All About LECA

[boxster1990]

Wanted to get your thoughts (particularly Ray's) on the best LECA available today. I'm having trouble getting the top layer to stay nice and moist.

My plants get misted twice daily (or whenever I see the top layer is dry) and I keep my house in the 50-60% humidity range.

I've been using GrowIt brand, which I bought on amazon. The pebbles are all different shapes, and not perfectly round. Would love to see if there are better quality LECAs out there that might help with the moisture wicking issue.

Thanks!
Brian

[Ray]

In my opinion, perfectly round is to be avoided, or the pellets move around like a container of marbles, and the plant has a hard time getting established.

The fact that the top of the LECA is dry is likely due more to your lack of humidity (and/or excessive air movement) than it is to the wicking of the medium.

[estación seca]

Go to a hydroponics store near you. They probably carry several different brands.

[WaterWitchin]

My daughter lives in a larger city that has an Ikea, and they sell inexpensive and excellent LECA. Just a thought, if you happen to be around an Ikea, or have a friend who does.

And agree with Ray. My stuff in S/H is likely at lower humidity than yours. The top layer or so dries out pretty quickly. Depending on the plant, I've used a plastic cover on top of pot, a layer of sphag moss, or just ignored the dryness. Most orchids are pretty forgiving of nuance, at least in my culture.

[homa]

I working at hydro warehouse in USA so I have seen a lot of different type of LECA, if you want big not round and little heavy than go for brand call Gold Lable hydrocorn it is a little expensive . if you want cheap go for brand terra clay pepble
for dealing with dryness on top get some coco cover cut in strip or tear down and put alite on top of Leca