Whether or not you are new to gardening, the shortening LECA (stands for lightweight expanded clay aggregate) might still be something you only heard of. And if you start considering it for your indoor garden now, it’s definitely worth a shot.
Especially for those gardeners who struggle with overwatering their plants, putting them in all sorts of danger. So consider LECA VS. Soil.
Contents
Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA) – what it is
If unraveling the LECA abbreviation does not do much to your understanding, here’s it in a nutshell: it’s a growing medium made of porous clay balls that is good at transferring moisture and nutrients straight to the plant’s roots. It’s used for top-notch hydroponic gardening.
Hardened in the extreme heat of a rotary kiln, LECA balls don’t fall apart or lose quality over time, and, unlike soil, can be used pretty much indefinitely. This alone makes LECA way out of the soil’s league.
But its most valuable quality, though, is the ability to retain water and give it away capillary through the pores – when needed and only when needed, not wasting a drop.
The amount of stored liquid reaches up to 30% of a pebble’s mass.
For better or worse, LECA balls do not contain any nutrients of their own, and cannot be the replacement for soil in all circumstances. However, as a growing medium, it provides indoor gardens with unique new options.
LECA supports hydroponic gardening or can be used in addition to soil for enhancing its qualities – whichever gardening style you prefer.
Yet, in terms of pros and cons, LECA is almost everything that soil is not, being better than soil in the aspects most crucial for indoor gardeners.
Pros of LECA (vs soil)
Clean hands and workplace. Devoted gardeners are used to dealing with dirt, but can we doubt their deliberate desire to get their hands all dirty with soil? This kind of mess is more of a price you pay for having a garden.
Well, with those everlasting baked clay balls, there is no more need for that. Your hands will stay clean, and so will your table and all your instruments.
Easy watering. Most new indoor gardeners have their own little “cemetery” of poor plants that fell victim to watering mistakes. There’s way more than one thing to go wrong with it, from neglect causing thirsty plants to die, to dramatically overdoing it, with oxygen deficiency, root rot, mold, and other potentially fatal soil-borne ailments taking over.
If you lack skills in this department, or if keeping track of watering your diverse garden got too confusing, LECA balls are the way to go. Their porous structure can retain moisture until the plant is ready to absorb it directly from the clay balls – strictly in the right amount. Whatever excessive liquid gets in, goes to the bottom of the pot.
When the upper part dries out and is ready to absorb more, the excess provides, again, just the right amount. This way, the plant receives water “on demand” until there’s no more of it left. Honestly, you need to try hard to mess this up.
Increased aeration. Fresh soil is loose and well-aerated, the problem is that the quality of it doesn’t last. Your plant will start feeling suffocated after some time, losing its spark.
But since LECA balls can’t compact like soil inevitably does, there are always free air passages. That is great for most plants: repotting is necessary, but it always comes with risks. Beware that not all plants prefer highly aerated environments, and some thrive in a low-oxygen growing medium.
Healthy strong roots. Plant roots don’t just get the more optimal supply of water and oxygen in LECA, they develop differently in it. In the case of LECA balls, to receive moisture and nutrients, roots have to attach to separate balls, growing all around them, never going to the bottom, and thus, never being waterlogged.
As all plant owners know, waterlogging is the worst enemy of healthy roots. Plants in LECA are at a much lower risk of any moist-related disease or oxygen shortage, which are leading causes of root rot.
Reduced risks of pest infestations. We view any pest infestation as a garden disease, which it is, but most importantly it’s a part of nature that we use.
Wet soil naturally attracts insects, which decompose in it fast, spreading fungi and bacteria.
You don’t see how it starts. One small thing creates a chain reaction, and before you know it, your garden is devoured.
But if you grow your plants in LECA, this just cannot happen – baked clay balls with zero life in them. They do not support decomposition and are of no interest to pests.
Easy control over your plants. Plant’s roots are usually well hidden from us, and there is no way to check on a growing plant before it rises above the soil it grows in. But with this growing medium, you can see whether the baby plant’s roots are growing on the clay balls way before the plant is supposed to “rise”.
