Expanded clayis a very universal material that offers many possibilities of use in gardening and growing potted plants. It can be used as drainage, loosening or mulch material. At the same time, it is harmless to plants and the environment, and relatively cheap. Find out more about the possibilities offered by expanded clay and how to use it in gardening. We present 8 interesting applications of expanded clay!
Expanded clay is most often poured as drainage on the bottom of a flower pot.
In the photo Leca ©
What does expanded clay look like?
Horticultural expanded clayhas the form of rounded or oval granules of various sizes. Fine expanded clay can consist of granules with a cross section of 5 mm, and the thickest expanded clay balls can be up to 2 cm in diameter. Depending on our needs, you can choose the appropriate size of expanded clay.
Properties of expanded clay
Expanded clayhas recently been used in horticulture, but has already gained a lot of supporters. It is an extremely versatile material. It is obtained by firing natural clay clay in rotary kilns at a temperature of approximately 1150 ° C. This makes the material extremely hard.Expanded clayis also completely chemically neutral (when used in horticultural substrates, it does not change the pH of the soil), it is not soluble or washed out by water, only slightly soaks up with water. Nowadays, there are very few materials of this kind that would be completely neutral to the environment.
Expanded clayis completely resistant to any pest, mold or fungus activity, which reduces the risk of infection for plants. It is therefore a very durable material which (importantly) does not lose its properties over time. It all adds up to the possibility of its long-term use or the possibility of using the same expanded clay several times for various purposes in gardening.
All theseproperties of expanded claymake it widely used in gardening, mainly as drainage, loosening and insulating material. Which makes the soil very well-ventilated and helps to bring oxygen to the plant roots.
Expanded clay can also be spread as mulch on the ground.
In the photo Leca ©
There is another very important property in favor ofusing expanded clay in gardening . Well, expanded clay is an extremely cheap material, which is very important considering the large amounts that are often used in gardening.
Expanded clay - application in gardening
1. Expanded clay as drainage at the bottom of the pot
In horticulture, expanded clay is primarily used to create a drainage layer at the bottom of pots in which plants are planted. For this purpose,gardening expanded clayis poured onto the bottom of the pot in a fairly thick layer (at least a few centimeters). Such drainage allows free drainage of water from the pot (of course, there must be drainage holes at the bottom of the pot) and protects plant roots against rotting. Therefore, it is worth pouring expanded clay to the bottom of the pot always when transplanting potted flowers.
2. Expanded clay as an air humidifier
LECA granulescan be sprinkled thinly on a tray and then poured with a small amount of water. Then we place such trays with moist expanded clay between pots with plants or place the pots on these trays. Water evaporating from the trays perfectly moisturizes the air around the plants.It is very useful when you grow exotic plants in your home that require high air humidity.
3. Expanded clay as an addition to the substrates
Expanded claycan also be directly mixed with soil for plants, thanks to which it loosens and aerates it. In other words - it is used to loosen the ground. For this purpose, expanded clay with the finest granules is used.
5. LECA as a litter and insulating material
Expanded claycan also be used for mulching soil in the garden. It perfectly insulates the plant from the cold, and also retains moisture in the substrate and limits the growth of weeds. The expanded clay litter can be used both in the garden under smaller or larger plants, and in pots placed inside or outside the rooms.
When placingexpanded clayoutside, remember that it is lighter than water and with stronger rains there is a risk that it will be rinsed out of its place.In order to prevent this, the expanded clay should be firmly compacted and also placed in small depressions (troughs). You can also raise the boundaries of the surface on which the expanded clay was poured, slightly raised with a decorative brick wall or a wooden palisade.
6. Expanded clay in hydroponic cultivationExpanded clay is also very well suited for hydroponic cultivation. Cucumber cultivation is particularly successful on LECA.
7. Expanded clay in the construction of garden paths
The use of expanded clay in gardeningcan also take place when building paths in the garden. It is especially useful in wetlands. For this purpose, the surface where the path is to be made should be carved to a depth of approx. 20 cm. It is best to do this when the ground is dry. Then lay the agrotextile on the ground and pour expanded clay on it. The material must be firmly compacted. For this you can lay paving slabs. Thanks to the expanded claydite drainage, the path should not get wet or settle.
8. Expanded clay for green roofs
Expanded clay is also used in horticulture in the construction of green roofs. LECA used on green roofs performs several functions. Not only is it a very good drainage layer, it also insulates very well and helps plants to root more firmly between its granules.
