Clay pebbles in your houseplants not only looks nice, but it can also help to benefit their health and growing conditions. It’s a bit different to growing in soil, but clay pebbles are a great way of growing plants – believe it or not!
If you don’t know how to use clay pebbles for houseplants then read on – we’ve got it all covered; from how to do it to all the benefits of it.
What You'll Learn Today
How To Use Clay Pebbles For Houseplants?
If you want to mix up your potting medium, have a look into using clay pebbles for your houseplants. These are not only attractive, but they have many uses.
- Start by soaking the pebbles, for at least an hour. This will allow them to absorb enough water to be beneficial to your plants.
- Set a tray of soaked clay pebbles under your plant pots. The water will evaporate, giving the plants some good humidity.
- Mix some into your potting soil. This will improve the draining properties of the soil, meaning that your plant won’t sit around on wet roots.
- Ditch the soil entirely. Amazing as it seems, many plants will be perfectly happy growing in a bed of pebbles!
- Use them to grow plants in. Some plants really dislike getting their feet wet, and these are the ones that will benefit from being grown directly in clay pebbles.
- Use rain water to soak them where possible. Using tap water can encourage mineral deposits to cling to the pebbles, which means that they won’t be as effective.
- Remember to wash the pebbles. Giving them a good clean about once a month will reduce the possibility of bacteria or beasties getting into your precious pebbles!
- Keep an eye on how damp they are. Depending on how thirsty your plants are, you may have to soak them more frequently.
Once you get your head around using clay pebbles for your houseplants, you will find that it is actually a great way to grow your indoor jungle.
Another added bonus is that it is far easier to clear up pebbles than soil if a pot takes an accidental tumble!
This interesting video will show you the best ways to grow your houseplants in clay pebbles:
Can You Mix Clay Pebbles With Soil?
Although Leca and other types of clay pebbles used for growing plants are generally used on their own, you can actually mix your growing mediums.
Mixing the clay pebbles with soil is like a half and half – you haven’t quite switched over to growing in pebbles, but you are enjoying the benefits that clay pebbles bring!
Large particles in potting soil will help to aerate the soil, so mixing clay pebbles with your soil will help your potting mix to drain better.
If you mix your clay pebbles with soil, you won’t have to worry about adding extra nutrients – soil contains nutrients where pebbles do not.
If you grow solely in pebbles, you will have to add extras to your plants’ diet, whereas if you use a mixture of both then you get the best of both worlds!
If you are new to growing in clay pebbles, it might be an idea to start by mixing it with your current potting soil.
This will jelp you to learn about how the pebbles work, without completely changing over all your plants’ growing medium straight away.
Do Clay Pebbles Hold Water?
One of the many benefits of using clay pebbles is that you can soak them in water, and they will hold on to it, releasing it only when the plants actively “drink” it.
Using these pebbles as a growing medium is ideal for those plants that do not like to be too soggy.
The pebbles will absorb the water, leaving the plants to suck it out using their roots. This allows the plants much more autonomy; they will only take the water they need, from the water soaked pebbles.
It is advised that you soak your clay pebbles for a good few hours, so that they absorb the maximum amount of water to then spread to the plants.
Keep an eye on the dampness of your pebbles; depending on how thirsty your plants are you may have to soak them again sooner than you might think.
It is worth trying to use rainwater to soak your pebbles, as the minerals in tap water can cling onto the pebbles and make them less absorbent and effective.
If you are interested in growing plants in something other than soil, have a look at this article.
Are Clay Pebbles Good For Succulents?
Although most plants grow really well in clay pebbles, succulents, particularly, enjoy this growing medium.
They are used to dry, arid conditions, and places where there is little to no soil, like deserts.
Planting succulents in clay pebbles mimics their preferred natural environment, so it can really do them nothing but good!
Clay pebbles don’t hold the water as much as soil does, so it’s the perfect way to grow plants which don’t require as much water.
The one thing to bear in mind, when growing plants in clay pebbles, is that the pebbles don’t contain any nutrients.
Succulents don’t require too much in the way of feeding, but they will appreciate a dose once in a while – especially if you are growing them in clay pebbles.
You can use a diluted liquid fertilizer, which you should be able to find at any good gardening store, to give your clay-growing succulents a bit of a boost.
Final Thoughts
Once you’ve figured out how to use clay pebbles for houseplants you will never look back – it makes your plants look lovely, and also helps them grow better.
Going for a walk on the beach will never be the same again; you’ll be constantly on the lookout for little clay pebbles to help your houseplants!
Can I make my own clay growing balls?
In theory, you can – but it is a tricky business! The clay needs to be mined, crushed, then super heated in a kiln that is capable of reaching temperatures of up to 2000 degrees F. If you don’t have this sort of facility (who does?) then you might be better off buying your balls!
I’ve been given two plants in plastic drink containers full of clay pebbles and about 30 cm of water. The pots have no drainage. What do I do now?
That’s a lot of water! Chances are, leaving your plants in this lake will cause them problems. Yes, the clay pebbles absorb the water, but they will struggle to absorb this much – try emptying most of it out for a start, then you will need to add dreainage holes to your pots to prevent your plant’s roots from rotting.
Hi can clay pebbles be used in self watering clear or non clear pots .
Hi Evelyn, yes you absolutely can use clay pebbles in any type of self watering pot, whether clear or not. I use both, but clear is more fun because you can peep inside and see what’s actually going on in there!