Coco Thread!

[Jonny5]

do you need to pot up when using coco? also if hand watering do i need to water daily? can i use granuals? are there any hand watered ccoc diaries anyone could recommened

[Budelaire]

I'd pot on if your space requires that you do!

if you can go straight to large pots I'd say for from rooted clone/seed in a starter pot, to a 1.5ltr, then straight to final if less than 15ltr.

If your final will be larger that 15, use a bigger intermediary pot. Say 3ltr not 1.5ltr.

you can water as many times as you can and droppers who feed constantly are a good match, as are Autopots which drip feed but from the bottom.

Yes you can inoculate with granules.

There are plenty of dairies, La Viva Sativa's Sweet Seeds being a recent one.

I also hand water coco, but from the bottom, as its easier once they are settled in imo. this is a bottom fed diary and a very good one to read if you getting into Coco = Simple Smellyberry

Edited February 1, 2012 by Budelaire

[Jonny5]

Thanks for the reply mate ive just completed my first grow in soil and now want to try hydro, i have .9 x.9 x 1.8 m tent do you think i could grow six plants in there in 6.5 l pots, also if i start germ the seed in coco do i need to feed straight away or should i just start them off in soil

[Budelaire]

I've never germed straight into 100% coco as such, but i would feed with just a seaweed extract for the initial watering in. As they germ and start to use the pots water start to use a weak (1.0 EC) nutrient solution, or something gentle like formulex at 1ml per litre for the 1st week.

I have germed in lightmix and then transferred after they were ready at 7 days old or whatever, without issue. it gives a nice safe start to things imo and you can just use water whilst they germ.

Space wise and depending on the plants size, veg time and pot size, between 4-9 would be sound in that space.

In 6.5s, I'd squeeze 9 into a 0.9m2 tent, like a DS90 with a 600w. I'm about to do that in my Purple Rhino Diary, as i have 9 females from seed in 6.5ltr pots of Coco, which will be hand watered.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Budelaire

[Jonny5]

One last question mate what is ec and how do i check and adjust it?

[Budelaire]

EC is Electrical Conductivity, it is a scale for reading the "Total Dissolved Solids" or fertiliser (and contaminants) in the water supply. you would use a EC pen and pH pen to read both the acidity (pH) and the strength (EC).

Water as an EC of around 0.4 out of the tap, and a pH of 7-8. we need pH 6 so pH down to 6.0 after mixing our nutes.

Using a Coco A/B nutrient we would add equal parts of Grow A, mix, then the B part to take that EC from 0.4 to where we want it, to a reasonable level. Cannabis likes between 1.0-1.8, generally speaking, but some genus would like a fair bit more at peak season.

So you would rise the EC ( or feed per litre), until you are shown that they are happy for their current stage in life.

starting at 1.0, so adding 0.6 worth of nutes, you would be feeding low as a plant in veg, especially a seedling, would only require a little fert.

Edited February 1, 2012 by Budelaire

[Guest papaduc]

do you need to pot up when using coco?

No. Use a seed cup or 1L pot to start in, and keep it wet. Then move into whatever pot you want. If you're going into a fat 30L tub or bigger, root out a 3-5L pot after your seed cup, then go into that.

do I need to water daily?

It depends if your pot is still wet. That's got to be part of your decision. Do you want small pots you need to water daily, or bigger pots which give you and the plants some breathing space?

If you're in 20L pots you'll only have to water them around every 4 days.

Could I grow 6 in 6.5L pots?

You could yea. Why not grow 4 in 15L pots? No need to water every day then.

Do I feed straight away?

Yes, with formulex. Get some of that.

Start seedlings on plain water, maybe a mil of seaweed per Liter like Bud says, but plain water is fine. When they crack their shell and pop their baby leaves open, start with the formulex at 1.0 ec. Stay on that strength until they grow two sets of leaves, then knock it up to 1.2.

That should get them to about 5 inches high. They're ready for big lights and fast growing now. It's up to you what you do after that; you can up the formulex to 1.4 and get them a bit bigger, or you can start the on their veg food.

Any cotc diaries...

Don't copy anyone's methods. Don't suit your methods to what someone is doing; set them based on what's important to you. You asked before if you'll need to water daily... well, that's up to you. you might read someone's diary and they do more numbers in smaller pots and get really good results, but it's just one of many ways you can get the same results. If you don't want to water every day, use less and bigger pots. If you want to do loads of different strains or something, do more smaller ones.

One thing to watch though, if you buy Atami coco it's pre fertilised so just use water for the first feed or two if they're still young, and weaker feed if they're older and eating more.

Growing in coco is easy mate. Really if you keep it dead simple you won't go wrong.

Edited February 2, 2012 by papaduc

[Guest veg4s]

Thanks for the reply mate ive just completed my first grow in soil and now want to try hydro, i have .9 x.9 x 1.8 m tent do you think i could grow six plants in there in 6.5 l pots, also if i start germ the seed in coco do i need to feed straight away or should i just start them off in soil

No just put them into wet coco, no feed need for at least a week after they have popped

[Jonny5]

Thanks for the replies guys

I know this will sound stupid but how do i use my ec meter it arrived today and i put it in some tap water and its reading 749us? not sure what the measurement is tbh

[Budelaire]

thats 0.7 (and half) EC. your meter measures in Microsiemens, after it gets to 1000us it will go to 1.2 for 1200, as the decimal place shifts.

I'd also calibrate it to make sure your getting true reading.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Budelaire

[Takamine]

I also hand water coco, but from the bottom, as its easier once they are settled in imo.

if you can feed from the bottom then you dont worry about run off obviously, so if run off isnt essential then is it ok to grow in tubs that have no drain holes?

[Budelaire]

https://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=270889&view=findpost&p=2836678

Thats an hempy crate where just 1 hole is required 2" off the ground, so it makes a water table like in nature, or a reservoir

but with bottom feeding i prefer it as there is no run off, you make what you know they will consume every 24-48 hours and dish that out, they will absorb and use it over the course of their day, to be replenished again when required. So no run off at all, thats why I like it!

Edited February 18, 2012 by Budelaire

[Budelaire]

Soma grew using massive 4x4ft planters, they have no holes have plastic lining in the wooden bases and then he uses say 2" pipe in all four corners of the planters (he grew say 9 plants in the planters) , the tubing allowed air down whilst neglecting the draining.

That was with organic compost mixes in his Organic Marijuana: Soma Style (or whatever its called).

So I believe Yes would be the answer.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Budelaire

[Takamine]

thanks Budelaire

would 8 week veg time be enough to root out a 50lt tub? veg start time from a fully rooted 1.5ltr pot?

[Guest papaduc]

Personally I'd use a pot with holes, or drill your own. You could end up water logging them otherwise. I know people say you can't over water coco, but spilling over the sides is taking the piss a bit

About the veg time, it depends on what light you use to veg them under. Do it under some 55w fuoros and you've got no chance.

8 weeks of 600w light 20-24hrs a day though, and you'll have a monster. Might only need 6 weeks.