This makes your gardening much more efficient. You can choose the plants with healthy roots right away and put empty pots to good use without futile waiting.
Indefinite reusability. Investing in a good amount of LECA once, you can use and reuse it any way you like without getting yourself more every season. What more can a gardener want?
Cons of using LECA
Cost of LECA balls. Long-term, a one-time investment in a growing medium that is not going to ever wear out is a huge economy. Short-term, not all beginners or even experienced gardeners can or want to spend about four times more money than usual on some clay balls for indoor plants, especially if they have no personal experience with them.
If it fits your garden, that’s heaven. But if it feels wrong for any possible reason? That’s a big doubt for many. Especially since it’s not even the last costly purchase on the list.
The constant need for expensive hydroponic fertilizer. Wonder if your good old soil fertilizer is OK for LECA? The answer is astrict no.
Only hydroponics fertilizer can ensure your growing plants won’t literally starve. Soil fertilizers count on the rich organic and mineral content in the growing medium, and LECA balls have nothing in them. Meaning that only a proper hydroponics fertilizer will do the trick.
To use it, dissolve the recommended amount in water before fertilizing your pots. The plant absorbs everything from this water and has no other source of nutrition, so you are probably stuck purchasing it from now on. And the costs of those can be high.
Pots must have no drainage holes. Flower pots with holes are intended to prevent root rot by letting the excess water out, and this defeats the purpose of keeping it in storage the way clay balls do. Using LECA requires pots without drainage holes, and this is a requirement.
Whether the new pots are going to come from a shopping spree or be reused out of a garbage can is up to you. You can use any kind of vessel, and you can put DIY cut bottles inside your old pots to shield the drainage holes. So far, indoor plants don’t care.
More spending. If you feel committed to this kind of gardening, it is also good if you purchase a decent pH monitor to test the water frequently. The list stops now, but it’s probably not the last time you invest in your garden.
Choosing the right LECA
Choosing the right LECA (Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate) for your plant is essential to ensure optimal growth and health. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you choose the right LECA for your plant:
Understand Your Plant’s Needs:
Research your plant’s natural habitat and preferred growing conditions. Consider factors such as water requirements, light levels, humidity, and nutrient preferences. This information will guide you in selecting the appropriate LECA.
LECA Sizes:
LECA comes in various sizes, from small granules to larger pellets. Choose a size that matches your plant’s root system and growth habits. Smaller granules are suitable for smaller plants with finer roots, while larger pellets are better for larger plants with more substantial root systems.
Watering Frequency:
If your plant prefers slightly drier conditions, opt for a coarser LECA grade, as it will allow water to drain more effectively and prevent the roots from staying too wet. For plants that prefer consistent moisture, choose a finer LECA grade to help retain more water.
Nutrient Requirements:
Some LECA products come pre-enriched with nutrients, while others are neutral and require regular fertilization. Consider whether your plant needs a nutrient-rich substrate or if you prefer to control the nutrient content yourself.
pH Considerations:
Check the pH level of the LECA. Different plants thrive in various pH ranges. Adjust the LECA’s pH if needed to match your plant’s requirements.
Aeration and Drainage:
Good aeration and drainage are key benefits of LECA. Choose a type that provides sufficient air circulation around the roots and allows excess water to drain away. Avoid LECA that compacts easily, as it can lead to poor drainage and root health.
Trial and Observation:
If you’re unsure which LECA to choose, consider conducting a small trial. Pot a few plants in different LECA types and observe their growth over a few weeks to determine which one performs best.
Experiment and Adjust:
Plants can react differently to various growing mediums, so be prepared to adjust your choice based on how your plants respond. If you notice signs of stress or poor growth, you might need to switch to a different LECA type.
When it’s best (not) to use LECA
Growing plants in LECA seems to be much more pleasant than doing it the old way. Mistakes are less obvious, and the view of your plants growing in it is somewhat hypnotic.
And all with no dirt involved.
But you can find out that a few plants reject LECA altogether. Why so?
