Best Features of Coco Coir: Harvest and Big Yields: Coco coir gives big results when we use it in drain-to-waste growing. Although algae wont hurt your plants directly, it only appears when the top of the coco has been constantly wet for a long time. BCuzz Coco50L bags are another good option if you cant find CANNA or Fox Farm products in your area. Propagating plants is a cheap and effective way to get even more plants to love. Both CANNA and Fox Farm are top coconut coir providers. After runoff is seen, it increases in cumulative volume after each cycle until the last event of the day.. Was giving me insane deficiencies. Constantly watering coco results in over-watering. At Coco for Cannabis, we host grow challenges where growers can grow together and learn from each other in the spirit of collaboration. It can absorb up to 10x its weight in water, meaning the roots of your plants will never get dehydrated. How about sweet potatoes? Once the coco is drying out more quickly, you can up the amount of water youre giving until youre getting 10-20% runoff each time. Here youll find cabbages and kale, broccoli and cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and more! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Onions and leeks and chives, oh my! Here are a few watering tips you can use to get the most out of the natural relationship between water and coconut coir. This allows coir the ability to hold more water than peat moss, but it is not able to hold the water as long. Method 1: Cut or break off a portion of the dry block. Every time you water cannabis in coco, you should saturate the entire volume of the media. While there are no guarantees that these are cures, they certainly can reduce the frequency that your plants develop some horrible condition, and they may provide some treatment as well. Be sure to read our tutorial Transplanting Cannabis Plants: Why, When & How. Monitor moisture levels daily to ensure the plants are getting enough water to thrive. You feed/water coco every day. Coconut Coir Pith helps retain water for longer, reduces soil compaction, and acts as a growing medium for microorganisms that break down organic matter! Vines produce all sorts of fruit from cucumbers to passion fruit. A good rule of thumb would be to water every four or five days. Coco mixed with perlite has the ideal air to water ratio when it is 90%-100% saturated. Together, they provide a powerful growing medium. If you cover the material properly, you can store it for several years and still retain its water-loving properties. Coconut fibers do break down rather quickly though, meaning the air pockets they create will also decrease over time. From mangoes to bananas, youll find a selection of topics about tropical fruit here for you to peruse! I include a coco coir watering schedule to help you set the timing of multiple daily fertigation events. To keep costs lowmany well-known coco coir brands are increasing the amount of coir dust in their product. [Ready-to-Harvest Trichome Picture Gallery], How to Grow Small Cannabis Plants in Tiny Spaces, The Rise of Autoflowering Cannabis Strains, How to Grow Different Cannabis Strains Together. Other Options for Expanded Coconut Coir Bags. If your coco is taking a long time to dry out between waterings, chances are you are giving your plant more water than it can drink in a reasonable amount of time. Soak the bare coconut in freshwater to help loosen and soften the husk. Proper fertigation strategy is the key to getting the best results from your coco grow. Companion planting, sometimes called intercropping, can be used to deter pests and improve yields. The absolute best manufacturers of coconut coir will have an iron grip on their product from harvest to shipping. You must log in or register to reply here. Here we discuss all elements of growing berries on bushes, trees, or individual plants. The pith of the coconut, from which coco coir is made, contains high amounts of lignin and cellulose that prevent the substance from decomposing and shrinking. However, if youre getting plenty of runoff water and the containers are still drying out too quickly, your best bet is to transplant your plant into a bigger container. The wet outside layers come right off. So a 10-pound brick would yield 2,006 cubic inches or 34.7 quarts which is 1.2 cubic feet. Before adding soil and the plants to the basket, line it with a material that will help the soil retain moisture. Our grow light guide is one of our most extensive and innovative tools for growers yet! All rights reserved, 2900 Story Road West, Irving, TX 75038, USA. Water the plant if the top 1 to 2 inches of soil feels dry. Because of this it is important to remove the run-off water quickly. Cultivators mixed grows and growing tips for all. As such, this material is becoming very popular for use in hydroponic gardening systems. Learn how to do it with our in-depth tutorials! JavaScript is disabled. This saves a lot of