Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care - Episode 109: Passive Hydroponics 2.0 and the LECA VS PON Debate

Episode 109: Passive Hydroponics 2.0 and the LECA VS PON Debate

12/08/20 • 59 min

Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

I’m so excited to welcome back Kay from @inrootedlove for a next level conversation on the soil free Semi Hydroponic or Passive Hydroponic Lifestyle. You might remember Kay from episode 77 an Intro to Semi or Passive Hydroponics- so now that year has passed and our community has been experimenting with this style of growing- she’s joining me again discuss what a year of passive- hydro has looked like, dive deeper into the concepts and answer listener questions. For those of you who don't know: Passive Hydroponics is a method for keeping plants not in soil, but in LECA or PON Lechuza (inorganic substrates) and managing their nutrients yourself, instead of using potting mix. It’s a plant parent lifestyle many people swear by. I initially was NOT sold on the complexities of preparing LECA, measuring nutrients and more, but after a year of experimenting with passive-hydro I definitely see the value in this practice! So if you haven’t listened to that first episode- I highly recommend starting there before listening in on this one.

Two other ways to learn about Passive Hydro this week!

Giveaway:

Head over to @bloomandgrowradio on IG to enter our Passive Hydro Starter Kit Giveaway! We are giving away two rooted cuttings of Kay's marble pothos and two net pots with enough LECA and Lechuza to plant up each cutting in the substrates and conduct your OWN experiments!

Youtube:

Kay and I also made a companion video for the BAG Youtube Show where Kay gives us a mini LECA vs Lechuza tutorial and actually shows us how to pot up a plant types of substrate. If you’re curious on her techniques, click the link in the show notes to check the video out after you listen to this episode!

FYI The Bloom and Grow Website got a pretty epic makeover and I’d love for you to head on over and check it out- you can learn a little more about me, snag all of the freebies I’ve created for ya over the years, shop the Bloom and Grow Merch and Plant Friends Apparel line AND we’ve got a shop now that houses all the sponsor discount codes, my favorite books and courses and more. Thanks to Digital Grace Design for doing such an amazing job.

In this episode we learn:

What Kay's Plant Number is
How Kay manages to keep 200+ plants in her home happy and healthy with NO grow lights
The home characteristics Kay looked for when buying a home so her plants could thrive [9:00]
What Maria secretly dreams of for the next home (it's not what you think) [10:00]
What is Semi or Passive Hydro [10:55]
Reasons for why you should try Semi or Passive Hydroponics [12:52]
Kay's experience having small children and a large plant collection [12:37]
Maria's main takeaways from a year of experimenting with semi-hydro: what she is doing great and where she still needs help [13:50]
How do net pots work when roots start to grow out of the pot [15:43]
How to handle orchid roots in LECA [17:0]
How to handle aroid roots in LECA [17:20]
Root pruning [17:50]
The story behind Kay's gorgeous Albo Monstera [19:30]
Is it bad for plants roots to touch the water in a Semi Hydro or Passive Hydro set up? [20:00]
When to repot your plant in semi hydro [21:00]
What happened when Maria forgot about her plants in LECA for 2 months [22:40]
How can you avoid root rot when using semi hydroponics or passive hydroponics? [24:25]
Nutrient troubleshooting deep dive [27:25]
Kay elaborates on how she uses Azomax to manage pests in her large collection [31:19]
What are the signs of a healthy plant in semi hydro [34:30]
What does a healthy root look like in LECA
How dry can you let your reservoir get before you kill your plant [37:16]
How to gage water levels with opaque pots [37:50]
What's an appropriate transition time for a plant to go through transplant shock? [41:26]
Kays product she uses to help plants transition more efficiently [42:15]
LECA VS PON: their differences, pros and cons [43:58]
What PON lechuza is made up of [44:20]
What plants Kay chooses to put PON in over LECA [45:00]
Why Kay doesn't put all her plants in PON [45:01]
What plants Kay plants in PON [45:20]
Why Ka...

Two other ways to learn about Passive Hydro this week!

