Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care · Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness

Leca vs Pon: Which Is Better for Indoor Plants? Best of Growing Joy Replay

March 19, 2026·49 min·3 clips

Kay says she root-prunes Monsteras with a sterilized knife and has even gotten “so many haters” for it.

1. Growing Joy with Plants revisits passive hydroponics, also called semi-hydro or passive hydro, with a focus on indoor plant care and soil-free growing. 2. Maria speaks with Kay from In Rooted Love, a returning guest whose last conversation aired in October 2019 and whose update she calls “Passive Hydro 2.0.” 3. The episode asks what passive hydro is for, and Kay frames it as a low-maintenance way to grow plants without hauling watering cans or dealing with soil. 4. Kay says her household collection may be over 300 plants, including more than 50 Hoyas on one wall in three-inch pots. 5. Maria describes her own experiment after the first interview, including transferring an orchid and a pilea into semi-hydro within 12 hours of getting home. 6. Kay defines passive hydro as a form of hydroponic growing that uses no pump and relies on porous, inert, inorganic media. 7. She explains that water and nutrients move from the reservoir to the roots through capillary action. 8. Maria and Kay connect the method to people who travel, forget watering schedules, or want a simpler plant routine. 9. Kay says her day-to-day care is “super chill,” with top-offs, plus quarterly and semi-annual maintenance. 10. The conversation gets specific about root growth, especially when net pots fill with roots and plants become larger. 11. Kay says pileas should usually be moved up by placing the whole net pot into a larger one and filling the space with more LECA. 12. For orchids, she says not to disturb the roots if they can be lifted carefully and repotted with the LECA still attached. 13. For Monsteras and other aroids, Kay says she is “ruthless” and uses a sterilized knife to slice off excess roots that are sticking out. 14. She says she posted that pruning process and received “so many haters,” but she believes the root zone benefits from more breathing space. 15. Maria asks about roots sitting in the reservoir, and Kay says it is fine only when the plant gets enough light. 16. Kay warns that roots in stagnant water can rot if a plant is moved into a dark corner with insufficient light. 17. Maria and Kay discuss reservoir management, including keeping about one-third of the LECA submerged and avoiding overfilling. 18. Kay recommends regular flushing and cleaning because algae, salts, bacteria, and fungal issues can build up in reservoirs over time. 19. The tone is practical, conversational, and troubleshooting-oriented, with Maria asking listener questions and Kay answering from experience. 20. Listeners who want LECA, PON, and orchid troubleshooting will get the most from it, while people wanting only basic houseplant tips may skip it.

As heard by us

A calm, practical take on plant conversion, root health, and light.

The episode presents plant care as a steady, no-fuss process, centered on moving a plant, keeping roots healthy, and helping it settle after the change.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If you are refreshing your space for spring, this gives you the practical plant-parent version.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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