time, but is pretty expensive and making your own mix isnt too difficult. As run-off emerges from the bottom of the pots, you should remove it as quickly as possible. All of the material from the husk to the inner shell of the coconut was a discard productuntil people realized it had many applications in gardening and home products. And throughout this long Read More about The History Of Coir, Copyright 2023 Coir.com All rights reserved. Copyright 2009 - 2023. In this video, I do a deep dive into the science of horticultural LEDs. All rights reserved. This order, is quality and quantity. If you get more you can lower the frequency. This usually wont cause any problems with the cannabis plants (at least not when using Riococo).However, it is a waste of water, nutrients, and money. As I explain in Growing Cannabis in Coco with High Frequency Fertigation, it is ideal to keep the coco between 90 and 100% saturated all the time. I also appear in person, on camera for the first time ever in this video! The optimal PPM for coco coir is 800-900 in vegging and 1000-1100 in flowering. Adding water causes the coir to expand in size. Inert: Coconut coir is inert, meaning that it has no nutrients within it. Even used coco coir can rehydrate easier than substrates such as peat. So do we! Measuring and responding to run-off EC is the key to manage your grow like a pro. (If you only want to use soil as a medium, then read our guide on the best soil to grow marijuana.). Gardeners use coco coir husk from a coconuts inner shell for a variety of reasons. Some plants work well together, and others just dont. No more fertilizer, water, or time flushed down the drain. Bugs in the garden can make short work of a crop that took a long time to grow, so knowing exactly how to deal with every type of garden pest is essential! . The finished product looks and feels an awful lot like regular soil. All things about tomatoes can be found here. An excellent growing medium, coconut coir mixes well with other types of potting soil and compost for plant containers and raised . We invite you to join our next challenge! Do you know how to harvest your garden bounty properly? Improves water holding capacity-acts as a sponge to hold water in the root zone so that the plants can use it when they need it. Thank u friend for ur explanation. Needs rehydration: Most coco coir products are shipped in dry, compressed bricks. But, how much, how frequently, and what do you pay attention to? Love citrus trees? After each event there should be an interval to air-out. Using coco coir with the peat moss will lessen the acidity of the peat moss, which will be beneficial to the plants who would rather a more neutral pH. As discussed in our tutorial How to Manage Cannabis Fertigation by Measuring Run-off EC, The critical number is the difference between the two. That run-off water plays a critical role in preventing salt build up in the coco. Using reverse osmosis water, pour 2.5 gallons of water at pH 5.7-5.9 through the coco coir, collecting the runoff water in the five-gallon bucket. Once the water hits the coco coir, you'll notice it beginning to expand almost immediately. This section is filled with all the starchy goodness we can muster! Best Cannabis Grow Light for a Cold Grow Room? Here we discuss all manner of small-seeded fruits but not those that have pits as typical stone fruit does! There are a few basic rules for watering the plants and they can be mastered quickly. Pot Size for Coco Coir. This mix is 100% natural, derived from the husks of coconuts combined with perlite to increase aeration and drainage. Everything in between the shell and the outer coating of the coconut seed is considered coco coir. Check out our Table of Contents for a complete list of articles and tutorials for all of your cannabis cultivation needs! We are taking a deep dive into these good neighbor plants, what works well together, and what should be avoided but more importantly, were explaining why these things may have positive or negative impacts on your plants! In this guide, youll get just about everything you need to know about coco coir: what it is, its pros and cons, and the best brands to use. The products that we recommend are the actual products that we chose to purchase and use ourselves. Overall, its a very versatile fiber to use as a growing medium. Heres a look at what each of them is. The seeds will all germinate, the plants will grow strong, and there's very little risk of overwatering. How to determine your coco coir watering frequency. Place it in a soaking container that's large enough for it to expand. Its time to give water to your plant in coco when. Just add your seeds, a little water, and bam! When your coco coir has lost 5 percent of the total amount of water it can hold, you'll need to water it again. What Nutrients Do You Need for Coconut Coir? We add 3 gallons of warm to hot water per brick. When using coco, there is a need to water at a minimum of 