When choosing the best plants for LECA, keep these factors in mind: healthy roots are necessary for strong, long-lived plants. The simpler the root system, the more easily you can monitor it. Despite the many advantages of LECA, there are also drawbacks. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks before making the switch. Listed below are some of the best plants for LECA. These include Dracaena x hybrida, Bromeliads, and Dracaena species.
Bromeliads
When it comes to leca, bromeliads are the most suitable plants. In the wild, bromeliads gather water in the central cups of the plant. If you want to grow leca indoors, you can try using a cloning process. You can also sexually reproduce bromeliads from seed. However, this process takes longer than the former. To propagate bromeliads, the seeds must be sown in flats or small pots, preferably moist sphagnum moss. Once the seeds have germinated, the seedlings are placed in a seedling mix. They are protected by plastic and kept warm, creating a mini-greenhouse effect.
When propagating bromeliads, you need to consider where you will plant your plant and how much water you’re going to give it. Bromeliads do best in low soil substrates, which makes it a good choice for container gardening. In fact, it’s also possible to grow them on logs or moss only. However, it’s crucial to keep their roots anchored in the pot’s clay balls. While leca provides good humidity around the roots, the plant isn’t a heavy feeder. Therefore, you can feed them once a month or even more often if your climate is warmer than the usual temperature of your area.
Mounting bromeliads requires extra care. You need to provide a higher humidity level to avoid the plants from wilting. Dry air can cause root and foliage problems. To maintain a moist environment, fill the pot with pebbles or decorative rocks and mist them frequently. Remember to choose rot-resistant wood for mounting your leca. You may also mount them on a piece of furniture.
Unlike other plants, bromeliads can grow on rocks or in water. If you’re interested in growing leca in your home, you should read about their care and maintenance. Bromeliads need light, temperature, and fertilization. The right potting medium is essential to maintaining their health and appearance. There are over three thousand different species of bromeliads. They need to have certain conditions, so you need to choose the right one.
Another type of bromeliad is the Tillandsia. The tillandsia family includes more than 500 species. Most species are epiphytes. In fact, they are also known as air plants. They produce tubular, violet flowers. To grow successfully, leca requires bright indirect light. Unlike other bromeliads, they require frequent misting. They are ideal for indoor plants, but don’t forget to give them a humid environment as well.
In addition to Bromeliads, most orchid plants grow well in LECA. If your orchids are dying, try using this technique instead. Ferns, on the other hand, need a moist environment. Add clay pebbles in the bottom of the pot to maintain the humidity. Then add soil on top. The dracaena plant is another excellent choice for indoor leca.
Dracaena
Dracaena are native to the African savanna. They require little irrigation and are very efficient at absorbing nutrients from the soil. They need fertilization only once a year in the spring to thrive. If you want to grow dracaena in your home, you should keep in mind that they are toxic to dogs and cats. So, they’re best kept indoors.
Before planting, make sure that you rinse the leca thoroughly and soak it in water for a day. This will get rid of the clay powder and help the plant wick water through the bottom of the pot to its roots. Plant the cutting in an adequate amount of leca. Ensure that the roots are at least an inch (5 cm) off the bottom of the pot. Roots need to have sufficient space so that the water can get to them at the bottom of the pot.
Water your LECA plant once or twice a week. Make sure the water reservoir is filled about 1/3 full. This prevents the roots from drying out. Also, you should keep the water level at the bottom of the leca at a constant level. To water your leca plant, you can water it in the morning and at night, or every other day as needed. If you don’t have water, you can top it up once or twice a week.
After planting, you should prepare the container for transplanting. For the transplant, it is best to use a clear pot so you can monitor root growth. When planting, make sure to keep enough leca in the bottom and enough space below the roots. Also, don’t clump the roots together. This will make root rot more likely. Once the roots are well established, the pot should be planted in soil with the appropriate soil.
If you are looking for the best plants for LECA, there are a number of popular houseplants that do very well in the LECA. Try a few of these and compare them with your own plants. While they might be too different to grow in your home, many of these plants are highly adaptable to the LECA environment. They thrive in indirect light. If you have a deteriorating houseplant, you can try LECA for its indoor version.
If you want to grow Dracaena in LECA, it is best to use a separate liquid nutrient solution from your normal potting soil. However, if you want to grow LECA in a pot, you can mix the two together to achieve the best results for your plants. Mixing the two organic substrates can cause nutrient imbalance, and it might result in a poorer growth.
Dracaena x hybrida
LECA, or Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate, is a semi-hydroponic growing medium made from small clay pebbles. This medium is typically used for houseplants and is ideal for new plant parents. LECA balls carry water to the roots and allow the plants to breathe due to the airflow. Roots love oxygen, so they do well in a medium that focuses on this.
The fragrance from these fragrant flowers is reminiscent of a Gardenia. In the wild, the Dracaena family is found primarily in dry regions of Africa, where the diversity is greatest. The mushroom-shaped domes of D. cinnabari, for example, make the landscape of Socotra resemble something out of a Dr. Seuss book. The iconic Dragon Tree has a similar growth habit.
