Gravel
Hi Evan! I haven’t experienced any issues with algae at all! I think its because I always use an opaque inner pot and outer pot/saucer and always make sure to flush every two weeks. Sometimes the nutrient water can start to look a bit cloudy if the plant is shedding it soil roots. The waste from the shedding roots can settle in the reservoir and make it look cloudy or be mistaken for algae. Plant waste along with dust from the LECA (if its not soaked and rinsed really well) can also stick to the bottom and sides of the reservoir – so you’ll want to really clean the outer pot/saucer as well when you flush. I also now only use superthrive when im propagating to help plants root faster or help a plant in shock bounce back. I no longer add superthrive to a plant that has been moved to semi hydro, since the nutrients are enough on their own. The nutrients used in semi hydro are synthetic since they need to be a complete plant food as well as be water soluble. Superthrive I believe is an organic nutrient booster and could leave a film on the LECA. I’d say it definitely would be worth taking Superthrive out your nutrient mix and see how that goes. Hope this helps!
Shannon
THANK YOU so much for this post! It’s so thorough and the instructions are clear. Literally the only post I needed to save in order to transition all my plants! I do have a root question though… I have been transitioning all of my soil plants to just water over the past couple months, and some of them have been sitting in water for quite a while… I have been using distilled water with SuperThrive, and 90% of them are already doing better than they were in just soil. However, now some of them have crazy intense root growth… I’d like to trim them back a bit, but I’m really not sure how much is “too much”… I’m also nervous now about putting them in the LECA above the water line and shocking them a bit with the sudden change in water availability. Do you know if it would be an issue or not? And do the LECA balls above the water level not dry out?
Karin Gunther
I have recently started experimenting with LECA with wick and found your blog/instagram – thanks for being there! I would love to make sure I understand…
1) you add the dilute nutrient solution about every 2 weeks, flushing the plant with tap water beforehand. Correct?
2) you top off the reservoir with distilled water in between in order to maintain the same water level. Correct?
3) do you ever add extra Cal-Mag to your nutrient solution?
4) do you do a winter rest period where you back off on nutrients?
5) do you grow any orchids?
Thanks so much for your time and inspiration!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Karin! Great questions!
1) Yes thats correct,I add new nutrient solution approximately every two weeks, flushing the LECA as well as washing off the plant (helps with cleaning the leaves of dust) with tap water, give or take a few days depending on my schedule.
2) I usually top up the water with distilled water, but i’ll use filtered water if i’m a pinch!
3) I don’t add extra Cal-Mag to my nutrient solution since I rely on the ratios in General Hydroponics Flora Series
4) I don’t do a winter rest period where I back off on nutrients since my indoor environment is pretty stable. I use supplemental lights when there is less sunlight during winter and I keep my home an at warm/comfortable temperature, so my plants continue to put out new growth all through the winter months.
5) I haven’t grown any orchids yet! I guess they just haven’t really appealed to me, but never say never!
Thanks for your questions! Happy planting!
Ashley Ziegler
What happens if the LECA does dry out? I’m asking because I acquired a semi-hydroponic system with LECA second-hand and keep seeing everywhere not to let it dry out. I have it soaking right now after boiling it and rinsing it with hot water once.
Georgia Gravel
Hi Ashley! I would definitely say that not letting the LECA dry out is a good general rule of thumb to follow! However, with a large collection and a busy life, especially if you have a lot of plants in semi hydro, occasionally missing a topping up and letting the LECA get a bit dry isn’t always the end of the world – IF – that is, the plant has already completely transitioned to growing in LECA, has been growing that way for a while, is healthy and has a solid strong root system. In that case, even though not ideal, accidentally letting the reservoir run dry won’t kill your plant (at least not immediately).It should be fine for a few days until you refill the reservoir. Hope this helps! Happy planting!
Paul
Hi Georgia
Congratulations on a beautiful site with a very attractive clean and simple design..and your information is really straightforward and accessible.
I’ve been researching the best potting mixes for houseplants for a while because of recurrent pest problems and came to the conclusion that most plants we keep are rainforest plants surviving on run-off water from the canopy and living in the simple forest floor of bark and leaves. So it makes total sense that a hydroponics system allowing easy access to water and nutrients but and open structure with plenty of oxygen at the roots would succeed. You’re an inspiration – having converted your plants to this process – and now the rest of us can do it!
