Rinse the clay pellets under running tap water to remove any dust caused by shipping and handling. A good way to do this is to use your kitchen colander or strainer.

When the water runs clear - which signifies that the clay pellets are clean - soak the pellets overnight in water to saturate them.


THE NEXT DAY - THE CONVERSION

1. Remove the plant selected for conversion from its pot. If the plant does not slip out easily, squeeze the sides of the pot or use a knife or spoon to loosen the soil. (You will receive a difference of opinion on whether the soil should be moist or dry for the plant you’ve selected. Personally I ALWAYS let the soil dry out before I begin to convert but both methods will work)
   
   
2. As gently as possible, crumble away as much of the soil surrounding the root system as you can.
   
   
3. After having removed all loose dirt, rinse roots thoroughly under tepid running water to remove all remaining traces of soil. (Be gentle to the roots as you remove the excess soil)
   
   
4. Be sure that the roots are completely free of all traces of soil. Any soil left on the roots can lead to rot. If there are traces of soil that are too difficult to remove, you can use a soft toothbrush to scrub GENTLY or you can soak the root ball in tepid water for as long as needed – several hours or overnight.
   
   
5. After all soil has been cleaned away, remove dead or unhealthy roots. Prune back the roots, especially the longer ones (about 1/3), to encourage new growth. Your plant will grow new water roots and the soil roots will become of no use. ** Remember to keep the roots moist at all times while you are working on the conversion **
   
   
6. Your plant is now ready to be added to its new container. Add clay pellets at the bottom of the culture pot (or other container) - you will add as much as is needed depending on the depth of your pot and how tall your plant is. (Similar to the way you added a certain amount of soil at the bottom of your pot and placed your plant on top of it, you will do the same with the clay pellets)
   
   
7. Place the plant into the pot, spread the roots out across the clay pellets and slowly fill up the pot, adding clay pellets to within ¼” of the top of the pot; this will anchor the plant.
   
   
8. If you are using a glass container, you are only working with one pot. With a glass container, you will be able to see the water level as well as the roots. You will not require a water level indicator. Add water to right below the root level – usually 1 or 2 inches is sufficient. Add water when you see that the pot is almost empty. You need not worry about rushing to add water as the clay pebbles retain moisture for several days.
   
   
9. If you are using a culture pot, the water level indicator will be installed in the liner and this assembly will be placed inside an outer pot. Water until the indicator reads optimum and do not water again until the indicator reaches the minimum setting. Again, the clay pebbles retain moisture for several days so don’t worry if you don’t add water for a couple of days.
   
   

Your plant is now ready to go through its conversion. During the first month, your plant needs special nursing to assure a healthy and successful transition as well as to help it become accustomed to its new habitat. Until your plant grows water roots, it does not have the ability to pull up water adequately – the soil roots are more or less useless – and therefore it needs to have the humidity of the surrounding air increased.

There are several ways that you can aid in this process:

1. You can spray the plant several times a day with water to give it much needed moisture. ** Remember to spray during the early hours of the day, while there is daylight, to allow the leaves to dry and prevent growth of mildew **
   
   
2. You can place the entire pot on a large plate, platter, dish, etc, filled with water. The water will rise and surround the pot with humidity that will benefit the plant.
   
   
3. You can cover the plant with a clear plastic bag until it converts. Check regularly to make sure that no mold or mildew is developing and gradually tear holes in the bag until it is finally removed. This method will keep the humidity high.
   
   

• Wilting. Your plant will have a hard time drawing up water properly until its water roots are developed. Increase humidity to help your plant get the moisture it requires.
  
  
• Leaf shedding. Don’t be alarmed if your plant sheds some leaves.
  
  
• Yellowing leaves. Some plants don’t shed leaves right away; the process is gradual. Remove dying leaves promptly.
  
  

It sounds like a long and complicated process but it is relatively simple. I have converted dozens of plants and I have to admit that each conversion has been relatively painless. Although I will recommend the standard timeframe for the conversion – about 12 weeks – you will run across the tougher plants that will jump on the hydroculture bandwagon before you can say “is it time to water yet?”

Regardless of their conversion style, there is one thing that all my plants now in hydroculture have in common – they LOVE this system!


Visit Converting Plants To Hydroculture for a more detailed article that includes photos.