Giveaway:

Youtube:

In this episode we learn:

What Kay's Plant Number is
How Kay manages to keep 200+ plants in her home happy and healthy with NO grow lights
The home characteristics Kay looked for when buying a home so her plants could thrive [9:00]
What Maria secretly dreams of for the next home (it's not what you think) [10:00]
What is Semi or Passive Hydro [10:55]
Reasons for why you should try Semi or Passive Hydroponics [12:52]
Kay's experience having small children and a large plant collection [12:37]
Maria's main takeaways from a year of experimenting with semi-hydro: what she is doing great and where she still needs help [13:50]
How do net pots work when roots start to grow out of the pot [15:43]
How to handle orchid roots in LECA [17:0]
How to handle aroid roots in LECA [17:20]
Root pruning [17:50]
The story behind Kay's gorgeous Albo Monstera [19:30]
Is it bad for plants roots to touch the water in a Semi Hydro or Passive Hydro set up? [20:00]
When to repot your plant in semi hydro [21:00]
What happened when Maria forgot about her plants in LECA for 2 months [22:40]
How can you avoid root rot when using semi hydroponics or passive hydroponics? [24:25]
Nutrient troubleshooting deep dive [27:25]
Kay elaborates on how she uses Azomax to manage pests in her large collection [31:19]
What are the signs of a healthy plant in semi hydro [34:30]
What does a healthy root look like in LECA
How dry can you let your reservoir get before you kill your plant [37:16]
How to gage water levels with opaque pots [37:50]
What's an appropriate transition time for a plant to go through transplant shock? [41:26]
Kays product she uses to help plants transition more efficiently [42:15]
LECA VS PON: their differences, pros and cons [43:58]
What PON lechuza is made up of [44:20]
What plants Kay chooses to put PON in over LECA [45:00]
Why Kay doesn't put all her plants in PON [45:01]
What plants Kay plants in PON [45:20]
Why Ka...

Previous Episode

How to Use Plants to Create Restorative Environments, #108

I recently took Intro to Horticultural Therapy at NYBG and Anne Meore, my teacher, joins me today to discuss the biggest lessons learned in class, review some studies we learned about on the science behind the plant/people connection and to discuss the concept and use of restorative spaces. As I “bloom and grow” as a plant parent and a business I am becoming more curious about the science behind the plant/person connection. The more I learn and read about plants as restorative instruments for human body and spirit, I’m realizing plants not only make people happy, but can help us heal faster and restore our brains to their natural state. We have never needed these tools MORE, especially after this year which has kept us all inside and glued to screens. Everyone can create a restorative environment in their own home, so Anne walks us through the components of a restorative space and then we brainstorm some awesome ways to create a restorative space even in our limited indoor environments.

I wanted to thank NYBG for letting me take Intro to Hort Therapy with Anne, our guest today. If you are NY based, NYBG is open and magical during the winter. Discover the peaceful winter beauty across NYBG’s 250 acre landscape, from the winding trails of their old-growth forest to their arboretum collections of historic trees and ornamental conifers and get cozy in their conservatory with every tropical plant you could imagine. It’s a really spirit lifter and restorative space for me, especially in the winter. Plus, the Holiday Train Show returns this year for Members only and is on view through January 31.

In this episode we learn:

Why Anne became a Horticultural Therapist
How 2020 has caused Maria and Anne to re-evaluate their priorities and plants have been instrumental
Using plants to cope with the trauma of Covid
Directed vs Involuntary attention
Directed attention and mental fatigue
What is mental fatigue and how does it negatively impact us
4 Key Components of a restorative space: Being Away, Fascination, Extent and Compatibility, and what they mean
How simple views of nature can help: Views from a Window and Views to Nature: Effects on Attention
Attention Restoration Theory
How to create a restorative environment indoors

Mentioned in our conversation:

Books

Biophilia

The Nature Fix

Forest Bathing

Studies

The Restorative Benefits of Nature: Toward an Integrative Framework, Kaplan

Restorative Effects of Natural Environment Experiences: Hartig, Man, Evans

A Walk in the Woods, Anna Lena Phillips

View from a Window, Ulrich

Healthy nature healthy people: 'contact with nature' as an upstream health promotion intervention for populations, Maller, Townsend, Pryor, Brown, Leger

Views to Nature: Effects on Attention, Tennessen and Cimprich

14 Patterns of Biophilic Design

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Modern Sprout: Modern Sprout is connecting people and plants with their fabulous lines of grow lights, hydroponic planters and all sorts of plant accessories that empower people to cultivate their own indoor oasis, whether you live in a studio apartment or a sprawling farmhouse, with simple, stylish and sustainable green-thumb solutions for every home. For 15% off your order, visit modernsprout.com and use code 15bloom at checkout!

quotes: 12:35 - rhythm covid can't change

Follow Anne and NYBG

Anne's company: Planthropy

NYBG Main Website

NYBG Course Website

NYBG Horticultural Therapy Program

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Next Episode

Low Waste Plant Parenthood with @farmernicknyc

One of the major things that plants do is help connect us with nature. I think as plant parents, once we use plants to reconnect with ourselves and make our homes look beautiful, they also get us thinking more about nature and the earth and how important it’s preservation is. So today’s episode is exploring just that: plant parenthood and low waste living, and what it means to make intentional decisions about preserving our planet while taking care of ourselves and our plants.