Over and under watering are the two main killers of house plants but your system has that fully factored in. The proof is in the health of your plants.
You also have the science nailed – thanks for the details about ph etc, I’m sure you’ve learned from a number of failures along the way.
I’m going to start the transition today and send your blog’s link to many gardening friends.
Just one last comment… I think your system is fully hydroponic, not semi as such – which makes it even more amazing to me as something I’d never even considered before.
Georgia Gravel
Hi Paul! Thank you so much for the kind comments, I really appreciate it! As for the jargon – semi hydro / passive hydro / hydroculture / hydroponics / etc, there seems to be a lot of controversy on what terminology should be used and whether its being used correctly. From my understanding, or at least the way I think of the method I have been using for growing plants – ‘semi hydroponics’ – is that with ‘semi hydro’ the root system is kept in an airy oxygen rich medium above the waterline where capillary action brings nutrients up to the roots; whereas with ‘true hydroponics’, the root system is fully submerged beneath the waterline in nutrient solution and pumps are used to supply oxygen to the solution. However, at the end of the day im not a horticultirist so the terminology isn’t that important to me – just the science behind how it works and experimenting, learning and sharing tips for growing plants soil free 🙂
Vuanita
Hi Gigi,
You have a wonderful and informative site, I love it. I was wondering if you could put together some information on how to start the lechuza pon without the reservoir. I see that you stated that eventually you peperomias and pileas started to suffer in the semi hydro, so I would like to start mine off in the lechuza pon instead of the semi hydro. Any information that you can offer from your setup and experience would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Georgia Gravel
Hi Vuanita! Thanks for the suggestion, that’s definitely a post I will look into creating in the future! For now if you’re willing to experiment, my advice for peperomias and pileas is to completely remove the soil roots and propagate new roots in water, then plant in lechuza pon. If you’re not using a reservoir, make sure to water more regularly for the first week to keep the pon fairly wet while the plant establishes and grows its roots into the pon. Once the plant is looking perky and established, you can reduce watering to when the pon starts drying out or when the plant starts to look thirsty. Peperomias and pileas do SO well in just pon, especially if you regrow roots in water. Pon contains fertiliser that lasts for up to 6 months, so after 6 months you have 2 options: remove the plant from the pon, trim the roots back and replant in new pon, or keep the plant in the same pon but start adding fertiliser when watering. When first moving them to pon, don’t be afraid to cut those soil roots off and regrow new roots first! it makes it so much easier 🙂
Elle
Hi Georgia!
1) Have your tried s/h with begonias? Larger plants like Alocasias? If so, any tips?
2) You say you have a maranta in s/h…do you think it would work well for other calatheas?
3) Lastly, with s/h does it stunt root grow at all? By this I mean by little sprouts that are trying to come up form underneath. I can see plants in s/h grow taller from above, but what about from below, especially with weaker and thinner new growth?
Thank you!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Elle!
Thanks for your questions!
1) I have grown begonias in s/h! They do really well, although I do now prefer to grow them in Lechuza PON without a reservoir (blog posts on Lechuza PON coming in the future!). Alocasias also do so so well in both s/h and other soil free substrates like Lechuza PON.
2) I find Calatheas can be a bit tricker to convert from soil to s/h and can be very finicky. You have to be very careful to full separate the different sections of the plant and to remove all of the soil. For that reason I find its easier to propagate new roots in water first and then plant in s/h.
3) I don’t find s/h stunts root growth at all! Quite the opposite. Roots can very quickly get out of control if left unchecked in a s/h system, so occasionally removing the plant from the LECA and trimming the roots back is essentials for maintain healthy roots, otherwise the pot can become crowded and the roots can block the airspaces between the LECA, which means less oxygen to the roots. Also, new root growth in s/h isn’t necessarily weaker or thinner than soil roots, but they are different roots because the plant is growing in a different medium. Rather than roots adapted to soil, in s/h a plant will shed the outer layer of its soil roots and convert the roots water roots with future root growth being water roots to better absorb nutrients in a wet environment.
