Coco

[Greenhouse;save]

Ok guys so I've been asking on here as to wot is the best way to treat coco......some peeps say feed and water every day(treat it like hydro)and some say feed as the plant requires it.... also as far as feeding goes would u give it at the recommend manufacturers designated dose..... or...... as done in soil mostly do u give just half......nuits r canna A+B,cannazym,canna boost,,Buddha's tree 9/18 and cal/mag given at 3/4 of manufacturers stated dose........any help would be gratefully appreciated. ........cheers......

 

[ThcGuy]

It depends how you are using the coco. I'm using it in hempy pots and the coco never gets watered, ever. I have tubes in my pots to bypass the coco and send nutrient to the roots directly. If I was in pure coco or a coco/perlite mix in regular pots, I would water when the top couple inches dry out completely as this stimulates the roots to grow in search of water. Just make sure you rinse out your coco well before you use it or the ocean salts will kill anything planted in it or buy pre-washed coco, my coco had over 2500ppm of salts in it when I rehydrated it.

As for the nutrients, use a ppm pen and start very low for seedlings or young clones, like 100ppm for the first couple waterings and then bump it up to 300ppm and then 500ppm on the next waterings and just keep bumping up the level until you reach the desired level of nutrient. Just try to follow the manufacturers ratios for their nutrients for example my nutrients says to add 5ml/gallon of grow, micro, magnifical, and velo kelp but I went with 2ml of each to get the lower ppm dose but balanced nutrient for my young plants. I've never done the 1/4 dose or 1/2 dose thing as I want to know exactly how strong my nutrient is and a ppm pen will tell you exactly that.

 

[Greenhouse;save]

It depends how you are using the coco. I'm using it in hempy pots and the coco never gets watered, ever. I have tubes in my pots to bypass the coco and send nutrient to the roots directly. If I was in pure coco or a coco/perlite mix in regular pots, I would water when the top couple inches dry out completely as this stimulates the roots to grow in search of water. Just make sure you rinse out your coco well before you use it or the ocean salts will kill anything planted in it or buy pre-washed coco, my coco had over 2500ppm of salts in it when I rehydrated it.

As for the nutrients, use a ppm pen and start very low for seedlings or young clones, like 100ppm for the first couple waterings and then bump it up to 300ppm and then 500ppm on the next waterings and just keep bumping up the level until you reach the desired level of nutrient. Just try to follow the manufacturers ratios for their nutrients for example my nutrients says to add 5ml/gallon of grow, micro, magnifical, and velo kelp but I went with 2ml of each to get the lower ppm dose but balanced nutrient for my young plants. I've never done the 1/4 dose or 1/2 dose thing as I want to know exactly how strong my nutrient is and a ppm pen will tell you exactly that.

This is EXACTLY the way I would like to do it......but......outher coco guys r saying NO feed/water every day even if the coco is saturated. ......

 

[ThcGuy]

This is EXACTLY the way I would like to do it......but......outher coco guys r saying NO feed/water every day even if the coco is saturated. ......

The only reason I water everyday is to add more oxygen to my reservoir and keep my roots submerged but I am in hempy buckets and I'm not watering the coco. If you are growing in regular pots then water only when they need it. Some of those guys that water everyday might be in smaller pots or have big plants that require daily watering. Another reason for daily watering could be that some people are mixing large amounts of perlite with their coco, this would require daily waterings. All that being said coco on its own can hold a lot of water and you could potentially over water your plants with daily watering especially if your pots are saturated and you keep watering or you have small plants in big pots. It all comes down to how you are using your coco.

Just use your gut feeling. If it looks and feels wet, it probably doesn't need water.

 

[Dr. Who]

Hey Green, again, sorry for the delay. Taking a real vacation is nice......Some don't get to do that.

Coco is an inert media. Running it is considered a hydro application.

I'll bet the guy's watering everyday are also watering to run off. That needs to be done with Coco, at regular intervals. Wash's out buildups.

Feeding daily works, so does less. It's all in making what you do, work for you. I would be of the daily watering tribe.....I suspect that if you make that work for you. You will like it better then less.

