മണ്ണിനു പകരം ,Clay Balls, Leca ,How to use in home gardening

മണ്ണിനു പകരം ,Clay Balls, Leca ,How to use in home gardening 1. Growing medium. While it may seem crazy, you can use LECA instead of soil to grow indoor plants. Unlike soil, LECA is a lot less messy than soil and is naturally neutral, making it a great substrate for indoor plants. These clay pebbles can provide an ideal balance of moisture, food and air for your indoor plants. Keep in mind however, that unlike soil (which is fully organic), LECA does not contain nutrients. This means that any nutrients your indoor plants need, will need to be manually added to the plant’s water using supplements. Luckily the porous nature of these clay balls means that they easily absorb water and any added nutrients. How to use LECA as a growing medium 1. Soak your aqua clay balls in a bowl for 12-14 hours in order to fully absorb water. 2. Select a desired plant (either a cutting that has been propagated in water, or gently clean all the soil from a plant grown in soil). 3. Find a grow pot with adequate drainage holes or use a net pot (sometimes called hydroponic pots) and sleeve. 4. Fill up your pot halfway with aqua clay balls and then pop in your cutting in the centre. 5. Hold the cutting in place and pour more aqua clay balls around the sides and top of your cutting to plant it in place. 6. Then you can add your water (top the pot or sleeve) until it's just under the roots of the plants. How they work is, the clay balls absorb the water, and the roots of your plant then slowly drink the water out from them as they need.. All while keeping the root away from the water. 7. Place your newly potted cutting in a place that suits it’s light needs and allow the plant to slowly absorb the water through the aqua clay balls at it’s own rate. 8. Allow the water to completely dry out before refilling to prevent algae growth. Once it’s time to refill, make sure you top the sleeve up with nutrient filled water (to just under the roots). Choosing the right plants to grow in LECA If you want to use LECA as a growing medium, start off by choosing indoor plants that aren’t too fussy. Choose a plant that: • Likes to dry out between waterings • Is able to grow a large root system quickly • Doesn’t mind being handled occasionally • Likes oxygen rich soil • Doesn’t rely heavily on soil to provide it with nutrients Some great options include: • Orchids • Pothos • Philodendrons • Monsteras • Hoyas • Pileas Once you’ve mastered growing these plants in LECA, you can experiment with cuttings from other plant species too! 2. Drainage Aqua clay balls can also be used to support healthy plant growth by improving the drainage in potting mix. To achieve this, add a 4 cm deep layer of aqua clay pebbles to the bottom of the pot before adding your potting mix or compost. Their round shape and small size (8-16mm) provides a high level of aeration, extremely quick drainage and unrestricted root growth. Unlike potting mix and other solid substrates, it’s not organic, so it’s far less susceptible to pest, algae growth and plant disease. The extra space between the pebbles also allows for all-important oxygen to get to the roots, which eliminates the risk of root rot. Can I mix it in? Yes! LECA added into soil will help to improve soil aeration and drainage while also retaining water. So, if you want to use these awesome clay pebbles in some capacity, it doesn’t have to be an either/or decision. 3. Topsoil dressing LECA can even be added on top of soil to protect your indoor plants. By adding a layer of aqua clay balls on top of your potting mix you can also greatly reduce the risk of indoor plant pests. LECA is particularly effective against fungal gnats, as they hate landing on and laying their eggs on inorganic material. This disrupts their reproduction cycle and prevents outbreaks. Better yet, by adding aqua clay balls onto the soil’s surface you can lock in more moisture. By covering the topsoil you can shield your plant’s roots from heat and thermal shock, while creating higher levels of humidity beneath the soil. This is particularly handy in winter (or cooler climates) when the air inside your home can become very dry. As an added bonus, clay pellets also look super stylish! #clayballsmalayalam #lecamalayalam Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @greengeethanjali