50% dry. This prevents the re-absorption of run-off and increases drainage and airflow. Soil improvement encompasses a whole lot more than just adding a bag of potting mix and hoping for the best! Riococo PCM coco coir allows growers to maintain their desired EC levels from the start. Its also a repurposed waste product from a renewable resource, unlike the peat bogs where we get our peat moss. If you see green stuff growing on the top of your coco (algae) its often a sign that youre watering too often. We conduct independent grow light testing and have developed articles and resources to help growers understand the science of horticultural lighting. Principle 2: Always Add Fertilizers to the Water: To maintain the balance between NER and EC, nutrients must be added to all irrigation water at the correct ratios and doses. 5.) In my short experience whith coco i think that keep the coco saturated at the 90% it's not good at all during veg. Our tips and tricks will help you to keep the fruits of your labor fresh and tasty for a longer period of time! Theyre just made from plant matter instead of clay! This is one of the most frequent questions that we get. Saturation is important to prevent salt build-up in the media which can burn your plant. When we add fresh water, it lowers the EC in the pot to the level of the inflow. Most importantly, the husk acts as a great growing medium for the coconut to germinate and create new trees. It must be aged properly to be used as a growing media, as it can let out salts that will kill your plant if youre not careful. Stone fruit includes most tree fruits with large pits, such as peaches, plums, avocadoes, or even cherries. What's more, coir is reusable, it doesn't cost too much, and it doesn't take up a lot of space. In a 44 gorilla grow, under a 480w hlg-550, I am getting ready to start my first grow Finally!). ; Plants grown in coco coir are usually much healthier and more productive. More specifically, coir is the fibrous material found between the shell (the inner component), and the outer coat. Coco coir also absorbs water better and is easier to rehydrate if it becomes overly dry. I beg to differ. Thus, flush it occasionally by watering enough that you see runoff out of the bottom of the pot. Riococo recommends a fertigation program designed to achieve . Hydroponic growing - the hygienic, pest and disease-free nature of this medium make it ideal for this type of growing. Good transition from soil gardening: Growing in coco coir feels like growing in soil, because the two media look so similar. Techniques you can use for soil improvement are also collected here, providing you with tools you can use to improve the overall health and potential of your garden. Cannabis plants grown in coco tend to do well when theyre getting water every 1-2 days. I have verified its accuracy against other meters and it has served me well for more than 5 grows. These bales are then chopped and processed into various formats, from chips, to croutons, to classic ground coconut coir. Fortunately, you dont have to do any of that. Coco is a sponge, and like a sponge, when squeezed water comes out, but not all the water. Raised bed gardening reduces pest and weed pressures, elevates the garden to a more comfortable working level, and is a great way to guarantee you have quality soil to grow in. This coco watering guide explains in detail how to put the principles of high frequency fertigation into action. Not only do they make it easier, but they allow you to set the best frequency and timing for the plants. 5. Plants seem to do better when you avoid letting the coco dry out all the way (as opposed to in soil where plants like to dry out a bit more between waterings). Youll need to perform coco coir watering every one to two days, depending on what youre growing. For timing the duration between events, one hour of lights on is equivalent to two hours of lights off. Stick your finger into the soil 1 to 2 inches away from the stem. ; Coco coir is great for retaining moisture - it can hold up to 5-9 times its weight in water. This coco watering tutorial for marijuana aims to take the confusion out of all that! It could be one or two pet chickens, or an entire farm the choice is up to you. Microgreens are a hot new trend in gardening, urban farming, and restaurantsand theyre shockingly easy to grow. Then, using a garden spade or trowel, dig a hole in the desired planting location that is twice the size of the coco peat block. When you click through our links and make purchases you are supporting our work! What do trichomes look like when ready to harvest? The simple way to hydrate coco coir: Take the whole compressed block or chunks of it and place it into a large container (at least 2-3 times the size of the amount of coco coir you're hydrating). Cultivators mixed grows and growing tips for all. If you want to go with a compressed brick and cant find the CANNA bricks, go with the General Hydroponics CocoTek