Porous media like Hydroton will accumulate minerals, but it's of no concern to a plant. Plants are only affected by minerals that are dissolved in the soil solution, and these minerals are easily flushed away during watering. Minerals that are adsorbed onto a medium like Hydroton do not contribute to soil solution TDS, and therefore have no effect on roots. You can check this yourself with a TDS meter. As long as the media is being flushed regularly by top watering and allowing to drain, there is no concern.

As for the "material that acts with a capillary action," I don't know what that's supposed to mean since Hydroton itself works by capillary action. Sounds like a goofy label.

Patrick,

I grow the majority of my potted orchids in Hydroton, of which I've got at least 100 this way. I love it.

Yes, the Hydroton can eventually over time develop salt build-ups and if the growing root tips encounter a salt encrusted particle they can die off. So this is something that you have to watch for, but it is easy to see it starting, (as it starts at the top of the pot, where it dries more quickly) so I don't overly worry about it. Thoroughly flushing the pots out greatly reduce this chance, as it dissolves any salt concentration before it gets too high.

But, after using the Hydroton over a year and a half as the only growing media in those pots, I do not have any salt build-up.

I have started growing some of my Hoyas in Hydroton as well, and so far the root growth has been phenomenal - just like with the orchids.

Renee

Sorry - I wanted to add, when you fertilize a plant growing in Hydroton, I use half the concentration, but fertilize more often. Always making sure the plants have a regular watering inbetween fertilizing - to flush.

More work, but the benefits greatly outweigh it.

Renee

I have about a dozen Hoyas growing in hydroton, too, and I've been very happy with their progress. I'll make it a point to "flush" them occasionally now that I've read this, but I haven't seen signs of salt build up either. I would still say I'm in the "experimental stages" of using it - I'm only growing "extras" in hydroton, and I've put a few "problem children" in it... you know, ones that were giving me grief and not growing or going backwards. Of those, all have done well except one that simply has done nothing (but at least it quit dying back!) One that really impresses me is sp. Nong Nooch. WOW! It wouldn't grow for me and I finally put it in hydroton in late 2009. Last year it put on a fair amount of new growth, but this year, it's going nuts with fabulously huge leaves. I'd probably grow more in it if I could afford the pots and the little meters. I have a few growing in regular pots with cache pots and no meter, but I have to say I really like the setup with the meter because there's no guesswork...

Denise in Omaha

i grow almost everything in HT and also fertilize half strength almost every time, when i dont have anything mixed up or handy a cup of water from the fish tank is what they usually get. I will say that this issue started to bother me as well with no apparent evidence of salt build up. I decided to leach the pot of lasiantha (just in case - and at the time she was the one in HT for the longest) and lost all of my peduncles, and she just seemed very distressed. She obviously didnt have the same issues as me, but i did succeed in causing some. I truly believe that when these plants are suffering they will let you know, and that is the time for action.
now when and if (very rare) i see salt build-up i will pull a plant from the HT put it in new HT without removing what is stuck to the roots and wash/soak the used HT for future use.

I find this very interesting. I want to change some of my small hoya to hydroton. Where do you get it? I haven't seen it in the big box stores. There is a person, who can't be mentioned here, on another forum that uses it, I think all of the time.

I think some of you guys are worrying too much. I grow most of my orchids in lava rock and I sometimes see minerals accumulating as a white crust in spots, but it doesn't affect the plants. If you can see mineral accumulation, then you're looking at precipitated minerals which have no effect on roots. It's the dissolved (and therefore invisible) minerals that affect roots, and dissolved minerals are easily flushed away.

Denise, Penfold, jsainz and rennfl, thanks so much, I'm greatly relieved to hear this. Chris told me to dig a hole in the backyard and bury the hydroton!! I wonder why the manufacturer of Hydroton would put this warning on the package. I'll do as you all have suggested...thanks a million, as I was terribly worried. Ah, yes Denise, that Nong Nooch is a beauty...I love mine. Jsainz, so sorry to hear of you losing the buds on your lasiantha...my lasiantha's are the only plants in hydroton that are showing new growth so far. Again, thanks so much!! Fondly, Patrick

Like Denise I feel I'm still in the experimental phases with it, but I grow most all of my hoyas in hydroton. I started using it 3 years ago I think. So far no problems! I agree with Jsainz, I think if there are problems there will probably be enough time to act before all is a loss.

Ima digger, I now get mine locally from a hydroponics store, but used to get it online. Shipping can be pretty expensive when ordering though!

Patrick, will respond to your email tonight! Been playing catch up since vacation!

