1st Coco grow............Advice

Hi guys, after some thought i have decided to try a coco grow. I have read numerous threads on various forums and have a fair idea of how to proceed but like most things, there is a difference of opinions lol.

No doubt i will be looking for more advice down the line a bit, but in the meantime perhaps someone can give me a couple of answers.

My normal method is from seed into Root riot cubes as soon as i have tap root. I have done this yesterday.


1) If i go with Coco for this grow, can i just put the cube into the coco as i would for soil

2) Using Canna Coco pro, would i need to feed at the time of transplant, or allow the roots from the cube a bit of time.

3) The fact the root cubes retain water well, is it advisable, initially, to avoid watering the cube and only water the Coco around it (water = feed)

4) 100% coco or 75/25 mix ?

Any advice appreciated or better still if someone would care to advise their step by step from the point of root cube transplant to a week in Coco.

Thanks.

1. yes
2. now, drench it so you get about 20% run off
3. water the whole thing as if it's all coco... root riots don't hold water nearly as well as something like rockwool.

100% coco or mix with perlite ?

Is there any problem potting "up" with Coco as opposed to soil with it not being so compact ? (does it hold together)
With soil, i plant my root riot cubes into a 4" pot then into a 5lt pot before the final 12lt one
Having read that Coco doesn't need as much pot, do you think going from the 4" pot to a 7.5lt ones that i have would be enough ?

you can mix with perlite if you want, some do some dont. I wouldnt go over 50/50 mix though.

With coco you probably wont need more than 3-4ltr pots. If you havent already, read this: http://forum.grasscity.com/coco-coir/620656-askeds-coco-guide.html

also this thread is pretty cool, its about using the KISS method with feeding: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=191645&page=5

I go right from my aero cloner or rapid rooters (same as your cubes, peat) into a one gallon pot for a couple weeks so the root system is pretty established in the one gallon, some circling happening nice rootball then water the shit out of it before transplant till you have some runoff, transplant into five gallons and another week or two to 12/12+hps. I use one of those one gallon pots full of perlite for one bag of atami coco which is 40L I used to use way more but a little perlite is good and it will extend the 20+ dollar bag of coco a little farther. I wouldnt worry about feeding directly onto the plug just make sure it dosent get exposed to the air love coco performs great, reusable acts kinda like hydro kinda like soil

sdf said:

you can mix with perlite if you want, some do some dont. I wouldnt go over 50/50 mix though.

With coco you probably wont need more than 3-4ltr pots. If you havent already, read this: http://forum.grasscity.com/coco-coir/620656-askeds-coco-guide.html

also this thread is pretty cool, its about using the KISS method with feeding: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=191645&page=5

Click to expand...

Thanks, will check those links.

antimatt3r said:

I go right from my aero cloner or rapid rooters (same as your cubes, peat) into a one gallon pot for a couple weeks so the root system is pretty established in the one gallon, some circling happening nice rootball then water the shit out of it before transplant till you have some runoff, transplant into five gallons and another week or two to 12/12+hps. I use one of those one gallon pots full of perlite for one bag of atami coco which is 40L I used to use way more but a little perlite is good and it will extend the 20+ dollar bag of coco a little farther. I wouldnt worry about feeding directly onto the plug just make sure it dosent get exposed to the air love coco performs great, reusable acts kinda like hydro kinda like soil

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. That appears to be about 10% perlite by all accounts.
Don't want to buy more pots. The ones i have are approx 3/4 L (750ml) 5.5L 7.5L and 12L The 12L are ideal for my set up as a final pot (soil) but led to believe smaller would by ok for Coco
Judging from where you transplant, i would probably be ok going cube to 750ml then on to the 7.5L

3 gallon is the MINIMUM I would flower with

If using a 3 gallon pot, roughly how much water would each pot require including run off. Obviously only an estimate.
Trying to see if it is feasable as to being able to supply vast quantity on a daily basis

About 2.5L of feed which should give you around 400ml runoff.

I grow in coco. 80/20 coco perlite.

I feed every time. Never use plain water.


I generally grow 4x2ft tall plants with a 400w hps in 11L pots.


Last harvest 427g. Harvest before that 439g.


Link in my signature explaining everything I do from EC testing to pH values.



J

jondamon said:

About 2.5L of feed which should give you around 400ml runoff.

I grow in coco. 80/20 coco perlite.

I feed every time. Never use plain water.


I generally grow 4x2ft tall plants with a 400w hps in 11L pots.


Last harvest 427g. Harvest before that 439g.


Link in my signature explaining everything I do from EC testing to pH values.



J

Click to expand...

J, thanks for the info and the link. just finished reading along with one of your other grows. Well impressed, you obviously have a handle on these Coco grows.
Have a couple of basic questions i would like to run by you if you don't mind. Will put something together by PM in next day or so if thats ok.

Happy Haze said:

J, thanks for the info and the link. just finished reading along with one of your other grows. Well impressed, you obviously have a handle on these Coco grows.
Have a couple of basic questions i would like to run by you if you don't mind. Will put something together by PM in next day or so if thats ok.

Click to expand...

Sure no problem.


PM when ready.



J

jondamon said:

Sure no problem.


PM when ready.




J

Click to expand...

I will when you clear your inbox LOL

Happy Haze said:

I will when you clear your inbox LOL

Click to expand...

So sorry. Hadn't realised it was full.

Clear now !


Just shows how many pm's I get lol.



J

One piece of advice I would give is that you should never let the coco dry out, if you water it like its soil they will grow like in soil. Keep it nice and moist not soaked! That will give you explosive growth like in hydro

I plant my seed or clone straight into a coco filled jiffy pot [little pot made out of compressed coco that the roots will eventually grow through] & when ready the whole jiffy pot is planted into a 5 gallon pot. My success rate soared when I got a heat mat for the clones as I usually grow in the cooler months only.
To water/feed 4 pots usually takes about 12 litres until I see run-off. I water when the top of the pot is starting to dry.

3 gallon pots would be capable of growing monster plants with coco. I wouldnt go that high unless you were planning on growing huge plants. It is a waste of coco and can lead to problems with saturated medium and stunt root growth esp if using multiple feedings per day.