MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
Someone pointed out that there was a low sodium coco coir, like it has been washed. I didn't know why expensive coir was better.
Coco coir is going to have a good amount of K and you will have to stay on top of feeding Ca and Mg. K, Mg, Ca, and Na all have antagonist relationship. So, too much of one is going to lock-out the others.
Are you running full coco coir or a blend of coir/peat? I'm thinking about adding some low sodium coir to my current mix, one of the senior members suggested it to me so it's probably a good idea. I was dealing with low potassium and I was having problems finding different inputs. Kelp, in increased amounts, was giving me too much salt... From the podcasts that I listen to, potassium is the only nutrient that needs to be 2x higher than in food crops. They were talking about soil testing in that podcast. I don't know if I answered any questions, feel like I'm rambling.
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
Are you a Cleveland Browns fan? I live in Norman, Ok and I jumped on board when they drafted Baker Mayfield last year.
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
Another thing, are running organic bottles or compost?
TJ_BASS
Well-Known Member
I don’t have the grow setup yet but I’m thinking of buying some cheap coco and cleaning it and buffering it with cal mag. I’ve read a little but not enough about organic coco. Some thing I need to gain knowledge on is keeping the microbial life healthy.
One question is will general oraganics ph up and down harm the microbial life?
And no I don’t really watch football like that.
TJ_BASS
Well-Known Member
I’m gonna run dry organic amendments called general organics green reign all purpose 5-5-5 and their verde bloom I forgot the npk ratios for that
AnimalMother1974
Active Member
Would a little dolomite lime fix that?
MustangStudFarm
Well-Known Member
It should, but I like other rock dusts better. I'm using azomite and greensand, but I'm also using peat. Probably don't want to use greensand in coco coir.
T macc
Well-Known Member
I use kelp4less's super soil amendment in my coco. At least 50% coir, 30%perlite, and 20% randomness (compost, ewc, amendments). I've been running this same mix for 2 years now. Just recently top dressed with gypsum and basalt.
I wouldn't worry about ph up and down unless you plan on feeding maybe. I treat mine as soil
I wouldn't worry about ph up and down unless you plan on feeding maybe. I treat mine as soil
Serverchris
Well-Known Member
I'll post this here since it relates to his post but does anyone have a coots mix recipe for using coco instead of peat? I'm sure the liming quantity is probably all that would need changed but not sure how much.
NirvanaMesa
Well-Known Member
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I like your idea to use gypsum with coco. what kind of fertilizer do you feed it in flower with that mix?
T macc
Well-Known Member
I'm running giant no-tills these days, but I wish I had mixed the gypsum in when I made the mix. I have oyster shells in there too.
They're more of inoculants than ferts. I use "liquid gold" from kelp4less and KNF Peach from build-a-soil. I use them 50/50 at 1tbs each in flower. Might use liquid gold in veg sometimes, but I don't think about it much
NoobieNugs
Member
Hi peops. Sorry to jump in mid thread. Really interesting treating coir as soil.
I noticed the NPK Ca Mg causing lock out in the wrong quantity comment and wonder if this could be the cause of my yellowing leaves? If it is what's the best way to rectify.
I dont measure PPM just keep an eye on PH... and watch for a vivid green and back of if a tip turns yellow.
I use canna coco and PK boost 14/15. sea weed and potash based adds. With HGoldTree occasionally. And cal mag on stand by incase I need it ( sometimes just add a couple of ml in flower )
So questions are I think...Could over PK Boosting cause premature yellowing?
Could it need CaMg?
It is also possible it's been too wet too long.
I posted a thread but I'm still on the hunt for answers. Hope you dont mind me asking on this thread as you mention coco and lock out etc... The thread has an image but it's a green leaf yellowing from veins outward... not burnt tips.
Any advice appreciated
I noticed the NPK Ca Mg causing lock out in the wrong quantity comment and wonder if this could be the cause of my yellowing leaves? If it is what's the best way to rectify.
I dont measure PPM just keep an eye on PH... and watch for a vivid green and back of if a tip turns yellow.
I use canna coco and PK boost 14/15. sea weed and potash based adds. With HGoldTree occasionally. And cal mag on stand by incase I need it ( sometimes just add a couple of ml in flower )
So questions are I think...Could over PK Boosting cause premature yellowing?
Could it need CaMg?
It is also possible it's been too wet too long.
I posted a thread but I'm still on the hunt for answers. Hope you dont mind me asking on this thread as you mention coco and lock out etc... The thread has an image but it's a green leaf yellowing from veins outward... not burnt tips.
Any advice appreciated
AnimalMother1974
Active Member
Could a set up of just coco coir with lime, be used with just grandular dry fertilizer like garden tone or jobes organic blends? No need to add compost or animal manure?
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
The best advice to give you is to grow coco the way other people do...meaning not organic. It can be a tricky medium for a variety of reasons. Get coco growing down...and then experiment with organics later.
I grow with coco using MaxiBloom and calmag.
JD
AnimalMother1974
Active Member
Is there some reason it can't be used in place of peat moss in a basic recipe? I see plenty of people create potting mixes on YouTube using coco. Coir, compost, lime, perlite, dry fertilizer. Mabey go lighter on the K because coco has K but is there some other reason it won't work?
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
Hi Animal Mother,
I gave TJ that advice because it's his first coco grow. I feel it's important to understand a medium well which will come within a few straight coco/perlite grows. And then later try introducing organic components.
If the coco is a smaller amount of the whole...then sure. Knock yourself out. Go for it. The whole cec issue with coco hanging on to calcium and or Mg creates a situation where if something goes wrong...and it seems something always does...then it's just harder to figure out. I see more issues with coco and organics then almost any other. So why not combine them and cause one big clusterf*ck. That's my thinking on that issue. Feel free to ignore it.
JD
TJ_BASS
Well-Known Member
I’ve been getting almost the same response from other people I talk too, I might do what you said and learn how to use coco how most people use it. It will be good for experience not to worried about end results but I will try to grow it as best as I can.
I could also do a side by side grow with organics and one with liquid nutes from like advanced nutrients or something.
JohnDee
Well-Known Member
TJ...The whole organics vs chemical nutes discussion gets compicated. Many feel organics tastes better...but a good cure mitigates that. But really when you look at organics...the plant still uses NPK and all the others. The organics is merely a delivery system...and I read about one so called organic nutrient that was made from organic waste.
And I know Advanced makes a good product but is also probably the costliest.
I grow very nice plants just using the GH Maxi duo. Good luck whatever you choose...
JD