I’ve been growing in soil my entire growing career but I’m interested in switching to coco. My main reason for the switch is I can fit more smaller pots in the tent and still get the same size plants. I tried growing in coco once before but it was a complete failure.
I used the same coco I use to grow mushrooms (coco bliss) I rinsed the pith off with fresh water 4 times and then buffered with cal/mag solution 4 times for 3 hours each time, totaling 12 hours. I really wanted to make sure lol. I used Dynagro nutrients and supplemented with cal/mag Ph’d to 6.5 and it still locked out and all my plants died.
I’m thinking it’s a problem with the coco itself and my buffering. I want to use Canna coco bricks next time I grow. I think they’re pre washed and buffered. Has anyone used the bricks?
Also is there anything you guys can share with me that will help my switch to coco? Thanks in advance
Aim for more like a 5.9-6.1 when buffering because what I think might be happening, is upward pH drift------and at 6.5 you’re already as high as it should be out of the gate.
Try buffering everything exactly like you did before, but aim for lower starting pH, that should help.
I have a brick I’m going to use shortly and I’m usually a soil guy as well, but canna coco loose in the bag is awesome, washed, buffered and all. Excellent product, just expensive. I think @DougDawson uses it too, it says professional plus on it I believe
I’d assume the brick is good too, but I’ll definitely use it soon and let everyone know what my experience is like!
And as was said above, I did 5.8-6.0 in veg, and slightly higher in flower, about 5.9-6.2 but that’s just my preference not set in stone…
I misspoke, I was shooting for 6.2-6.3, Vernal helped me set everything up and told me what to do. I had to go back to our instagram messages to jog my memory. I’m not gonna post a screenshot of our DM’s without his permission but I’ll quote him.
“In soilless 6-6.5 I try to stay near 6.2-6.3
A lot of people will recommend 5.5-5.8 but that will cause problems that’s more for pure active hydro”
That’s good because coco can take much more frequent watering than soil . Whats 1/4 strength with Dynagrow? I’m familiar with the line but unfamiliar with their rates/mixes.
For reference. I’m running Athena Pro line and right now my seedlings are getting 2EC every other day. ph of 6.1 when they’re riding in 12oz cups. 1:1 core:grow
This is all great info because the one time I decide to do coco, I lost an entire pack of original BOG Sour Grape and I’m not looking to do that again lol
Yeah man the whole damn pack…I was so heart broken that I stopped visiting OG for a while and I even stopped growing. I got a cut of GFOG from @NDNCHILD and it sparked my interest again. I won’t let this learning curve stop me from my passion lol I just wanna set myself up for success next time
When I soak the coco initially, I pour boiling or very hot water on the brick. I put on a glove and mix it up until it’s the consistency I want. Then I put it into a container that drains. Next, I pour either ph’d water, tap water, or low ppm veg nute water like I’m flushing a plant. The liquid that comes out of the drainage holes in the container starts brownish usually and becomes more clear. Around that point I put it somewhere to dry out. Once it’s almost dry, I add either a seed or a seedling or a clone in it and feed it low ppm nutes around 400 ppm with my water. I also add silica liberally in the beginning of the grow. Every other watering or less depending on how strong the plant looks.
This is maybe not the best method, but more often than not - it works for me.
If I forget to do this and the plant is sad early on, I flush in a similar way trying to not disturb the seedling in the process.
If you grow in coco don’t forget to try dry backs once a week. Pay attention to how wet the coco is and don’t feel you have to feed constantly. Each strain is a little different.
I do use Canna Coco but use the bags and not the bricks. No washing, no buffering, just mix perlite and fill pots. The price difference is small IMO. 40l brick is $25 and a 50l bag is $34. 8 bucks more bit 10l extra.