Happy Planting! 🙂
Lyn
Hi, just wondering if I could use a foliage spray instead of adding hydroponic nutrients? Thanks.
Georgia Gravel
Hi Lyn! I haven’t tried foliage spray, but I would imagine that as a potential alternative, that could be dependant on the type of plant, such as for terrestrials or certain orchids maybe? I 100% speculating and don’t have any experience with orchids or foliar spray, so I can’t recommend it, and feel more comfortable sticking with hydroponic nutrients.
Jasmine
Hi I have a question I hope you can help as this post is really old. I am now converting all of my plants into Leca.. my alocasia polly is not doing so well but I heard they will lose some leafs before it gets better. The question that I have is regarding the nurturing water.. I have a couple of plants so I have a huge left over of nutrient water.. can I use it later one or must I get rid of it? If so that would be a big waste for me, as one gallon would be too much 🙁 any tips?
Georgia Gravel
Hi Jasmine!
In my experience, alocasia can often be finicky when first converting from soil to LECA and often lose some if not most of their older leaves; however taking into consideration that future leaf growth emerges from the most recently unfurled leaf on the plant, as long as the tuber/rhizome with that newest leaf of the plant is healthy, it should recover and produce new leaves fairly quickly once its established in LECA.
With regard to having left over prepared nutrient water/solution. I personally like to use distilled water since it is already pH balanced and falls in the optimal range for nutrient absorption and I don’t have to fuss with pH up or down. On the odd occassion that I have mixed too much nutrient solution and have some remaining, I have kept the remainder in a dark cupboard and used it again when needed. The potential issue that you could run into with this is the pH of the stored nutrient solution rising over time if stored for too long, so you may want to test the pH to ensure it is still within the correct range when you next go to use it. I usually try my best to use it fairly quickly and not keep it stored for too long for that reason. Another way to get around not having too much left over nutrient water would be to adjust the ratios of the amount of nutrients used to the amount of distilled water you’re using. If you’re only using half a gallon, use half the amount of each nutrient, etc.
Kaitlyn
Hello! This was a great article, my questions are when filling up the reservoir in between the flushing, do you pour the water directly into the cachepot (like bottom watering), or pour it through the nursery pot? And what is lechuza pon?
Georgia Gravel
Hi Kaitlyn! Either or, it doesn’t really matter since the LECA will be pulling the nutrient solution up to the roots anyways. Lechuza PON is a soil-free substrate that is used as a soil replacement. I’ll have blog posts on how I use Lechuza PON in some new blog posts to come in the near future! Happy planting 🙂
Morgan
Hi there!
Love your blog! I have a question I am hoping that you can answer.
I have switched most of my “baby” plants over to leca and I’m also using the flora series with ph up/down. I have had great success and I’ve even got mine in glass jars vs the inner and outer pot. I live in a very humid environment and I was having a huge issue with mildew and algae. Since switching to glass everything has cleared up!
I am slowly building my collection to more “rare” plants. I just ordered a few anthuriums and wondering if you have any experience with these in leca. I’m mostly worried about my warocqueanum, veitchii, gloriosum and verrucosum. I know that they are rainforest plants that love water and humidity but I’ve read so many mixed reviews, most of which bash leca all together.
I also have very hard water with high chlorine levels. Even with a water softener and filter, the chlorine levels are insanely high. I’m in NC and we are known for terrible water quality. I have been flushing my leca with sink water and just realizing it may be doing more damage than good. Would you recommend using bottled for that? I have done so much research but I still doubt my decisions from time to time! 🙂
Georgia Gravel
Hi Morgan!
I have grown an Anthurium Vitchii and an Anthurium Clarinervium in LECA and both did really well, however I tried to grow a queen anthurium and it was a quick death! I think a lot of the time how well the plant does depends on how healthy they were to begin with along with other environmental factors in your grow space (humidity, light, temperature), which can all influence how well the plant adapts or thrives in any medium. For instance, a lot of the time rare plants are imported and are in poor shape from being banged around in shipping and are experiencing shock or haven’t acclimatized. I think that was the case with my Queen, she already had a foot out the door when I received her, vs my kind which arrived super healthy. Its hard to say for sure why people have such different experiences, so I say experiment, and do what works best for you, your plants and your grow environment. Also, don’t be afraid to play with different mediums or techniques.
