Growing with Expanded Clay Pebbles

Expanded Clay Pebbles are made of clay, an organic and sustainable material, which is shaped into balls and then fired in an oven at about 650 degrees Celsius. The little balls then puff up into air filled pebbles. The pebbles are marble sized balls are a very unique growing media. Growers love them because they have a good balance between air and moisture, they are sustainable, reusable and easy to use.

Expanded Clay Pebbles, also known as hydroton or leca, are a favourite in many hydroponic systems. They are non-restrictive, meaning that they absorb very little nutrient solution which makes figuring out irrigation strategies a lot easier. It’s almost impossible to over-saturate a plant when it’s growing in clay balls because the spherical shape of the balls ensures that there are always air gaps available to the roots. They have the unique ability to soak up water, and then to release it quickly. So while they do hold onto moisture, they also hold lots of air which keeps the roots oxygenated. Due to it's ability to drain quickly, it’s the perfect choice for Ebb and Flow / Drain to Waste type systems. Even though this grow media is inert (contains no nutrients) and pH neutral, it is still recommended to rinse the pebbles with clean water before you use them to remove any dust particles that may have been produced during the manufacturing process.

Growers using clay balls in top feed dripper systems can connect their pump to a timer to allow an automated feeding of 15 minutes on and 15 mins off during daytime.

One of the great benefits of using the pebbles is that they can be reused over and over again. Cleaning them is simple - either rinse them thoroughly with clean water or soak them in a diluted bleach solution and then rinse them thoroughly afterwards.

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