Can you mix lechuza pon with soil

You might remember that I started transitioning some of my plants to pon this year, but what you might not know is how long it took me to reach this decision. I was worried about the transition period and cost, but after many hours of heavy internet research I made the jump.

Here’s my journey.

What is pon?

Pon is an inorganic plant substrate made by Lechuza. The reasons I like pon it’s because:

• Fungi can’t grow on it
• Pests can’t grow and multiply in it
• Stabilises the PH balance
• Works for all plants!
• And you can use it forever ... well, not forever forever ... but you don’t need to change it for few years.

For all the scientist out there pon consists of zeolites, pumice, light lava and slow release fertiliser.

Why Pon?

The main reason I wanted to try out pon with my plants was because I live in a very warm flat and the soil in pots is drying super fast. And if you have hundreds of plants like I have, you know how long it takes to water them. Pon remains moist for a long period of time and my tropical plants love it!

Transitioning to Pon

Now let’s talk transitioning. I was worried initially about the transition process so I started small and careful and succeeded, and have 0 casualties!

My first plants to transition were few Hoyas, few Philodendrons, Alocasia, and Anthurium. Here’s my step by step advice for moving plants to pon:

1. I start by removing the plants from their pots and gently cleaning as much dirt as I could from their roots. You don’t have to have them squeaky clean so I don’t spend a huge amount of time on this, but I do take this opportunity to check the roots and make sure they’re healthy.
2. Once this bit was done I start placing some pon in the planter so that the roots rest on it. And then start adding more until the roots are covered and the plant is secured. Pretty easy and straightforward.
   
3. Next steps is watering your newly potted plant. If you are using self-watering pots like the Lechuz ones I have, don’t fill the reservoir in the first couple of weeks. Just water like you’d normally do. This is because the roots of the plant need to grow into the reservoir. You can tell when it’s time to water your plant because the pon will slightly change the colour but you can also test the moisture in the pon with your fingers just like you’d do with soil.
4. After a few weeks have passed you can test if your plant is ready to start using the water reservoir by filling it half way through, and check if the water is being absorbed in the next few days. This is your indicator that your good to go. At which point please fill the water reservoir to Max.
5. One other thing to keep in mind is that pon will be moist even after your reservoir has been emptied and you shouldn’t top it up straight away. A ‘dry phase’ is recommended. This depends on your plant, environment etc but it should be between 2-10 days.

I also have few plants in pon in regular nursery pots (it is not necessary to use self-watering pots with pon). For these I water them normally like I would do with soil.

Pro tips

Once you’ve transitioned your plants keep an eye on them for any changes. Not all plants will be happy in pon straight away. It might take some time to adjust.

I transitioned quite a few plants, luckily without any issues and I think I’m going to transition to Pon my big tropical plants.

Hope this helped, and answered some of your questions about pon. Please let me know if you have any other questions in the comments below.

Since getting a puppy, I have been putting off plant care and repotting for a while. Now that my shiba, Yuki, can finally chill, I got some repotting done! In this blog post, I will explain what Lechuza Pon is, discuss  its pros and cons, and how I convert my plants to pon.

Note: This approach is just what has worked for me on the plants I have converted so far. There are many approaches to converting to pon, no one right approach. I have figured out what works best for me by experimenting and learning some hard lessons aka killing some plants 😀! Hopefully this will work for you too! Thank you for reading.

What is Lechuza Pon?

Lechuza Pon is a soil-free mineral-based substrate comprised zeolite, pumice, lava rock, and slow-released fertilizer. Pon can be used in place of soil for most plants.

What are the benefits of these minerals?

• Zeolite: absorbs & holds water and nutrients
• Pumice: moisture regulation & aeration
• Lava rock: porous for good drainage

Pros of Lechuza Pon:

• Soil-free
• Works with most plants
• Good aeration for robust root growth
• Can be re-used for years
• Contains fertilizer for up to 6 months
• Continuous capillary action so water is drawn upwards

Cons of Lechuza Pon:

• Not cheap - 6L for $18.99, 12L for $34.99, 18L for $47.99
• ALWAYS SOLD OUT (Sign up for restock notifications on their website)
• Can still get pests

What plants work well in pon?