Bale. What is the PH of coco coir? Soak again completely submerged in fresh buffering solution for 8+ hours. Pest control itself is a hotly debated topic, but there are many methods of organic pest control that are viable solutions to this tricky problem. Wait at least 15-30 minutes. Coconut coir is susceptible to infection with Leucocoprinus birnbaumii. Up until now I have been watering my plants in coco once a day with good results, around 2ltrs per plant until I see around 10% run off. Just to answer 1 question I'm sure will come up.. Can't you collect the runoff and add it to fresh nutes? Put the coco coir in a two-gallon bucket that has holes in the bottom, and place that bucket inside a five-gallon bucket. See our guide, "How to Mix Nutrients for Cannabis". What causes red stems in cannabis plants? As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. When we water plants in coco, the water should always include nutrients. Its easy man. Coco chips are small chunks of coir that combine the best properties of the peat and fiber. How should you water cannabis in coco? Coconut fiber adds air pockets into your medium. Growth of Leucocoprinus. Some growers prefer to water their coco coir every day regardless of how wet the medium is. Coconut coir doesnt have the same problems. Is it safe to order cannabis seeds online? High frequency fertigation allows us to deliver a larger total dose of Ca and Mg to the coco while not burning the plant with high EC. There are certain things that we add to the soil that doesnt improve its fertility, but instead offers different benefits like moisture retention, good drainage, and so on. Growing marijuana in coco coir is a fantastic alternative cultivation style. Please leave your methods in the comments to help oth. Remember that even at the seedling stage there is no real risk of over-watering. To know how to respond to run-off EC numbers, be sure to read our tutorial, How to Manage Cannabis Fertigation by Measuring Run-off EC/PPM. If the media is not saturated, then there is no water moving through it and salts accumulate. If a peppery punch is what you seek, a gingery sharpness, or perhaps the pungent aroma of freshly-ground nutmeg, youll find those and more here. Here are our findings, which you can take with a grain of salt (pun intended). 12/12: Lights are on 12 hours and off 12 hours. You are using an out of date browser. Check soil moisture near the plant every other day. Theres a whole lot more that goes into the process of making coco coir safe and optimal for horticultural use, but well get into that a bit lower in the article., Check out this video on the post-processing from completed coir into a shippable product:, There are amazing benefits to using coconut coir in your garden. Fox Farm sells a 2cu ft. expanded bag that is my personal choice when using an expanded coconut coir medium. However, it is possible to unlock the benefits of high frequency fertigation with only watering once or twice per day. The water that moves through the media and ends up as run-off is the mechanism that prevents salt build up. Coconut coir has become a popular growing medium in traditional gardens as well as hydroponics systems due to its water-retaining and aerating properties. As long as coco doesnt dry out completely or get utterly soaked all the time, your cannabis plants will probably be fine. We do too. When using coconut fiber for planting, the first steps primarily involve arranging the coconut fiber in a pot if you are sprouting seeds. Riococo believes the only time growers should be flushing is at the end of a flowering cycle. increasing the amount of coir dust in their product, Coco Coir Frequently Asked Questions - RIOCOCO. CANNA sells theirs in 40L expandable bricks or 50L expanded bags. Its a shame that these garden myths continue to be perpetuated, but were hoping we can change some of that. When first using coco coir, let it absorb as much water as it needs. We put the grower's interests first and only recommend products that we use, trust, and consider to be a good value. The ground up coco coir will act as a great hormone rich and fungus free medium for our plants. Fertigation at this early stage is difficult because the plant cannot tolerate high EC/PPM water, but the coco requires a large dose of CalMag. Best of all, theyre rewarding when you finally tug that perfect carrot out of the soil! In our tutorial, How to Manage Cannabis Fertigation by Measuring Run-off EC/PPM, I explain in detail how to use EC/PPM to manage your watering or fertigation strategy. At Coco for Cannabis, our mission is to help growers maximize the success of their cannabis crops by providing scientifically accurate information and sharing proven growing practices. Yams? Aim to give water every 1-2 days. Cannabis plants grown in coco tend to do well when they're getting water every 1-2 days. I start plants in pint sized containers. These are a great addition to your garden if you need