Coco in place of peat?

ExoticKangaroo

ExoticKangaroo

Well-Known Member
I searched around the last few days and I cant find any information on this. Im mixing a good amount of soil and peat is on backorder currently for me.
Im wondering if I could use coco, fertilizer, castings, and amendments like usual and see similar results?
Im reading that coco and peat are quit similar besides ph. Will that be an issue for example? My current mix after amending and cooking tested at an optimal ph. Using coco would cause the ph to rise due to its more neutral state over peat, no?
I love the ease of running large beds and topdressing and watering once or twice a week with my current soil. Will coco need more watering or is this negated for the most part by the fertilizer and castings along with pumice in the medium?
I've only ever worked with my current medium so help me out.
 
Dopesmoka

Dopesmoka

Well-Known Member
ExoticKangaroo said:
I searched around the last few days and I cant find any information on this. Im mixing a good amount of soil and peat is on backorder currently for me.
Im wondering if I could use coco, fertilizer, castings, and amendments like usual and see similar results?
Im reading that coco and peat are quit similar besides ph. Will that be an issue for example? My current mix after amending and cooking tested at an optimal ph. Using coco would cause the ph to rise due to its more neutral state over peat, no?
I love the ease of running large beds and topdressing and watering once or twice a week with my current soil. Will coco need more watering or is this negated for the most part by the fertilizer and castings along with pumice in the medium?
I've only ever worked with my current medium so help me out.
Click to expand...
Are you mixing coco with soil ?
 
ExoticKangaroo

ExoticKangaroo

Well-Known Member
Sorry if I was not clear. I would be mixing roughly a 1:1:1 ratio of coco/fertilizer and castings/aeration(pumice/lava rock/perlite)
And then also amending. Things like kelp, neem, guano, oyster shell flour, alfalfa, fish meal, minerals, all the usual coots mix similar mix
 
Dopesmoka

Dopesmoka

Well-Known Member
ExoticKangaroo said:
Sorry if I was not clear. I would be mixing roughly a 1:1:1 ratio of coco/fertilizer and castings/aeration(pumice/lava rock/perlite)
And then also amending. Things like kelp, neem, guano, oyster shell flour, alfalfa, fish meal, minerals, all the usual coots mix similar mix
Click to expand...
It might not look the prettiest but it will work
 
green_machine_two9er

green_machine_two9er

Well-Known Member
ExoticKangaroo said:
Sorry if I was not clear. I would be mixing roughly a 1:1:1 ratio of coco/fertilizer and castings/aeration(pumice/lava rock/perlite)
And then also amending. Things like kelp, neem, guano, oyster shell flour, alfalfa, fish meal, minerals, all the usual coots mix similar mix
Click to expand...
I’ve tried it. Doesn’t work the same as SPM. I never got the same sponge consistency I’m used to with peat. And watering practices will have to be altered slightly. But you can make it work in a pinch.
 
Y

youraveragehorticulturist

Well-Known Member
I urge you Not to do this.

Coco does not work as well as peat for making soil this way. It doesn't support he microbes as well or something.

It's OK to use some coco, maybe like 10-15%, to build up and fluff out your soil. But coco + castings + aeration just results in issue after issue. Hold out for the peat moss!
 
D

DoobieDoobs

Well-Known Member

I know nobody here like youtube, but check out this video, its pretty long but look at the min 6:07 where he shows his ingredients, then check out min 42:25 where you can see the plant the day he harvested it.
He normally uses FFOF but in this video he uses coco. He doesn't ph, he only uses water and compost teas.

And here is another link to soil mixes posted in 2006: https://www.icmag.com/forum/marijuana-growing/organic-soil/48694-organics-for-beginners?t=53792

I havent grown in pure coco, I made my soil mix with promix, which includes both. But people have done it. Maybe if you are unsure of it hold on for some peat moss, like the dude above me said, after all no one likes to throw away money.
 
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Dopesmoka

Dopesmoka

Well-Known Member
This is pure coco and perlite with dry Amendments nowhere near impossible B29105A6-7AF1-46FC-A4B5-031F791D827B.jpeg
But this is What happens when you Fuk up 79DB5D95-FC96-4466-8FA3-F73DBCBA56CD.jpeg
It’s not easy but not impossible either
And here’s what the almost finished product looks like
70504041-C897-432F-91B5-40F3F5EB64B6.jpeg
could it be better sure but am I satisfied hell yeah especially compared to my 1st grow in soil
 
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Rurumo

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
Coco is a great addition to a mix like this, but I agree that it shouldn't be used alone in place of peat. Half peat and half coco works like magic-I'm talking about a mix that has 1/3 coco/peat, 1/3 compost/ewc, and 1/3 aeration. There is a good study that compares yields of coco vs peat and greater than 50% coco shows reduced yields. It's also down to the CEC, and having half of it as peat really mitigates that issue. Biochar is another great addition at 3-5% of the mix.
 
Roy O'Bannon

Roy O'Bannon

Well-Known Member
How do you water it? To runoff like coco? Or just a bit of wet like peat. kind of in between?
I bottom water my peat veggie plants. Honestly it is way easier to take care of than the coco.
 
O

oldfogey420

Well-Known Member
I've grown organic with coco 1.5 times now. First run, no problems, super happy, healthy plants. Great first attempt at 100% organic! I'm half way through flower on round two with the same type of mix. 4 of 5 plants are looking absolutely amazing. Just 1 is in dire need of P and losing leaves rapidly. My point is, organic with coco (no peat at all) worked for me in 9 out of 10 plants. That's pretty good I'd say. But I also don't have an organic peat based soil grow under my belt to compare it to. All my previous experience is with chemical ferts in coco or peat.
 
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