Self-watering pots with leca

[orchidphile]

Ray, Since I soak the entire pot in pure water every time I water, drain this, and then add new fertilizer solution, I can't imagine there would be much buildup. In any case, I've noticed very little efflorescence on my leca. (Since I have a double pot system, it's easy to soak the entire pot. With the single pot system of traditional semihydro, this can't be done, but flushing presumably serves the same purpose?)

---------- Post added at 07:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Orchidking

hey orchidphile,
I use this method on my dendrobiums. Like you say it works great. They grow so slow sometimes that it is good to just forget about them for weeks on end without watering.

My microfiber cloths have gotten mouldy but hasn't had any negative effects.

I like the stones idea. I use some pumice similar to seramis as a top layer on mine to keep the top a bit more humid.

OrchidKing, Pumice is great in the media if you want more moisture, but I would worry about it as a top layer because it wicks--the same as leca, and when it's dry, I"m afraid it would pull moisture out of surface roots. That's why ordinary pea gravel or horticultural grit is so great as a top layer--it doesn't wick. It's really the wicking and not the dryness that damages surface roots, imo.