Coco questions for pros

[wreign]

Hey coco growers!

Ive decided to switch from pro mix to coco and will be fertigating 6-8 times per day via drips.

The plan is to have 9 plants under 1k de hps, covering 4x5. Clone into final coco pot, veg intil 12inches, move into flower room and flip. 12 lights in flower room. No co2.

Id appreciate your comnents on the following:

- will 9 plants flipped at 12 inches fill out the space? I see from other posts that once the start going in coco they are unstoppable. I will be topping once in early veg so will get 4-6 main lines.
- should i go with 1 gal or 2 gal, and if 1 gal do i need perlite?
- do i need clay pebbles on top of the pot to slow evaporation
- does my run off need to match my input?

Anything else you think i need to know to not blow this up.

Thank you!

 

[Billy the Mountain]

Hey coco growers!

Ive decided to switch from pro mix to coco and will be fertigating 6-8 times per day via drips.

The plan is to have 9 plants under 1k de hps, covering 4x5. Clone into final coco pot, veg intil 12inches, move into flower room and flip. 12 lights in flower room. No co2.

Id appreciate your comnents on the following:

- will 9 plants flipped at 12 inches fill out the space? I see from other posts that once the start going in coco they are unstoppable. I will be topping once in early veg so will get 4-6 main lines.
- should i go with 1 gal or 2 gal, and if 1 gal do i need perlite?
- do i need clay pebbles on top of the pot to slow evaporation
- does my run off need to match my input?

Anything else you think i need to know to not blow this up.

Thank you!

1. Yes, if healthy vigorous plants
2. Pot size is largely irrelevant other than fertigation frequency; perlite is superflous
3. Not necessary, but won't hurt anything
4. No, fertigate with 10-20% runoff

 

[wreign]

1. Yes, if healthy vigorous plants
2. Pot size is largely irrelevant other than fertigation frequency; perlite is superflous
3. Not necessary, but won't hurt anything
4. No, fertigate with 10-20% runoff

Thank you!

Do i need 10-20% run off each time or just last water of the day?

How much water do i need per pot per day on avg?

 

[wreign]

I disagree with perlite being superfluous, it depends on the coco. I personally prefer fibre only, but these aren't available in my country anymore. These days the coco avilable is much like vermiculite, it holds too much moisture for too long and perlite is necessary IME.


You'll find out if you measure your runoff, I think once per day would be enough. How much/often depends on the result of your measurements, you want input and runoff to be fairly equal (say within 25% for EC and 0.4pH or thereabouts.)

Awesome thanks. I was thinking straight coco if 1gal and 70/30 coco perlite if 2gal.

Im leaning towards 1 gal. Ill be using optimum mokoko premium coco.

Will 1gal be enough for my setup? my goal is 4oz per plant.

 

[HGCC]

For first set of questions:

1. Yes that should, I am running 9 in a 5x5 under 1k at the moment and it is full. Does kind of depend on the plants but eh, 9 is a good number. My problem is width, they can kind of end up jammed together.

2. Either option is fine, if you are feeding 6 to 8 times a day I would go towards the 1 gallon size. I like 70/30 coco, but it really isn't necessary.

3. I wouldn't bother with Clay pebbles. You aren't really trying to hold moisture in with this method/style.

4. No, just ph your feed mixture to 6 and go with it.

Second batch...pot size isn't really relevant to yield here. You may or may not hit your yield goal, probably need to veg a bit longer/bigger than 12 inches.

 

[nxsov180db]

Why do you want to clone into your final pot? You're better off putting your clone into 3 or 4 inch pots and then transplanting.

 

[wreign]

For first set of questions:

1. Yes that should, I am running 9 in a 5x5 under 1k at the moment and it is full. Does kind of depend on the plants but eh, 9 is a good number. My problem is width, they can kind of end up jammed together.

2. Either option is fine, if you are feeding 6 to 8 times a day I would go towards the 1 gallon size. I like 70/30 coco, but it really isn't necessary.

3. I wouldn't bother with Clay pebbles. You aren't really trying to hold moisture in with this method/style.

4. No, just ph your feed mixture to 6 and go with it.

Second batch...pot size isn't really relevant to yield here. You may or may not hit your yield goal, probably need to veg a bit longer/bigger than 12 inches.

Thank you, this really helps.

How big would you say they need to be (height/wight) to hit 4 oz. If we're taking about an avg yielder.

The main goal of the switch for me to reduce veg time, work load and increase yield. In promix my plants are big, about 30inch at flip and takes firever to defoliate and manage the canopy.

Not to mention a.3-4week veg, with taking up lots of space.

 

[wreign]

Why do you want to clone into your final pot? You're better off putting your clone into 3 or 4 inch pots and then transplanting.

I dont want to lose time to trasplant shock.

Ive also red that the plant needs to be rootbound so i figured if i go into 1gal right away it will save time, work, etc. And in 2 weeks they'll fill out pretty nicely and i should be root bound by end of week 1 of flower?

 

[HGCC]

Thank you, this really helps.

How big would you say they need to be (height/wight) to hit 4 oz. If we're taking about an avg yielder.

The main goal of the switch for me to reduce veg time, work load and increase yield. In promix my plants are big, about 30inch at flip and takes firever to defoliate and manage the canopy.

Not to mention a.3-4week veg, with taking up lots of space.

Well coco won't really change how the plant grows in terms of size, but you get there faster if that makes sense. They would be about the same size in whatever medium, so if you normally flip at 30 inches then you still want to flip at 30 inches...but instead of it taking 4 weeks to get there it can ideally do it in 3.

If you want to cut veg time really the only thing to do is run a larger number of small plants.

 

[Billy the Mountain]

I dont want to lose time to trasplant shock.

Ive also red that the plant needs to be rootbound so i figured if i go into 1gal right away it will save time, work, etc. And in 2 weeks they'll fill out pretty nicely and i should be root bound by end of week 1 of flower?

It's much easier to correctly water a delicate seedling in a small pot.

Transplant shock is not a thing with a healthy plant; if anything growth is faster when up-potting with a dense root structure.

Fabric pots/grow bags prevent plants from becoming root bound; the roots self-prune and it encourages new roots to develop.

 

[Roguedawg]

If you root cuttings in solo cup size, and let them fill it out with roots you could transplant to final container. On the number per light, I used to do 9 then went to six and now I do 4 plants per light. Thats with hybrids that stretch alot, if I was growing broadleafs would probably go back to 6 or 9.