Hydroton Expanded clay pellet uses?

[Leafmite]

I always used red lava rock but these clay pellets are my new favorite medium. They are just great.

[MattWoelfsen]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I always used red lava rock but these clay pellets are my new favorite medium. They are just great.

Agree Leafmite. LECA is very clean looking and adds some geometry into the media.

I just got a huge bag of growstone. I'm using this product instead of sponge rock as it absorbs water and slowly releases it. I know sponge rock is a media aerator, but this extra feature of absorbing water is appealing.

[Leafmite]

I haven't tried that, yet. I will need to look into it. It sounds like it could work better for those orchids that like to stay a little more moist. Nice idea.

[daddydoall]

Sounds like LECA outdoors / in clay needs almost daily water. I thought SH implied taking advantage of wicking action with a bottom reservoir. Is anyone who grows outdoors / GH using bottom tray as a reservoir with success?? Mostly growing Cats and Aussie Dens, in lava / bark but was thinking going to 100% LECA in clay with bottom trays.??
Dave

[AnonYMouse]

LECA and S/H are not exclusive to each other. I use LECA mixed with other media or as the sole medium for conventional growing methods (wet then drain). As with any other growing medium, it has its own properties. Choice in media for conventional growing is determined by your environment, habits and plants.

I also use it in S/H with a reservoir (pot in bowl). If you haven't already done so, you should read up on Semi-hydro at where it all started: Firstrays.

[desertanimal]

I grow my phals in LECA in glass jars and my oncidiums in LECA in clay pots. The clay pots dry out SO much faster then the glass or plastic containers. Makes sense, of course, but I try for S/H culture and the clay pots often dry their reservoir before I notice. One thing I like about the clay is that dissolved solids precipitate on the outside of the clay pot while they precipitate on the surface of the LECA in the glass and plastic jars. I have to be less religious about flushing with the clay because there are no accumulated salts having out where I want the plants' roots to take. But surely in my conditions, the phals would be too cold in clay with LECA.

[kdennis14]

This is extremely interesting. I just planted 3 different type orchids in cork from wine bottles. They look very clean. I am watching them several times a day. Can ANY orchid grow in cork?
Thank you so much,
Karen

[AnonYMouse]

I would imagine cork stoppers would be good for very humid climates or heavy waterers. It won't retain water, at least not well. I don't grow this way but others here do.

Do a search (mind, you will get a lot of results pertaining to cork mounts) or post a new thread since this thread mostly discusses LECA.

[daddydoall]

Well I did transplant up all my 3" Cats in LECA (Canna balls 50# for $20, and wicking test was good) in 4" clay pots with reservoir tray. Then feeling confident I transplanted all the 3" seedlings into LECA and placed the pots in a shallow tray (old cookie sheet) and they are doing fine too, even though it is cool (55-65F) lately. I am watering form tray to avoid wet leaves in this cool weather. I have a "hot bench" but it set to ambient 50F and has been off. I have a few dry growers in LECA but no Tray. I can already tell this is going be better than bark mixtures which can take 2-3 weeks to dry in the cool weather and short days and caused some root loss last year.