All Plantclub plants aren't potted like any average houseplant. With our use of semi-hydroponics and mineral substrate, maintenance and watering looks a little different. Before you pick up that watering can, here's everything you need to know about how we take care of your greenery.
Watering and overwatering
For some species, signs of overwatering appear as droopy, yellow or brown leaves and soft or unstable stems. Underwatered plants develop dry, crunchy, wilting leaves sometimes with brown tips or leaf curling. Plantclub plants are potted using more self-sustaining methods, which means they need much less water than usual. Inorganic substrate and water level indicators make up our semi-hydroponic system.
What is semi-hydroponics?
Semi-hydroponics, distinct from hydroponics which eliminates soil entirely, uses inorganic potting materials that simplify plant care by reducing watering frequency. Unlike traditional potted plants that use soil or peat moss, controversial due to its environmental impact | Plantclub's method involves placing the plant and potting material in an inner liner inside an outer pot. Water is gradually released by the mineral substrate, monitored by a water level indicator. To avoid waterlogging, the indicator should show 'minimum'.
Our substrate mix
At Plantclub we use a carefully curated inorganic volcanic-based mineral mix of zeolites, pumice, and lava. No peat is involved in the potting of our plants. These mineral substrates can hold three times as much water as normal soil and provide benefits including excess nutrient storage, pH stabilisation, odour and fungus prevention, and better conditions for root growth.
The benefits
Plants from Plantclub require a lot less water than you may be used to and are generally more self-sustaining than regular houseplants. There are also the added benefits of fewer pests and a substrate that is longer-lasting than regular soil, meaning a lot more time before you need to repot. Less water and no peat also means more environmentally friendly plants.