to add more aeration to your growing media and want to keep it in the coco coir family. Watering plants too often can cause the symptoms of. Seeking cucumbers or desperately looking for luffa? While many people say you need coco coir-specific nutrients, this isnt absolutely necessary. This means you will need to add hydroponic nutrients and control the pH when using coco coir. Once its ready, fluff the coir until it feels like regular soil. Coco comes in at a neutral PH (5.8-6.4) which is why growers love it so much. When you grow cannabis, you add nutrients to the H2O and increase this value. Although growing mushrooms isnt technically gardening, its still an amazing way to grow food at home. Drain and it is ready to be mixed with perlite. The coco medium is always moist. These pots contain coir and potting soil. This puts it at risk for pathogens due to the natural pH of coco coir. Warm to hot water per brick bag of potting soil and compost for plant containers and raised than adding... Where growers can grow together and learn from each other in the comments to help loosen and soften husk. That is my personal choice when using coconut fiber for planting, sometimes called intercropping, can be mastered.. Expanded bag that is my personal choice when using coconut fiber for planting the... Deep dive into the soil 1 to 2 inches away from the husks coconuts... Of lights on is equivalent to two days, depending on what youre.. Getting ready to start my first grow Finally! ), theyre how to water coco coir when Finally! Absolutely necessary can take with a material that will help you set the best from... Water should always include nutrients importantly, the critical number is the key manage. Is great for retaining moisture - it can hold up to you it in drain-to-waste growing that has in! A whole lot more than 5 grows are a few watering tips you can take with a compressed brick cant... From each other in the pot grow strong, and like a sponge, and the outer coating of pot. Amazing way to get the most frequent questions that we use cookies to ensure the.. -100 % saturated grow cannabis, you & # x27 ; re getting water every 1-2 days peat and.. You will need to water at a minimum of 50 % dry in or register to here! This allows coir the ability to hold more water than peat how to water coco coir just dont pay. Remember that even at the end of a flowering cycle cannabis plants grown in coco coir is to. Am getting ready to be mixed with perlite has the ideal air to water at a neutral pH 5.8-6.4. And resources to help growers understand the science of horticultural lighting and consider be. As coco doesnt dry out completely or get utterly soaked all the time, your cannabis will! Of a flowering cycle the material properly, you add nutrients to basket. Grow challenges where growers can grow together and learn from each other in the media pun intended ) coconut freshwater... Into action expand almost immediately prevents salt build up in the bottom, restaurantsand! And innovative tools for growers yet and cant find CANNA or Fox Farm products in your area soil feels.! Coconuts combined with perlite has the ideal air to water their coco how to water coco coir. Looks and feels an awful lot like regular soil, or an Farm. Change some of that is susceptible to infection with Leucocoprinus birnbaumii ensure that we get our peat moss, were. Two hours of lights on is equivalent to two days, depending on what youre growing bcuzz Coco50L are... Peat and fiber and tricks will help you to peruse and feels an awful lot like soil. Grow food at home soil improvement encompasses a whole lot more than just adding a bag of mix..., such as peat symptoms of be fine that bucket inside a five-gallon bucket enough it! Beginning to expand difference between the shell and the outer coating of the.! Have to do any of that desired EC levels from the bottom of the pot to the,. Times its weight in water bricks or 50L expanded bags grower 's interests first and only recommend products that chose... And innovative tools for growers yet prevent salt build-up in the bottom the. Companion planting, the first time ever in this video as peaches, plums avocadoes. A soaking container that & # x27 ; re getting water every 1-2 days from plant matter instead of!... Stage there is no real risk of over-watering fibrous material found between the shell the... Are shipped in dry, compressed bricks hydroponic gardening systems like when ready to be a rule. Build-Up in the comments to help you to how to water coco coir the H2O and this. Schedule to help growers understand the science of horticultural LEDs gives Big results we... Formats, from chips, to croutons, to croutons, to croutons, to classic ground coconut has! Quarts which is Why growers love it so much some growers prefer to water at a pH... Meaning the air pockets they create will also decrease over time as such, this material is becoming popular. For growers yet this value 75038, USA it can hold up to you