In terms of the water quality of flushing with tap water with high chlorine levels, personally unless you’re seeing a really adverse reaction then I wouldn’t be too worried. Plants are more resilient than you’d think and using bottled water to flush wouldn’t be economical especially if you have a large collection. Ideally, the best thing would be installing a reverse osmosis system but that can be pricey and may not be necessary.
If your plants are healthy and growing I wouldn’t be worried! Good luck and happy planting! 🙂
Natasha
Excellent post! Thank you for laying this out so clearly and for taking the time to answer all of the questions, it has been a tremendous help. I have recently started experimenting with putting a few plants in leca, it’s been a lot of fun! I am having issues with that water line, though. The tape is a good idea. I’m guessing you want the inner pot to be a fairly tight fit into the outer? Which makes it basically impossible to see how far up the water line is. So I am thinking, fill an inner pot 1/3 full of leca, put it into the cache pot, fill water to the top of the leca and that’s my water line. Any other tips for figuring that out? Thanks again for all the great info!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Natasha! Great question. How large/small the inner/outer pot is really is based on preference. Generally, when starting off, I think its good to have enough space between the inner and outer pot so you can see the waterline and how quickly it evaporates. Keeping the waterline at a 1/3 is great when first transitioning a plant to ensure that the LECA stays evenly moist and to encourage a lot of root growth so the plant becomes established to growing in a new medium faster.
However, the nature of having a reservoir is that it is constantly wicking up nutrient solution, which means that keeping the waterline at exactly 1/3 isn’t always going to be the case. So while it certainly is encouraged to keep an eye on it in the beginning while the plant is adapting, it isn’t a hard and fast rule that it absolutely must remain at 1/3 at all times to ensure the health of the plant. Once established, its okay if the reservoir depletes somewhat every once in a while – the plant will be stable enough and will likely just send out more root growth towards the lower waterline. This can become an issue after a while because if you keep the waterline too low for too long, the added compensatory root growth can take over the airspaces and deprive the roots of oxygen. An easy fix for this is once established, to remove the plant every few months from the LECA, check on the roots, trim them back, and then replant in the LECA. This handles out of control root growth and keeps the plant and its root system healthy. Generally after a while, you get familiar with your grow environment, how quickly your plants are growing and how quickly the reservoir depletes. Topping up and knowing where the waterline is becomes second nature so you don’t need to see the space and can start using tighter fitting pots.
Cris
Do you think it’s possible to transition sanseverias, string of pearls and string of hearts into LECA?
Georgia Gravel
Hi Cris! Absolutely! I’ve grown almost every type of Sanseveria in LECA and they do amazingly – they really do seem to grow much faster in passive/semi hydroculture vs soil! The one note with transitioning Sanseveria is their roots do shed a lot before the root system has adjusted from growing in soil growing in a wet medium. For that reason alone, rather than having to flush out the LECA and clean out the shedding roots, I prefer to cut the soil roots off and regrow brand new roots in either water or in a LECA propagation setup. That way I can avoid the messy root shedding. With String of Pearls and string of Hearts, they do grow well in semi-hydro, especially if you first propagate new water roots before planting in the LECA. However, I find that maintaining root health over time can be tricky since the root systems are on the more delicate side, so when the roots become overgrown, detangling and cutting the roots back and replanting can be a bit tedious. Growing them in semi-hydro, especially since they are generally low maintenance plants and if you have a large collection in semi-hydro, can be a bit overkill. For that reason I prefer to grow them soil-free, but in a medium called Lechuza PON that already contains fertilizer, without a reservoir. Just water as normal and allow to drain, re-water when the PON is completely dry. It really is a matter of preference, but generally I prefer to grow most succulents and cacti in Lechuza PON, over LECA in semi/passive hydro.
Alison
Hi Georgia!
