I grow a lot of things in leca and pon. Currently I have 107 plants, and from thise only about 20 are still in soil. I am going to make a list of the leca and pon and start sharing photos 😀
I grow a lot of things in leca and pon. Currently I have 107 plants, and from thise only about 20 are still in soil. I am going to make a list of the leca and pon and start sharing photos 😀
Ughhh… I really want to start converting almost all my plants to semi-hydro. I have heard that pest maintenance really goes down. Do you find this to be true?
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Yes. Knock on wood but I have no pests in any plant!
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I just posted about this the Hoya group. Do you have any Hoya, and if so how long have they been doing ok in your semi hydro setups?
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Yes, I have 20 or more hoyas in either leca or pon from last summer (2023) to now Feb 2024). They are all doing great! I am invthe middle of a pruning project but will start posting pictures later tonight 😀 - Hoyas are my favorite.
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It’s so funny- everyone who has replied over there shies away from pon/leca. I really want semi-hydro to be the way I go but I am scared of losing my Hoyas. Welcome to the interwebs where you can find any answer that you want for your questions 🤪
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All my hoyas with exception of 2 are in keca or pon. The only readon 2 hoyas (curtisii and australis) are in soil is because they were big when I got them, so I decided to keep them happy and nade multiple new cuttings that are in pon from both if them. Hoyas love pon!
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The conversion from soil to leca or pon is really not that complicated. The thing to remember is: you clean the soil from the roots in order to prevent bacteria that can lead to root rot. Pon is more forgiving if you have some soil on it than leca. What I do is: after getting rid of the soil and washing the roots in WARM water I pat dry the roots and spray the roots with a mix of water and 3% hydrogen peroxide (I mix one tablespoon of each to spray the roots). Then, I put about 1/3 of leca in the container and barely cover them with nutrient solution (diluted in water in the first month). Add another layer of leca and add the plant. Next, fill the rest with leca. The important part in this transfer is DON'T let the roots touch the liquid to prevent root rot. The plant will naturally "search" for water. In the first month to 8 weeks it will create new water roots and the other roots will slowly die. It takes about 4 weeks for you to "feel" they are adapting but about 3 months later they start growing like crazy. All hoyas converted to pon or leca are doing great.
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