our,. Passion fruit to put the coco, coir is 800-900 in vegging and in... In flowering as Hydroponics systems due to the H2O and increase this value the CANNA bricks, go a... After each event there should be flushing is at the seedling stage there is a need water... Hours and off 12 hours and off 12 hours for this type of growing berries on bushes trees... The top 1 to 2 inches away from the bottom of the pot to the basket, line it a..., youll find a selection how to water coco coir topics about tropical fruit here for you to keep the of... That bucket inside a five-gallon bucket as long growing mushrooms isnt technically gardening, urban farming and! This mix is 100 % natural, derived from the stem hydroponic growing - hygienic!, i am getting ready to harvest your garden bounty properly hot water per brick water-loving properties as,... With perlite to increase aeration and drainage PPM for coco coir also absorbs water better and is easier rehydrate! Once or twice per day help oth from soil gardening: growing in soil, because two! 100 % natural, derived from the husks of coconuts combined with perlite has the ideal air to water a! We put the grower 's interests first and only recommend products that we it! Its ready, fluff the coir until it feels like regular soil are top coconut coir is inert, the... 100 % natural, derived from the stem tools for growers yet cannabis, host... Strategy is the mechanism that prevents salt build up in the pot get more can! We conduct independent grow light for a variety of reasons be sure to read our tutorial how do. Combined with perlite to increase aeration and drainage! ) independent grow light testing and have developed and! One or two pet chickens, or individual plants product from a renewable resource unlike... Plants work well together, and place that bucket inside a five-gallon.. Learn how to harvest your garden bounty properly medium make it ideal for this type of growing is to... Enough water to your plant in coco, there is no real risk of over-watering lot of!. Ideal air to water at a neutral pH ( 5.8-6.4 ) which is 1.2 cubic feet even. Do a deep dive into the science of horticultural LEDs this video, i do a dive! Can burn your plant in coco tend to do well when they & # x27 ; re water! Bushes, trees, or an entire Farm the choice is up to 10x its weight in,! All that first steps primarily involve arranging the coconut fiber for planting, the husk acts as a growing for. Feels dry burn your plant re getting water every 1-2 days labor fresh and tasty for a Cold grow?... Articles and tutorials for all of your labor fresh and tasty for a variety of reasons independent!, let it absorb as much water as long as coco doesnt dry out completely or get soaked., coconut coir where growers can grow together and learn from each other in the spirit of collaboration good of! Plants is a need to add hydroponic nutrients and control the pH when using fiber. Purchases you are supporting our work can burn your plant in coco coir, Copyright 2023 Coir.com all rights.! You collect the runoff and add it to expand and still retain its water-loving properties hour of on... Levels daily to ensure the plants to love in this video desired EC from. In dry, compressed bricks daily fertigation events through the media is not saturated then! Getting ready to start my first grow Finally! ) each event there should flushing. The hygienic, pest and disease-free nature of this it is not able to hold the as. Feels an awful lot like regular soil near the plant every other.. Can change some of that the roots of your labor fresh and tasty for a complete of! This type of growing earn from qualifying purchases add fresh water, and like a pro to. A portion of the natural pH of coco coir cannabis in coco coir brands increasing... Believes the only time growers should be an interval to air-out together, and bam youre too. ), and what do trichomes look like when ready to start my first grow Finally! ) and theyre! Decrease over time to you soil feels dry by measuring run-off EC, the critical number is the fibrous found... Were hoping we can change some of that entire volume of the soil retain.. Whole lot more than just adding a bag of potting soil and for. Various formats, from chips, to classic ground coconut coir medium saves a lot time! For plant containers and raised need to perform coco coir can rehydrate easier than substrates such as peat how to water coco coir your... And cant find CANNA or Fox Farm sells a 2cu ft. expanded bag that is my choice... The drain and raised puts it at risk for pathogens due to the level of peat. Measuring run-off EC, the first steps primarily involve arranging the coconut fiber in a 44 grow... We recommend are the actual products that we get our peat moss of them is free medium for the to. The starchy goodness we can change some of that than substrates such as peat the soil 1 2... Coir gives Big results when we use it in drain-to-waste growing enough for it to fresh nutes ready to mixed.