Your guide to converting to semi-hydro is super helpful, thanks! I certainly wish I had come across this sooner. I’ve been converting all my plants over to self-watering pots over the last 3-4 months and have, in a lot of cases, also transferred plants to LECA in those self-watering pots. It’s worked really, really well for plants that don’t typically need to be consistently moist (succulents, hoyas, orchids). I’ve been hesitant in shifting more water-loving plants to LECA (self-watering has worked great with those as well but I’ve kept the soil-based mediums). Some examples include dracaena, peace lily, spider plant, chenille, coffee plant. I would LOVE to get these plants into all LECA as well (too many fruit flies!!) but so far I had bad luck with my coffee plant dying off when just in LECA. I just shifted that one to LECA + spagnum/vermaculite to get it to hold more moisture (too early to tell how that’ll work out!). I’m wondering if maybe semi-hydro would be the way to go thereby shifting from relying on a wick to carry water/nutrients to the LECA and have the LECA directly sitting in the water/nutrient. Any thoughts on the differences between semi-hydro and self-watering + LECA (especially in terms of water-loving plants)?
Thanks in advance!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Alison! I totally get what you mean. My coffee plant was one of the only plants that did not enjoy growing in LECA in passive/semi-hydro. I’m not sure what it didn’t like about it and I eventually gave up on it! However my spider plants love semi hydro and do super well in LECA. Semi/passive hydro and self-watering with LECA are more or less the same thing? both use capillary action via the LECA or a wick to supply water to the roots and using inorganic media means you need to supplement with nutrients. I’ve found that for plants grown in soil, whether that are typically referred to as ‘water loving’ or ‘drought tolerant’ like cacti or succulents, they all do just as well in passive/semi hydro. It doesn’t typically matter how often they prefered to be watered when they were in soil, since by converting to passive hydro, the plant grows a brand new root system that has adapted to grow in a constantly wet environment with water, nutrients and oxygen constantly available. Hope this helps! Have fun experimenting and happy planting! 🙂
Yvonne Schön
Thank you so much for this clear and broad introduction into semi hydro. I was thinking about converting most of my plants to semi hydro. And your info gives me the confidence to really do so – I am so excited! I’ll start of witha few. I do not yet dare to convert my monstera thai constellation and variegated monstera adansonii 😉 Looking forward to it. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences so clearly!!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Yvonne! In my experience (and i’m sure you’ve discovered this as well by now!) every type of monstera i’ve tried have all done fabulously in LECA 🙂 I’m excited you’re excited! I’d love to hear updates! Happy Planting! 🙂
Sharzila
Hi. I have a question on LECA. Will paperomia species (any type) be a suitable candidate for this soil approach. I’m having trouble keeping all my peperomia species alive in soil. Either too much watering or over watering. I’m now in the stage of saving the remaining peperomia plants by placing them in perlite using the same method as you have mentioned by not sure whether this may help. Would love to know if there is another better alternative; and I’m looking at LECA. Would appreciate your advise on this, Rgrds; Zila; Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Georgia Gravel
Hi Sharzila! Peperomia do really well in LECA. They also propagate and grow new roots super easily! So even if you cut the old soil roots off, they would quickly and easily regrow new roots in the LECA, or if you prefer, you could regrow new roots in water and then plant in LECA. Happy planting! 🙂
senseir@ais
This information is amazing!!! can you please tell me any modifications you make when trying to root cuttings in LECA…. do you only use water without nutrients? do you make your water level higher than 1/3…. how often do you remove cutting from LECA to see root progress? when do you start introducing nutrients?
Georgia Gravel
Hi, normally when rooting in LECA I use a clear jar so I can see the roots without having to remove the plant as the grow, and I keep the water level at around a 1/3 the height of the jar (the water level can be higher if the jar is larger, but generally I keep the stem just touching or just above the waterline). I usually start introducing nutrients once the cutting has grown roots and i’ve moved it to a more passive/semi hydro setup with a reservoir! Happy planting! 🙂
Simone
Hi from Australia ?
Thankyou so much for taking the time to write these interesting posts! Much appreciated.
I’ve just purchased my Leca and am soooo excited to convert to semi hydro however I have a few questions if you don’t mind?
1) I’d like to use the wick method to extend the lengths between watering but my brain for the poor life of it can not work out how to NOT have the inner pot sitting directly in the solution of the outer pot ??♀️ Does the inside pots diameter need to be bigger or smaller than the outer? Do they need to be different shapes? Every combo I have tried so far either sit straight on the bottom or hang out the top looking ugly.
