Best substrate for this dragon scale alocasia? I’ve had it living in just water for a few months now because I had a mealy bug problem but they seem to be gone now. I noticed one part of the plant (the two small leaves in back) are curling up seemingly because of dehydration so I’m worried that they are experiencing root rot Should I give LECA a try or is there a better option?
LECA can be good but pon might be a better fit for an Alocasia’s roots since they’re more delicate and pon is smaller/keeps more even moisture. I have seen where someone used LECA as a water reservoir for sphagnum moss inside a jar and that seemed to work really well (check out Sydney Plant Guy on youtube if you’re curious about that method). I use a DIY recipe that mimics lechuza pon since it’s so expensive/hard to get; it’s 2 parts pumice, 1 part zeolite, and 1 part red lava rock (the smaller crushed kind, not the large rocks like they have at home depot). Some people add osmocote to that mix which can also be good, but I don’t since I use my own diluted fertilizer with each watering.
2 Mi piace
Regardless of the method you will choose, there will be shock. (Coming from someone with over 30 alocasias) Soil, water and semi hydro are all 3 different types of roots that will behave differently. If you can find small leca, it can work but large ones are a bit more difficult with alocasias as their roots are more delicate. (Still doable) What matters the most with them is consistency. So which ever method you go with, make sure you can handle the maintenance, including with the fertilizer and flushing of semi hydro.
3 Mi piace How do you suggest I make the switch to minimize the shock and what do you think is the best substrate option? I’m worried about the two smaller leaves in the back that are seemingly curling up due to dehydration :( I believe their roots might be rotten or broke off somehow and I don’t know if I’ll be able to save them
0 Mi piace You might be losing a few leaves and that’s ok on the older ones. Personally, the majority of my alocasias are in semi hydro but my silver dragon is actually in soil. It has been doing really great. There is no right or wrong substrate, the important thing is to make sure you are able to handle the care of the way you select. Regardless of the substrate you select, you will need to clean the roots if they have rot. I’ve personally lost all my roots and half a rhizome and the alocasia still bounced back.
2 Mi piace
I keep mine in pon with a self watering planter with a wick, definitely recommend!
