HYDROPONICS GROWING MEDIA:
LECA

LECA...
 

You've probably seen L.E.C.A. many times and just didn't know what it was. It's used often in commercial decoration because it is clean and efficient. You may have seen it in a potted plant at the doctor's office:


                           


L.E.C.A. (Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate) is made by heating clay under very high heat until it puffs up, like popcorn. This results in a very coarse medium; the balls are about 1/4" across. They have superb drainage and are sometimes added to denser media to help promote drainage in the planter.


L.E.C.A Brand names: Geolite, Grorox, Hydroton



                             

We order our LECA from these folks: Hydroton clay balls 10 liter bag
 

• Advantages: Very light, yet holds moisture; Stays put; Can be sterilized and reused many times.
   
• Disadvantages: Doesn't hold moisture as well as coco-coir; The solution: combine coco with the grow rocks!
   

                               
                                Clay ball layer for top drips

 

                           
                       You can't see it, but these E&F pots have a
                2" layer of clay balls in the bottoms; it won't wash away!



HYDROTON is good for: top drip pots like dutch pots; good as a base layer for ebb & flow pots.


*Tip: Rinse the clay balls before use in a colander to remove all that red dust.
 

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