My 2 cents

 

[Greenhouse;save]

Thx guys I've been watering everyday till runoff with good results and the more I've been doing that the quicker they seem to b drying out so infact it seems I've have no choice but to water everyday because their dry anyway .........I'm still stuck on the question as to wither I feed everyday or every second day the plants r telling me I'm giving them a bit too much theirs no burn but they r a very deep green,I've been giving them cannas recommended dose but I'm swaying on cutting back on the food or switching to every outher day feedings.....couple of picks of the deep green.....

 

[ThcGuy]

Thx guys I've been watering everyday till runoff with good results and the more I've been doing that the quicker they seem to b drying out so infact it seems I've have no choice but to water everyday because their dry anyway .........I'm still stuck on the question as to wither I feed everyday or every second day the plants r telling me I'm giving them a bit too much theirs no burn but they r a very deep green,I've been giving them cannas recommended dose but I'm swaying on cutting back on the food or switching to every outher day feedings.....couple of picks of the deep green.....

I would keep feeding, your flower Nutrients have less nitrogen than the grow foods do. They should start getting lighter in colour when you get closer to harvest. But it is personal preference. I personally feed feed feed unless the plant tells me otherwise (burnt leaf tips) and flush for a week or two at the end. At this point your drying and curing should breakdown any residual chlorophyll left in the buds.

 

[Greenhouse;save]

I'm at 1050 ppm at 3 weeks in flower but I'm going to lower that to about 900......I like my plants to WANT food as opposed to having it on tap constantly. ....

 

[coreywebster]

Ok guys so I've been asking on here as to wot is the best way to treat coco......some peeps say feed and water every day(treat it like hydro)and some say feed as the plant requires it.... also as far as feeding goes would u give it at the recommend manufacturers designated dose..... or...... as done in soil mostly do u give just half......nuits r canna A+B,cannazym,canna boost,,Buddha's tree 9/18 and cal/mag given at 3/4 of manufacturers stated dose........any help would be gratefully appreciated. ........cheers......

I have watered every two days or 3 days depending on pot size(15ltr plastic pots) for most of the time ive used coco(7 years) I never had a problem doing this, but since I changed to cloth pots (18ltr) the root mass is much bigger so I don't have the option to wait 3 days anymore. At 2 day intervals they were growing great, but watering everyday like I am now they grow even faster.
Also i run canna coco and for the most part followed their schedule for hard water, which is light feeding, still at peak its ec of 2.2, never had many issues doing that either but just because a plant isn't showing nutrient burn doesn't mean they are not been overfed, now i've dropped the EC to 1.6 maxed. Cant say much about that yet as have not finished a harvest but in veg at much lower than suggested EC they are happy without deficiency and same can be said at week 4 of flower so far.

 

[boilingoil]

Hey Green, again, sorry for the delay. Taking a real vacation is nice......Some don't get to do that.

Coco is an inert media. Running it is considered a hydro application.

I'll bet the guy's watering everyday are also watering to run off. That needs to be done with Coco, at regular intervals. Wash's out buildups.

Feeding daily works, so does less. It's all in making what you do, work for you. I would be of the daily watering tribe.....I suspect that if you make that work for you. You will like it better then less.

My 2 cents

But, Depending on your feed strength and nutrient profile I find that feeding to run-off every time is not necessary in coir. I only do weekly DTW feeds, and have went 3 weeks once without a DTW.
Depending on pot size to plant size you may have to water multiple times a day or once every 2 days if using 3 gallon and up pots.
Many ways to grow in coco, if you'd give us a plan of what you are trying to achieve we could be of more help.

 

[boilingoil]

I'm at 1050 ppm at 3 weeks in flower but I'm going to lower that to about 900......I like my plants to WANT food as opposed to having it on tap constantly. ....

My feeds in coir are 550 ppm or less.

 

[Dr. Who]

But, Depending on your feed strength and nutrient profile I find that feeding to run-off every time is not necessary in coir. I only do weekly DTW feeds, and have went 3 weeks once without a DTW.
Depending on pot size to plant size you may have to water multiple times a day or once every 2 days if using 3 gallon and up pots.
Many ways to grow in coco, if you'd give us a plan of what you are trying to achieve we could be of more help.

@Greenhouse;save

Here is one guy to listen too on watering Coco.....You asked for someone that's good with Coco. There are others, I just don't keep any kind of list in my mind on who's doing what - while online.

He has his head wrapped around dialing in for his way. I bet he can outline other ways - like the everyday BUT, has settled into a style that works for him.