I think we are all anxiously looking at 2021 and getting excited about the changes that will come. This is the time to set new years resolutions and just think about how we want to show up in 2021 for ourselves and I think more importantly, there are global conversations happening about how we can show up for those around us and the environment.

As I continue to fall deeper in love with plants, I’m finding that I’m falling deeper in love with nature itself and feeling a stronger sense of responsibility to take care of our planet.

I’m so excited to welcome Nick Cutsumpas of @farmernicknyc to the podcast and share this conversation with you and to inform and encourage our community to think about how we can apply these concepts of low waste living to not only our lives, but to our hobby of plant care. Nicks been a plant friend of mine for a while and I’ve loved learning more about sustainability from him, and figured he is the perfect intersection of plant parent and environmental activist to have for this chat about how to lead more sustainable lives as humans and plant parents.

In this episode we learn:

[00:02:26] Introducing Nick Cutsumpas and episode key ideas
[00:07:18] What Nick does, what started his plant journey (mothers DO know best!), and how plants served as his ‘saving grace’ when he moved into the city
[00:10:38] Check out Nick in Netflix’s new show The Big Flower Fight!
[00:11:14] What is regenerative environmental action? Nick explains sustainability vs regenerative
[00:13:22] Are houseplant people practicing regenerative methods with their plants? According to Nick, to see is to believe when it comes to taking care of our environment
[00:15:01] How Maria realized she could be doing more sustainable practices
[00:15:22] Maria’s current idea obsession: plant blindness — Nature Not Furniture!
[00:16:32] What Maria thinks of ‘zero waste’ and her reservations with the movement
[00:17:17] Nick shares why he thinks plant blindness is similar to waste blindness
[00:17:37] Why Nick strives for low waste consumption vs zero waste, how we as consumers can apply low waste consumption to the products we buy
[00:19:45] Why the time to be more conscious is NOW more than ever and how taking care of plants reminds us that we can take action
[00:20:47] Why Bloom and Grow Radio is doing an episode on low waste
[00:21:45] Low Waste Beginner Tip #1: Reuse everything
[00:22:46] Do you have tons of bubble wrap from your online orders? Save them for your next plant cutting gift!
[00:23:50] What is ‘waste’? For Nick, it’s everything that ends up in a landfill
[00:24:38] Maria’s lightbulb moment on her waste consumption: New York’s composting system
[00:25:11] The negative effects of plastics in our environment and how we can be smart and responsible with our plastic consumption
[00:26:54] Why we should be cautious about greenwashing, waste segregation, and biodegradable vs compostable materials
[00:28:24] Nick’s sustainability influences
[00:29:13] Low Waste Tip #2: Buy quality over quantity (Yes, you save more money this way!)
[00:30:12] Nick’s sustainability progress: he hasn’t bought anything new in more than a year! The secret? Thrifting!
[00:31:52] The eco-friendly furniture and mattress stores that Nick recommends
[00:33:56] How the pandemic enabled more waste production
[00:34:48] Why the most impact can be achieved through collective action; ‘10% is better’
[00:35:14] The BEST recycled and sustainable wall planters and the BEST plant kits to give this Holiday season!
[00:38:56] Nick reveals the most common mistakes we all do when it comes to composting
[00:39:54] How to REALLY begin your low waste journey
[00:40:39] Why you need to wash your recyclables
[00:41:22] Low Waste Tip #3: Find bulk stores and bring your own jars
[00:41:50] How Nick manages to do zero-waste grocery shopping
[00:42:25] What is ‘produce paralysis’? What is Nick’s proposed solution to packaging waste?
[00:44:04] Low Waste Tip #4: Avoid single-use plastic in the produce section
[00:45:24] Nick’s low waste hack: Put the jar in warm water for 10 minutes to remove the adhesive label, and reuse the jar for drinking or plant propagati...