Kelly

I grow my hoyas in hydroton. My oldest one is a cutting that I took from my aunt's plant after she passed away, so I have a special interest in keeping that one alive. It seems pretty happy in hydroton. Two others are small plants I bought and then converted last fall. They're still alive and putting out new leaves. I use recycled soda bottle planters and flush the plants regularly. I also have all my orchids except the phalaenopsis in hydroton.

I keep toying with the idea of switching some plants to hydroton. How do you do it? If I use a cachepot and fill with hydroton, how much water do I want to put in? How do you check the water level?

Odyssey3,

I use self watering pots for mine - inexpensive ones from Walmart. To convert plants gently wash off as much of the current growing mix as possible and plant in the hydroton! Hydroton does need to be washed first (you'll understand why after you do it - lots of dust!) and I soak mine for at least 24 hours prior to use. I try to make sure the water reservoirs never run completely dry.

There are some semi-hydroponic stores online that sell "water gauges" as well.

Good luck if you decide to try it!

Kelly

Hi everyone,

Can anybody post a picture of hoyas on hydroton???

Thank you

Mitzi

Hiya Mitzicos,

Tudo bem?

Pls. do a search here for 'Sharing Pix - Some Hydro Growing Experiments'

Was a post of mine showing (among other things) the inside of pot of Hydro Growing H. kerriii & you can see the Leca Stones (what the fired clay pellets I use are called). I believe they are the same product or very similar to Hydroton.

At least, espero que sim.

Karen

Thanks Kelly. So basically you use the self-watering pots the same way you would with soil? I am assuming you never put water into the part of the pot that holds the hydroton?

This site has a lot of good info on S/H growing:

First Ray's Semi-Hydro Info

You can click on example photos to get a quick idea of how it works.

I just want to point out that using Hydroton does not mean it is also S/H. When I spoke about mine, it's not S/H. I just use the Hydroton as a potting media.

Now I root new cuttings in S/H, then when they are rooted enough, I poke holes in the bottom of the pot and convert to traditional potting. There are a few that I keep as S/H, but not many.

Renee

Odessy3,
With hydroton in self-watering pots I water from the top instead of filling the reservoir as I would with soil in a self-watering pot.

Mitzi,
Here's a picture of a couple of ellipticas in hydrton and perlite:

Kelly

Penfold, thanks for the link...quite interesting, though I wish it was specific to hoyas.

Kelly, why add the perlite? Your elliptica's look fabulous!!
Fondly, Patrick

Patrick,
In this case I had already mixed perlite in for smaller hoya. Am sort of experimenting with using the perlite as well for the smaller or harder to root varieties since often the root systems are smaller as well. My thought is the perlite (I use chunky perlite) gives the little roots something eaiser to cling to than the larger hydroton.

Hey, having trouble with email - everything from my Outlook inbox has become unaccessible. I think there's a corrupt file or something. For now I don't have access to emails sent prior to 6/1. Once I get it figured it out in my spare time - ha ha - I promise I'll respond! Thought the email was VERY interesting!

Kelly

Patrick: S/H site specific to hoyas, voila!

http://hoyas.ca/gal/gallery-a

And another shout-out for First Ray's. (I believe he's the guy who developed this method of semi-hydroponics?)

I'm new to hydroton (and new to hoyas, for that matter!) :) I've got six or so little guys in various stages of settling into s/h...but so far, the root systems in the new media look AWEsome. (I can't resist peeking, every so often! My boyfriend says I'm 'Devin-proofing' my plants.)

Incidentally, it's nice to finally meet you all! I've been religiously 'lurking' these forums for close to a year, but I'm new to posting!

-devin

Here is a link that might be useful: hoyas.ca

I keep water in the reservoir, which is why I don't have too many in pots that don't have the gauges. I like knowing when I need to add water. I think what makes this work so well is that even though your plant has constant access to water, it's wicking up through the clay pellets, but they also allow air around the roots, too. So it's not like they're sitting in water all the time, though you'll find that they will throw out some roots that go down into the water, too.

One observation I've made - late this winter, I chopped at my fungii and started about 5 large cuttings. One of the 5 I put in a hydroton pot with the leca stones. Of the 5, that's the only one that hasn't grown, but I have to say I think it looks the healthiest. It's hanging in my bedroom in a north window, which may be part of the reason it hasn't grown yet, but I have a feeling when it's ready to grow, it will be fantastic!

Denise in Omaha

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydroton pots & gauges

Oh, Denise, do you use those pots? They look really nice!

Kelly