Pros and Cons of Semi-Hydroponics in Leca Pebbles for Orchids

[@ingridchristensen8786]

I like how guilty midnight looks when you talk about him knocking over the orchid 😂

[@maryedwards1241]

For me, using leca is what saved my orchid. I have another orchid I will transfer to leca, but my other plants are growing in soil. I have some large plants that I prefer soil.

[@Orchideria]

Hi Mary, I'm so glad that hydroponics in leca is what worked for you. Some orchids react well, others not so much. Thank you for watching the video and for leaving a comment. I appreciate it.

[@bettapalfish9057]

I like to use small leca in my sphag moss with bark and cork. The moss dries better with larger air pockets.

[@Orchideria]

Hi Bettapal Fish, That is very true! I haven't used cork yet. I have to try it out.

[@JohnnyRecently]

Great info, Sis!

[@Whatisyou-f]

Hi, leca pebbles do not absorb water through osmosis. Osmosis refers to water movement through a semi-permeable membrane from a hypotonic concentration to a hypertonic concentration. So, leca pebbles actually absorb water simply through the adhesion properties of water due to hydrogen bonding.

[@Orchideria]

Thank you for explaininf that! I appreciate it. 🙏

[@dianabonilla6361]

I just received a Phalaenopsis Schilleriana seeding and its in spagnum moss. Another I just received is a Phalaenopsis Mannii x Self which is mounted. I'm unsure how to care for these species plants. Can you talk about this in one of your videos? Thanks.

[@Orchideria]

Hi Diana, Absolutely! I'll add it to the list of videos to make. It might be 2 months since I have the next videos already pre-recorded. But I'll definitely record those :)

[@manbar2088]

Very well put

[@steveortez2613]

Some thing I’ve noticed about leca is that When I prepared my fertilizer nutrients I would aim for a ph of 5.8 Ph and ppm of 125- a day or week later my ppm would go up about 150-175 my ph would go up to about 7.0 which tells me that as the water dehydration the ph & nutrients ppm goes up so what I started doing is adding ro water and adding ph down to reach a ph of 5.8 and draining the hi ph water and adding the 5.8 ph water and it would bring down the ppm back down to normal nutrient settings of 125 ppm

[@Orchideria]

Hi Steve, Thanks for adding this. I appreciate it. I haven't taken precise notes on the changes of pH, so this really helps.

[@marymoon2360]

Yes

[@lynnbrooks5503]

With your orchids in LECA with hydroponic pots, what do you sit them in? ie a similar size pot with no drainage, saucer or other?

[@Orchideria]

I have tried different things, but what works best for me is to use no drainage pots (like a normal vase) with very little water on the bottom, flushing them out regularly. I've seen more people be sucessful with the self-watering pots, but I guess my home office is just too dry and I'd always have to be rewatering them.

[@Orchideria]

Another thing, Ninja Orchids has awesome videos on her channel with Leca. I think she'll be more useful for you than I will with the Leca. She goes in depth and explains a lot. :)

[@FortuneCookieMeditation]

Hey Amanda, I bought the exact plastic pots, set of 6, 6" for $18 and also bought 25L of clay pebbles, made in Germany just for $25. Not that expensive. The bigger bag the cheaper they are. I had to search 100's to find the biggest bag for the cheapest price. So, tomorrow I am going to repot my 2 orchids in clay and these pots. Just in 2 weeks I got myself 30 indoor plants and trying to keep an eyes on all of them and keep them happy and alive. I live in Southern California, but my room gets very hot. My next expense is a humidifier. So far i mist them a few times a day and keep them happy. Thanks again , I've learned a lot.

[@Orchideria]

Hi Fortune Cookie Meditation, I'm glad the video helped. Thanks for adding this comment. It's a good reference for other people, too. I appreciate it.

[@steveortez2613]

I’ve been watching orchid videos for the past year and at the end of the summer I purchase 30 cattalya seedlings my choices where biased on the beauty of there adult blooms not on difficulty of species. After a month of observation I put them all in leca on my window. I use RO water and I’ve lost 1 and 2 are in water culture I have led lights and I’ve toned the lighting down to 12 hours for the winter. My question is will they continue to grow roots during the winter or do I just tone down on the feeding and wait to the spring time I feed no more than a combination of 200ppm fertilizer calmag and kelp max

[@Orchideria]

Hi Steve, yes they will keep growing. I know a lot of orchid growers say to not fertilize in the winter or when in bloom, but I only stop fertilizing when I know the orchid is in dormancy. To each his own, I guess. Some cattleyas will even bloom in the winter, so don't stop adding fertilizer. You're right about the light. I keep mine one for 12 hours, and they're doing good. I haven't had much luck with leca though or semi-hydroponics for cattleya. My phals do better in those, but that's probably just my care. You are brave to order seedlings, especially difficult ones. Just keep them extra hydrated and always check up on them. Little changes, even if a slight one, need the maximum amount of attention.

[@steveortez2613]

@@Orchideria thank You for taking the time to answer my question sometimes I think I went off the deep end with so many orchids but you just can’t admire one or two

[@Orchideria]

Hahaha... Yep, I believe that your addiction is just in the beginning phases now. Once it settles in, it's hard to not buy more.

[@CarmensOrchids]

Can i mix leca with pine bark?

[@memorydandaroy1618]

Would like to also know.

[@josephrapp7211]

I had to stop using Leca as it consistently raised PH.

[@Orchideria]

Hi Joseph, That is a concern. Leca pebbles will naturally absorb more nutrients and over time raise the pH. Mine always had a high salt residue. Some people have found that boiling the pebbles before you use them will maintain the pH more constant over time. Other have soaked the pebbles in water for a week to drain out any excess nutrients. There is a product that you can by that helps keep the oH lower and many aquarium users have it, but I don't know it's name. It is specifically designed to be used with leca. Since most my orchids are in bark and sphagnum, I don't know much about that product.

[@steveortez2613]

Is it true that Leca raises the PH of the water

[@Orchideria]

Hi Steve, It will raise the salt residue over time because the minerals infiltrate the pores in the LECA. I have to check and see if that would raise rhe pH.

[@edwardinanaheim6732]

Lava rock makes great medium

[@TiaSnoozy805]

You just had to mention cheap pots and falling over didn't ya!? 🌱2 full stems 2 different orchids 2 fits of curse words that broke the sound barrier. 💙 Yep and it was basic common sense. ⚖️ - be safe💙

[@Orchideria]

Oh Tia... That hurts! Yeah, I've lost a few too many from falling over. I wish I could blame my cat more, but it's usually me when I replace them on the shelf after watering. I feel your pain 💙

[@TiaSnoozy805]

@@Orchideria oh I was heart broken:( Happy growing be safe

[@amnayousif4022]

Please, I want to translate it in Arabic

[@Orchideria]

Hi Amna, Thank you for watching my videos. I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I don't know how to translate my videos. :( I'll try and learn how that's done.

[@amnayousif4022]

😘

[@amnayousif4022]

Thank you