Leca/ Hydrocorn
Leca is used to help water to drain around the roots to aerate them. By leaving the pellets whole, you create tiny pockets of air. They also absorb water, so they can help retain moisture, without having your plant sitting in the water, which can cause root rot.
Leca can be mixed with soil or as a standalone medium.
When searching for information on this subject, you will find there are several names it goes by: expanded clay pebbles, leca clay, and clay balls are all examples. It is made by heating clay to over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit using a rotary kiln, which gives it that signature pebbly form. This process fills the clay with little air bubbles, making it perfect for holding oxygen as well as moisture around plant roots. It can be mixed with soil or used alone.
So why use Leca/ Hydrocorn?
These porous pebbles absorb moisture and allow for fantastic drainage of water from the roots of the plant. Not only do they absorb moisture, they’ll absorb any nutrient solution you choose to add.
They can last a long time, just wash and reuse as many times as you need. You don’t have to worry about losing nutrients through numerous washes because there aren’t any to begin with. If they lose their usefulness, you can add them to the soil of your outdoor gardens to increase aeration and organic content.
They’re pH neutral and rather inhospitable to bugs.
You can crush them to increase water retention for use in the germination stage of growing.
How to use
Rinse the pebbles thoroughly before using, skimping on this step may lead to more expensive problems down the road. Take the time to do it thoroughly from the very get-go. You’ll be glad you did.
Soak the pebbles for at least six hours or, even better, up to 24 hours. Yes, the medium will be heavier but your plants won’t have to work hard to get to the water they so desperately crave.
Remove the plants and rinse occasionally. While these clay pellets are known for their neutral pH and lack of nutrients, they can still absorb and hold onto the nutrients you add along the journey. After time, phytotoxicity can build up and starve the plants. Watch for any whitish residue on the top and rinse the plant and pebbles with a pH-adjusted liquid. You can also leach the system with the liquid.
Add a small amount of nutrients after rinsing your pebbles. You can use one-quarter strength of your base grow nutrient.
Delivery time frame for Sydney:
We deliver by hand across Sydney every Monday and Friday. Cut off for next day delivery is 5:00pm.
Your delivery will arrive within 2-4 business days after the order is placed.
Once your order is ready for delivery you will receive a notification via your chosen contact method, you will receive a notification to advise of estimated delivery timeframe and again once our delivery team is nearby. You will get a tracking number for all orders.
Fees schedule:
| DELIVERY OPTION | SPEND | PRICE | DISTNACE | SAME DAY |
| Local delivery | below $120 | $15 | up to 5km | ❌ |
| Inner Sydney delivery | below $120 | $20 | up to 10km | ❌ |
| Sydney delivery | below $120 | $30 | up to 12km | ❌ |
| Free Sydney metro delivery | $120+ | free | up to 12km | ❌ |
| Free Sydney metro delivery | $300+ | free | up to 20km | ❌ |
A redelivery fee of $15.00 applies for deliveries scheduled and attempt was made to deliver and delivery was unable to be made.
(it is your responsibility to leave clear instructions for our drivers if you have any special requirements)
If you have specific delivery requirements please advise us, if you don’t advise us and no one is home and it is safe to do so your order will be left in a safe place, if it is unsafe your order will be returned to our Newtown Studio.
Please note: Sydney locations are determined as locations within a 25km radius of our store.
Courier Service
Shipping to states including NSW and Sydney is available except for NT, WA & TAS as these states have quarantine laws that don't allow us to directly ship there.
We now offer free National Shipping via Courier for orders over $120, capped at $25, total order must reach $120 to be eligible.
We do not offer express shipping at this time.
Please note due to the nature of sending live plants, pots & plant care some items may not be available for shipping due to size and weight, if an item appears unavailable on the website this indicates that unfortunately this isn't available for shipping.
Plant Daddy has partnered with Auspost & Sendle to have your plants, pots and plant care delivered to you on time, safe and secure. Once your order has been placed and confirmed you will receive confirmation once your order is ready for shipping. Generally once you place an order it is shipped within 2-4 days.
Please be patient as we are a small business we pack and send to you directly.
We send parcels via courier service MONDAY - WEDNESDAY to limit the amount of time your plants will spend inside a box during transit orders placed over the weekend will be sent Monday.
It is your responsibly to read and understand our policy, we cannot be held responsible for delays to shipping.
Any claims made for orders via courier will be reviewed with the help of courier partners however fee's for shipping via courier cannot be refunded.
If you have not left clear instructions or permission to leave the parcel it may be returned for re-delivery, please note we are not responsible for this or will be held liable- we will help as best we can.
If you have specific requests please contact us directly before placing an order.
Once you've placed an order you will receive a confirmation email of your purchase. If for some reason you don't receive a confirmation please email hello@plantdaddy.com.au
All customers will be issued with a tax invoice.
The Plant Daddy journey began as a single Philodendron Rojo Congo in an up-cycled pot and has taken us from Newtown Markets to Manly, Moore Park and Summer Hill.
In 2020 our first store opened in Newtown just steps away from where it all started! We're located on Australia Street surrounded by some amazing food and drinks spots and other quirky stores all run by locals for locals!
The studio is an enchanting haven where your indoor botanical fantasies come alive, as we constantly refresh and replenish our sanctuary with the latest seasonal plant trends, elegant styling decor, and nurturing guidance to ensure your plants flourish
Our goal is to provide our customers with an ever-changing selection of beautiful, hand-selected indoor plants, accessories, styling and plant care with our warm and knowledgeable advice.
Our customers and community are at the core of what we do and we're here to help you bring the outdoors in.