• Hoyas
• Aroids (alocasias, anthurium, philodendrons, etc.,)
• Begonias
• Calatheas (I haven't personally tried but have seen some success stories with calathea white fusion)

How to convert a plant to pon:

Preparation step: Water plant before conversion!

Converting a plant to another media can be stressful so it is not the best idea to transfer a plant that is already suffering. I always thoroughly water the plant in it's current media BEFORE transferring it.

I will water the plant using the shower method in its existing media to start.

Step 1: Clean the roots!

I will be converting this scindapsus pictus 'jade satin' commonly known as jade satin pothos to Lechuza Pon. She has been potted in New Zealand sphagnum moss for over a year now, well over due for a repotting. As you can see, the root system has grown pretty extensively in the sphagnum moss.

Removing the roots from the moss isn't the nightmare it seems, here are some tips to make it easier:

• Wet the moss! It's much easier to remove roots from wet vs. dry moss.
• Soak the moss in a bowl of water for 5-10 minutes, moss should become loose.
• Be patient! Gently massage the roots and take your time.
• Forgive yourself for the inevitable broken roots!

Frequently asked questions:

What about transferring a plant from soil or LECA? Same concept, just make sure you clean the roots of as much soil as possible. Step 4 is the most pertinent step to avoid root rot.

Should you re-root a plant when you're converting it to pon? Yes, you can if you want to, but I have successfully transferred many plants from moss and soil to pon this way. The most important step to ensure a smooth transition is Step 4: Do not water for 2 weeks after repotting!

Do I have to root a cutting in pon or can I just transfer a plant from soil? Both can be done, depends on your comfort level. I have rooted cuttings and transferred full plants from moss and soil to pon. The most important thing to ensure a smooth conversion to pon is to once again, abide by Step 4: Do not water for 2 weeks after repotting! This means do not fill the reservoir with water, do not get the pon wet. This allows the roots to acclimate to the new media.

Reservoir or not? I prefer using a reservoir with an inner pot that I can flush out every now and then. I find it very difficult to flush out pots without holes as I always dump out some pon as well. Typically, I will use self-watering pots either purchased or DIY with an inner pot and an outer reservoir with wicks.

Step 2: Dry sift the pon (Optional step)

While you have been handling the pon, you've probably noticed it's quite dusty. This step is optional as Lechuza doesn't recommend cleaning before potting. You can dry sift the pon with a fine sieve.

I do not recommend rinsing with water and potting without letting the pon dry. I have tried this before and unfortunately got root rot quite quickly. If you wish to rinse with water, give adequate time for the pon to dry off before using.

Step 3: Choose pot

I prefer using transparent plant pots because I can monitor the root growth. Today, I used a take-out soup container which fit perfectly in my planter. I always save these containers as they make great pots. I just add drainage with a soldering iron by adding holes in the bottom and sides of the container.

Step 3.5: Add plant and fill pot with pon

• Add some pon to the bottom of the pot, enough to cover the bottom. (If the holes are too big
• Place plant into the pot.
• Fill pot with pon.

Step 4: Do not water for at least 1 week!

Most important step is to NOT water the plant for 1 week (with some plants I have waited 2 weeks). During this period, the plant becomes acclimated to the pon, watering right away will increase the likelihood of root rot. Trust me, I have learned the hard way 😥 RIP 3 leaves of my Thai constellation monstera (I was able to save it from root rot).

After 1-2 weeks have passed, add water to the reservoir. Refill the reservoir whenever you notice it empty.

Can you use soil in LECHUZA?

What is pon soil mix?

Do you need to fertilize plants in pon?

How do you transition from soil to pon?