From soil to Coco...

[Sleepybud]

I have a question, but let me give a little background first. I've been growing indoors, in soil(FFOF/ProMix in 3-4 gallon pots) for about 2 years and have dealt with the bugs and issues, but have done pretty well, with help from here and there. I have used Fox Farm liquid and dry nutrients and followed their(FF) "soil feeding schedule", pretty much to the tee.
A good friend bought me some supplies: 10 gal soft sided(w/handles) grow bags, and built mechanics, creeper-like frames with wheels, 4"(the opening) steel caging and drainage... I, also, bought 4 bags of Coco to use for growing medium.

My question: Can I still feed my plants the same nutrients?

Please expound on any answers, as I would appreciate the depth of your replies!

Thank you.

 

[kali kid greenthumb]

The ratios might be different but i don't see why not coco is in some ways hydro because its doesn't hold the nutrients like soil its under the soiless category you can say .Depending on how your environment is you can be feeding once to twice in veg and 2-3 a day in flower for sure, some key things to note for coco is Cal-mg is a must at least 5ml/gal and if you add perlite at a 80%coco 20%perlite you get much better oxygen to roots as well as good drainage. Remember there is basically nothing in coco so you have be the one adding everything the plant needs even down to the microbes if you really want a happy garden. Im sure there will be more advice someone else will chime in but ask away if you need more elaboration on my advice. Once you go coco soil just seems so loco or once you go coco soil is a no no hahaha

 

[Figgy]

^^^^ This. The switch will make growing so much easier.

 

[Sleepybud]

Thanks, but again, can I use the same nutrients as I do with soil?

Also, I have no idea what Cal-mg is. Is this the nutrients I'll need?

Please talk to me like a kindergarten kid, as I only know about what I've used and have no clue about this stuff.

Thanks again!

 

[ghb]

soil nutes in coco is not ideal but the plant should still grow.

i think you should buy canna coco nutes, i use them and they make everything really easy.

 

[Sleepybud]

See? This is what I was afraid of. I have quite a bit of money into this soil thing and don't want my plants to simply, "still grow". I want them to thrive and give me much more than a marginal difference in yield. I'm going from 3-4 gal pots to 10 gal bags. I want to see more than 3x the yields, I've been getting, or it's not worth the extra money(thinking that these nutes will cost me considerably)! I'm in a bad place, financially, but if the canna coco nutes are relatively inexpensive, I might be able to pull it off. Please tell me what it would cost(approx) to get me started.

Thanks again!

 

[ghb]

well i'm assuming you have all the grow equipment from the soil grow and i know you have the coco and the pots so all you need is the A+B and you are good to go.

if you are tight for money i would keep it at just a+b for now, get a feel for coco growing then maybe look at investing more on the next grow.

i pay £50 ($85ish) for a 10l a+b which will help produce around 10lb you cana add boosters, ph pen, ec meter, ph down, rhizotonic, zym etc for around another few hundred but you should still be able to get results without these.

 

[Sleepybud]

ghb! Man, thanks! Yes, I guess I do have more than I thought!

Plus, I do have a pH meter and buttloads of pH up & down. A question here: How do I test pH in coco?

I, also have this bottle of stuff called "Clear Rez(hypochlorous Acid .028%), and a 4oz container of "Great White"(mycorrhizae). Does this help?

Again, thank you very much!

 

[ghb]

ghb! Man, thanks! Yes, I guess I do have more than I thought!

Plus, I do have a pH meter and buttloads of pH up & down. A question here: How do I test pH in coco?

I, also have this bottle of stuff called "Clear Rez(hypochlorous Acid .028%), and a 4oz container of "Great White"(mycorrhizae). Does this help?

Again, thank you very much!

you don't test the ph in coco you mix up your feed in a res and test that before it goes in. you should be in the 5.5-6.3 range with 5.8 being the sweet spot on most strains. usually adding base nutrients to decent quality tap water will bring the ph to within the acceptable range. i have never need a bottle of ph up, only down.

i wouldn't see a need for using clear rez, that is more for hydro systems or if you have mixed up nutes for extended periods.

as for the great white you would use it exactly the same as you would with soil, i use a similar product and i think it works as is intended, i have heard many say otherwise but i do what makes me happy.

 

[Thc247]

I have a question, but let me give a little background first. I've been growing indoors, in soil(FFOF/ProMix in 3-4 gallon pots) for about 2 years and have dealt with the bugs and issues, but have done pretty well, with help from here and there. I have used Fox Farm liquid and dry nutrients and followed their(FF) "soil feeding schedule", pretty much to the tee.
A good friend bought me some supplies: 10 gal soft sided(w/handles) grow bags, and built mechanics, creeper-like frames with wheels, 4"(the opening) steel caging and drainage... I, also, bought 4 bags of Coco to use for growing medium.

My question: Can I still feed my plants the same nutrients?

Please expound on any answers, as I would appreciate the depth of your replies!

Thank you.

as said already there is dif nutes to diff medium a+b or as said by ghb i would use canna mate 100 % but if u using those soil nutes in coco cant see it thriving more like just excisting

 

[Figgy]

I'm using Jacks Citrus FeED. Cheap, and works like a damn champ! That, some cal/mag, and a ph pen is all you really need. I hear lots of good stuff from the canna nutes too.

 

[Sleepybud]

Thanks again! ghb, so I test the pH of the nutrient mixture. Isn't this very much like hydro(not that I've ever done it)? And I should get the A & B Canna stuff? What about other nutes? What would it cost to buy the full array of stuff I need to have big poppin' girls(approx, of course)?

Thc247, What is canna mate 100%? Please expound on your replies, as I don't know anything about this and you seem to be talking in abbreviations that I don't understand(again, talk to me like a kindergartener).

Figgy, I like the sound of "cheap", as long as I'm not skimping on my girls. Also, please expound a little about Jacks Citrus FeED and cal/mag.. And, I am so looking forward to this being common knowledge AND easy(once I get it down, I think I'll survive)!

Thanks again, Gents!!

 

[ghb]

canna is the company, they are dutch and have been making "cannabis specific" nutes for decades, though they don't admit it is for growing weed with, it's all in the name really.

they make a coco specific formula that is for use in coco which is a relatively sterile medium ( it contains no minerals for the plants to feed on). you add nutrients every time you water, at varying strengths depending on the maturity of the plant. it comes in two bottles called A+B and you have to mix them separately in to your water, this is all you really need so long as you have decent tap water, anything else is a luxury.

coco is the same as hydroponics in the sense that everything the plants eat is administered by you, you know exactly what the plants are getting and have more control in general than a soil grow. i have grown in coco for over 5 years and i think it is the best way to grow high quality weed with minimal effort.

like i mentioned earlier you can sometimes run into hundreds when you start adding all the fancy extras, for a first grow in coco i would just keep it simple.