Snow Crash
Well-Known Member
Coco depends on a very crucial balance of cations to establish a very high CEC. It is the result of Coconuts growing in salt water and having a natural high capacity for salts.
What I find with coco is that after transplanting from a smaller planter to a much larger one, like from 1 gallon to 3 gallons, it takes time for the roots to fill out the new space. Yet, we water and feed the entire coco mass. So 2/3 of the media then builds up salts over the weeks it takes for the roots to reach the edges of the new large planter. Once the roots do reach this new, super salt saturated area, plants that are sensitive to high EC will begin to lock out elements and burn up.
It is important to be careful not to over feed or over water after a transplant to keep those salts from accumulating. For many people, post transplant is an excellent time to begin to push your plants to their full potential, so it really is a balance that must be achieved.
Here's what I'm doing:
After transplant feed with 600ml to 1000ml of normal strength solution directly to root mass beneath main stalk in the AM after lights on.
In the late afternoon I pH balance 1000ml to 2000ml clean water and add that to the area around the central root mass to the point of run off.
This way the plant still gets all the food it really needs, you never completely wash out the buffer because you replace it every morning, and the salts don't build up around the edges. As the root mass grows I begin to feed a larger and larger area until I'm alternating 4 or 5 feedings with a single watering every week.
If you do need to flush, I suggest flushing about 3 weeks after transplant especially if that coincides with about the time you will begin flowering. Test your run off to see if it is within an acceptable range before doing anything. Starting with a good fresh buffer at the beginning of flowering will set you up for success over the next 8 to 10 weeks.
Also, despite contrary advice, my personal experience with flushing salt laden coco is that 2 times the gallons of fresh water to coco does not completely wash out the buffer. If anything, I'd say it helps establish it at a healthy level. Rebuilding the buffer after flushing is also extremely easy. The coco is already wet, and you can run through nutrients at normal strength now that the coco i clean. Soilless is awesome like that.
Pre-Flush (11-3)
Post-Flush (11-6)
Flushed on Wednesday. I finally get to feed again tomorrow.
What I find with coco is that after transplanting from a smaller planter to a much larger one, like from 1 gallon to 3 gallons, it takes time for the roots to fill out the new space. Yet, we water and feed the entire coco mass. So 2/3 of the media then builds up salts over the weeks it takes for the roots to reach the edges of the new large planter. Once the roots do reach this new, super salt saturated area, plants that are sensitive to high EC will begin to lock out elements and burn up.
It is important to be careful not to over feed or over water after a transplant to keep those salts from accumulating. For many people, post transplant is an excellent time to begin to push your plants to their full potential, so it really is a balance that must be achieved.
Here's what I'm doing:
After transplant feed with 600ml to 1000ml of normal strength solution directly to root mass beneath main stalk in the AM after lights on.
In the late afternoon I pH balance 1000ml to 2000ml clean water and add that to the area around the central root mass to the point of run off.
This way the plant still gets all the food it really needs, you never completely wash out the buffer because you replace it every morning, and the salts don't build up around the edges. As the root mass grows I begin to feed a larger and larger area until I'm alternating 4 or 5 feedings with a single watering every week.
If you do need to flush, I suggest flushing about 3 weeks after transplant especially if that coincides with about the time you will begin flowering. Test your run off to see if it is within an acceptable range before doing anything. Starting with a good fresh buffer at the beginning of flowering will set you up for success over the next 8 to 10 weeks.
Also, despite contrary advice, my personal experience with flushing salt laden coco is that 2 times the gallons of fresh water to coco does not completely wash out the buffer. If anything, I'd say it helps establish it at a healthy level. Rebuilding the buffer after flushing is also extremely easy. The coco is already wet, and you can run through nutrients at normal strength now that the coco i clean. Soilless is awesome like that.
Pre-Flush (11-3)
Post-Flush (11-6)
Flushed on Wednesday. I finally get to feed again tomorrow.
Please reply asap cheers - STELTHY 
