Nora Mutalima: The Leca Queen

6 yrs growing indoor plants

5 yrs growing in semi-hydroponics using leca

5 yrs using GT products

Plants have always been part of my life. I’ve dipped in and out of growing plants indoors and outdoors over the years as I went through different life phases. My latest indoor plant phase has lasted the longest and started in earnest about nine years ago when we finished building our new house.

During COVID, my plants flourished because I had all the time I needed to care for them. When the world opened back up and I got busier, I started having trouble keeping up with watering. That’s when I stumbled across semi-hydroponics and everything changed.

Semi-hydroponics allowed me the space and time I needed to grow my plants with less stress than soil. Searching for an answer to “Can a ZZ plant grow in leca?” I found there was very little reliable information about growing in semi-hydroponics, so I decided I would be the person to experiment and share what I discovered.

The key breakthrough came when I realised the question is not “Can a plant grow in leca?” but “What conditions do I need to provide for this plant to thrive in leca?”

The biggest challenge for anyone getting into semi-hydro is accepting the fact that you don’t need potting mix to grow plants. It also surprises people when they realise that with constant access to water in a wick or submerged setup, roots are far less likely to rot. Bridging that mental shift is where the real work begins, finding suitable pots for semi-hydro runs a close second.

I discovered Growth Technology products through Instagram, where they were consistently recommended and highly regarded, so I decided to give them a try.

I started using GT Foliage Focus when I was still growing plants in soil. When I transitioned to leca, it was a seamless shift because I could continue using Foliage Focus. It is the primary nutrient I use to feed all my plants, without exception.

My world famous ‘Special Sauce’ combines GT Clonex Clone Solution (CCS) and GT Rootzone to promote root growth and support plants during soil-to-semi-hydro transitions. Together CCS and Rootzone take the stress out of transitioning plants into semi-hydro, reducing transplant shock and helping roots establish quickly.

I also keep GT Clonex Rooting Gel Purple on hand at all times for air layering and general propagation.

With Foliage Focus, it really is in the name. My plant leaves are sublime.

My growing space is very different from what it was a few years ago. I’ve shifted from collector to educator, and that role now shapes everything I do. I only buy a plant if it will serve a purpose or I’m trying to teach a specific concept.

I do have some favourites that have been with me for years though: my Hoyas, my big Monsteras, my spider plant, my Calathea orbifolia, Bird of Paradise, and Fiddle Leaf Fig. These are everyday plants thriving in leca that show how plants can mature in semi-hydro.

I share my journey online on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads, helping expand the semi-hydro conversation. If you think you can’t grow plants, semi-hydro might be the method that changes your mind.

“You can grow beautiful plants.”

Nora Mutalima
@thelecaqueen
Educator, Author, Collector, Content Creator
Member, Aroid Society of Australia
Melbourne, Australia

Plant Parenting for Busy People – Affirm Press 2025