Finding others that do it different, and listening to how and why they do it that way. Is all a road to making your choice on where to start.

The point being, that you should try a few - side by side if you can. To find the one that's most "comfortable" for you to do and have the least problems dialing in. His point of feed strength is all about what method is used. Variations to strain dial-in's are relatively close, once you have chosen your method or style.....

@boilingoil
Thanks for stepping in and expounding on the answer I gave. I'm not the most schooled on Coco. I've tried it - years ago, and wasn't comfortable with it......(had to soak the Coco first back then - didn't care for the whole "soil-less" thing anyway and made a prejudiced choice to stop learning it).
Give me my organic soils - Liking the new synthetic lines (to me) I've been testing in soil too.....

 

[Dr. Who]

I would keep feeding, your flower Nutrients have less nitrogen than the grow foods do. They should start getting lighter in colour when you get closer to harvest. But it is personal preference. I personally feed feed feed unless the plant tells me otherwise (burnt leaf tips) and flush for a week or two at the end. At this point your drying and curing should breakdown any residual chlorophyll left in the buds.

Depending on exactly how much. "Burnt leaf tips" is telling you that your "pushing" the plant, and that could rsult in closer to potential - by some folks ideals. I like the very tips yellow to just the very end browned and dry. (laymans terms).

It's that personal preference that you spoke of. I'm not into the vast majority of strains loosing green at the end. I run long too..

2 cents

 

[ThcGuy]

Depending on exactly how much. "Burnt leaf tips" is telling you that your "pushing" the plant, and that could rsult in closer to potential - by some folks ideals. I like the very tips yellow to just the very end browned and dry. (laymans terms).

It's that personal preference that you spoke of. I'm not into the vast majority of strains loosing green at the end. I run long too..

2 cents

My personal preference was to keep feeding. I don't care if my plants are super green at harvest, the drying and cure will breakdown any chlorophyll left in the buds. However I do hate yellow leaves on my buds, I think it makes the buds look bad.

 

[Dr. Who]

My personal preference was to keep feeding. I don't care if my plants are super green at harvest, the drying and cure will breakdown any chlorophyll left in the buds. However I do hate yellow leaves on my buds, I think it makes the buds look bad.

AGREED! I do too....

 

[Greenhouse;save]

OUTSTANDING guys.........this is the info I have craved for for the last couple of months.....I've been looking on loads of websites including cannas to no avail. .....personally I thought their would've been a sticky here on riu but NO.....so a BIG thx to u Doc ...Boilingoil......CoryWebster and the guy........my mind is settled(for the first time in months)and I will hopefully have a few more questions for u guys in the knowledge that they will be answered .........

 

[Greenhouse;save]

Hey guys how's things........I have a question for use......my plants r 4 weeks in flower and I've been having a prob with one of them,its just not developing the same way the outhers r,to me it looks like overwatering but this confuses me because its only been watered when its relativity dry(although this is every day most times).......the pic I've supplied isn't great guys but if u look at the bottom you'll c the normal bud on anouther plant and above the plant in question.......they have all been given the same food but this ones not playing ball.....any ideas guys......?

 

[Colanoscopy]

Hey guys how's things........I have a question for use......my plants r 4 weeks in flower and I've been having a prob with one of them,its just not developing the same way the outhers r,to me it looks like overwatering but this confuses me because its only been watered when its relativity dry(although this is every day most times).......the pic I've supplied isn't great guys but if u look at the bottom you'll c the normal bud on anouther plant and above the plant in question.......they have all been given the same food but this ones not playing ball.....any ideas guys......?

Could be any number of things but to me it looks like your issue isnt nutes/overwatering.

Am I right in thinking it's the stretch between nodes that's worrying you? If it's a hybrid strain you're growing. Even if they are from the same pack you could see one display a sativa pheno and one display an indica..

Which leads me to the question... What strain are you running?

 

[Greenhouse;save]

The plant's (2) in question r dynafems blue cheese. ......I've grew them in soil mostly for a couple of years(no probs)with good results but I'm in coco this time and feel its defo down to something to do with the coco nuitrients or possibly something to do with the watering times (i feel these plants have never had a chance to dry out,I'm guessing its oxygen related)......

 

[Greenhouse;save]

Not the stretch. ....bud formation.......these plants r normally a bit stretchy.....