Reasons for a plant to die in LECA. You do everything in your power, prepare the pebbles, add nutrients, and think you follow all the instructions, but your plants don’t think so. There is always a reason, and usually, it isn’t too hard to determine one.
Fragility (esp. of plant’s roots)
Using LECA implies a higher amount of movement compared to soil. If a plant has fragile parts, especially if it’s easily tearable roots, or it’s just too sensitive to the touch, the likelihood of it not making it through is high.
pH conflict
The pH of LECA is 5.5 to 5.7, which only suits plants that don’t mind the acidic environment. For those requiring basic or at least neutral pH levels, LECA might be the last place they’d like to go. (And this is why you need a pH monitor.)
Preference for moist low-oxygen environment
Not all plants feel good about high aeration. Some like moist, unbreathable, marsh-like conditions. Please leave plants like these in their old soil pots if you want them to thrive. You can even not be bothered with overwatering them if the swamp is what they want.
You planted an infected plant
Sometimes just a bit of soil residue can lead to some noticeable trouble since it contains small amounts of all possible causes of the infestation. And this tiny bio laboratory keeps receiving treacherous in this case moisture alongside the plant.
Summary of the issue
So, to use LECA successfully, your plant must like acidic soils, welcome good aeration, and find itself in its best health on moderate watering.
Also, don’t forget to remove any residue of soil from the roots before planting it in LECA, as despite the overall reduced risk of rotting, this can sometimes lead to nasty diseases like fungus gnats.
How to start using LECA
Among other things, for a LECA garden to be a success, ensure that you are using it properly every step of the road.
Preparation. Wash freshly bought LECA in water thoroughly, using your fingers to remove everything from the surface of the balls. The goal is to make clay as free of dust and debris as possible – this will improve water retention. After that, let LECA soak in a bucket of tap water for 24 hours.
Repeat this with the new water the next day.
Yes, preparation for the first use of LECA is supposed to take two full days.
Transferring your plant. Any plant is the most vulnerable during transferring, considered fragile or not. Carefully remove the plant from the original pot. Make sure you are not pulling anything, and use water to wash away soil – all of it.
Repotting. Fill 1/3 of the pot with LECA. After that, position your plant in the pot and start adding more until the plant holds firmly upright. When the plant stands as it should, add hydroponic fertilizer, following instructions. Once the plant is positioned and watered, the work is done.
Good examples of plants to grow in LECA
You can grow many things in LECA, including some reluctant ones, but trying things out of this list can hardly disappoint, and they grow like they were designed to be there. Mostly it’s pot flowers, but some great edibles are also included.
- Alocasia
- Aloe
- Bromeliads
- Coleus
- Hoyas
- Orchids
- Monsteras
- Pothos
- Snake plants
- Spider plant
- Wandering Jew
- ZZ Plant
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Leafy greens
FAQs
Should I mix LECA with soil?
But adding soil to a LECA-centric garden adds all the soil-related problems like the risk of root rot, spreading of fungus gnats and pests, etc. Also, if your pot does not know what it wants to be, does it need drainage holes? And what about hydroponic fertilizer? These problems are likely to reduce the benefits of LECA, but it still might (or might not) be an overall success.
Does LECA cause root rot?
If a plant grows in LECA, healthy roots are ensured by the very non-organic nature of this growing medium, unsuitable for soil-borne diseases. On top of it, using LECA changes the way the plant’s root system develops, making it much harder to drench the plant.
Do plants rot in LECA?
The loophole here is that LECA balls retain moisture, and soil mixed with them ends up being constantly wet and ready to nourish infestation. Which constitutes a high risk of growing fungus and further rotting.
Conclusion
While using soil for indoor gardening is by no means an outdated option, numerous advantages of LECA are hard to overlook. It keeps your gardening clean, prevents you from accidentally killing your plants by drowning them, maintains healthy growth, and makes indoor gardening a much more attractive hobby.
All this with the only consistent downside to it being the cost of a starter pack (clay pebbles, fertilizer, and pots). But probably worth the comfort anyway.
