Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care · February 12, 2026 · 45 min
Hydroponic Growing for Indoor Plants: A Beginner’s Guide for Plant Parents
Have you ever been scrolling Instagram before and seen a picture where it looks like plants are planted in Cocoa Puffs, like little brown balls, or gravel? Maybe as you've been scrolling, you've seen the words semi-hydroponics, passive hydroponics, or LECA. Well, today’s episode is a deep dive into the art of growing plants hydroponically, but specifically through semi-hydroponics, a popular soil-free growing method that uses an inorganic growing medium instead of traditional potting mix. We'll dive into what that means in the episode. This is a way-back conversation with Kay from @inrootedlove as part of the best of Growing Joy series because more and more plant parents are becoming curious about hydroponic growing for their houseplants, and I thought this would be a really interesting discussion to revisit for anyone considering their own transition away from soil. I’ll also share a little bit about my personal experience growing in LECA at the end of this episode. It’s been several years since I recorded this interview, and I’ve had a long semi-hydroponics journey since then, so I’ll give you an honest update before we wrap. In this episode, we learn: What is “semi-hydro” aka “passive hydroponics”? How Kay became the LECA Plant Lady she is today How Semi-Hydro works What are LECA balls What materials do you need to have a LECA setup? How does a beginner make their first LECA setup How expensive is this hobby? How to fertilize What products Kay uses in her home Pest management for a semi-hydro setup Mentioned in our conversation: “Passive or Semi-Hydro” Amazon Store YouTube: First Time "Semi" or "Passive" Hydroponic Set Up for Houseplants! Are you curious if semi-hydro (aka passive hydroponics) could simplify your plant care routine? Check out the full show notes and blog for a beginner-friendly breakdown of LECA, reservoirs, and more! Follow Kay Instagram Facebook Threads Amazon Follow Maria and Growing Joy: Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here ! Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle) Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon ! Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.