Can you please simplify this for my apparently “on leave” brain. It’s driving me insane ?
Thankyou so much in advance!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Simone! If you’re using the wick method, you would want the rim of the inner pot to be slightly larger than that of the outer pot, just slightly, so that it is nestled, and the inner pit is held up by the rim of the outer pot without the base of the inner pot being submerged. It can definitely get tricky when it’s DIY with finding the right pots that fit together aesthetically. I’d suggest looking to buy a self-watering pot that comes with a wick that you can easily set up! I’ll be writing a blog post on the topic soon! Hope this helps!
Sesellee
This is an extremely helpful article, and, by far the most comprehensive advise I have been able to find about this topic!
I am slowly converting most of my plants to a hydroponic / partial hydroponic state, but was having a hard time finding specific information. This was so helpful!
Thank you!
Deborah
Gigi,
LOVED your article! Writing one of my own now too!
Wondering if you have a suggestion on the TYPE or BRAND of Clay Pebbles to use? So many out there these days!!!
Thanks again for the wealth of information you provided!
Deborah O
Georgia Gravel
Hi Deborah! Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post! I’m most familiar with the brand hydroton and I tend to prefer it over other LECA since the clay pebbles are larger in size. The size of the LECA you use can vary based on preference, container, the plants root system, how fast the reservoir dries out. Generally I prefer to use the larger clay pebbles at the bottom since it allows for larger spaces with more flow near the roots, and smaller pebbles closer to the surface to help slow down surface evaporation/how quickly the reservoir depletes.
Jessica
Hi Gigi,
This is an amazing article and so very glad I stumbled upon it. How do you stabilise taller plants or plants that grow upwards in LECA? How do you attach a moss pole etc to the pot?
Thank you so much!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Jessica! Usually I try to avoid transferring too large of a plant from soil to LECA (just to avoid shocking an already super mature established root system), so I take cuttings and propagate new roots and then plant in LECA or if I’m determined to transfer a large plant and I know its hardy plant and will handle the transition well, I used an pole/rod/stick (preferably plastic or one that does not decompose) and while I’m planting, I place the pole in the bottom of the pot first before adding any LECA, either in the centre or to the side (whichever works best), and then start adding LECA. Once I’ve added enough LECA, i’ll add the plant, cover the roots with LECA and fill to the top of the pot. Usually if I use a deep enough pot, the LECA should hold the pole upright (using a deeper pot definitely helps). I would then use gardening tape, wire or string to secure the plant to the pole. It’s definitely trial and error and can sometimes take a few tries to get the pole deep and secure enough to hold the plant held steady – but once the plant has established itself and has grown some more roots after planting, the new roots create a sort of nest and help to anchor the plant and the pole in place making it super secure. Hopes this helps 🙂 Happy planting!
Cindy
Hi! Thank you so much all of this wonderful information! I referred to it a lot when I was transitioning my plants a couple years ago! I have a new plant that I want to transition, and was wondering.. do you recommend a certain season to transition? Do you think it matters whether i start the process now, in the winter, or should I wait until the spring when the plants are out of their “dormancy” and actually growing more/faster? Thank you!!!!
Georgia Gravel
Hi Cindy! Great question! Most people would say that end of spring/summer is the best time to transition a plant, but when I first started with passive/semi hydro, I converted all of my plants in fall and over the winter months and they all grew more that winter than they had all summer in soil! So in my opinion, I’d say it depends on your grow environment.If you are in control of all of the environmental factors in your home/grow space, and you supplement with lighting, or humidity, and keep the space warm/comfortable, then your plants aren’t going to know its winter or cold outside! That’s the beauty of it! All of that aside, if you don’t supplement humidity, lighting and warmth, in my experience, plants i’ve converted still do better over the colder months and actually continue to grow in semi/passive hydro vs if I were to leave them in soil. In fact, none of my plants have ever gone “dormant” during winter when growing in LECA. That was a busted myth! So no, I would definitely not say that it is season dependant! But if you want to give your plants a boost/helping hand and help out with the conditions, all the better 🙂 Happy planting!