Leca stands for lightweight expanded clay aggregate. To put it simply, Leca comes in baked clay balls that soak up a little water, after which they expand slightly. It’s a growing medium, like soil, used to grow plants. Unlike soil, Leca is a collection of clay soils and doesn’t contain any nutrients. It’s odorless, eco-friendly, and reusable. These little clay pebbles can impressively hold up to 4 times their weight in water, and they allow air and water to move freely throughout the growing medium, leaving space for your plants to breathe.
But what are the benefits of using Leca?
It’s an extremely porous medium
Leca’s porous nature makes it an excellent drainage material for your growing medium. Clay pebbles are designed to wick up water and drain it out into the bottom of the pot while allowing air to move freely throughout the medium mixture. This ensures that roots get enough air to stay healthy while remaining fully saturated with water.
Less risk of root rot
Leca is a porous material that absorbs water and air into its internal structure. This helps promote healthy root development by allowing the roots to breathe easily even as they sit in a constantly moist environment. Roots tend to rot when oxygen isn’t able to circulate throughout the growing medium. Leca helps prevent this from happening by keeping the soil aerated and allowing the roots to fully exchange CO2 for O2.
Growing plants hydroponics saves water
One of the most common problems hydroponic gardeners have is that their plants are drying out. This usually happens because the water being fed to the roots is evaporating into thin air through the drainage hole. Leca can help prevent this from happening by keeping moisture trapped near the roots, where it belongs.
Read the complete article at www.urbangreenfarms.com.au.