[Lobo]

Here is some advice I gave to a friend who wanted to try coco for the first time. I hope it may be useful for anybody else thinking of trying it. I specifically mention Hesi Coco as it is perfect for a first timer - one bottle throughout the grow from start to finish, no PK 13/14.

I also mentioned Blues as I gave him some cuttings


COCO COIR -

Don't allow coco to dry, keep moist - feed every watering, every 2 - 3 days at first. Big plants in peak flower will probably need feeding every day.

PH 5.8 - 6.2 - 6.0 is perfect, don't sweat over a point here or there. PH after adding nutrients.

No need for EC meter.

HESI COCO single bottle - Start at 3ml - 3.5ml per litre gradually up the feed 0.5 per litre to around 5ml per litre max for mature plant in flower - do not overfeed, watch the plants they will tell you if they need more. Blues will max out at about 5ml per litre depending on light intensity and rate of growth.

If you suspect overfeeding (burnt tips / claw shaped dark green leaves) flush with a weak PH'd nutrient solution at 1 - 2ml/ltr then let them recover, gently raise the feed again

When top feeding allow some run off from the pots. Discard run off - 1 litre of coco medium will hold around 250ml of liquid.

Use water at room temperature if possible (20 - 22 degrees C) to avoid nutrient lock out and shocking roots.

Keep roots at 20 - 22 degrees C - Buy digi thermometer with probe and heater for tent / grow room. Do not allow root zone to fall below 18 C if possible during lights out.

Flush with plain tap water final week of flower - do not ph the flush water. If you haven't overfed them then 1 week is enough. Longer needed if overfed

If planting cuttings in large pots there is no need to saturate the whole pot, top feed every day around 500ml - 1ltr until roots hit the bottom of pot (around 7 - 10 days hopefully) Then feed full amount of liquid as normal every other or third day.

Flip to 12/12 about 7 - 10 days after seeing roots at bottom of pot to ensure good root ball - the bigger and healthier the root ball the more bud you will have. It's all about the roots, look after them.

A good / lazy method is to bottom feed - have pots in individual saucers and pour feed into saucer until they stop taking liquid. Only do this when roots have hit bottom of pots. Calculate how much liquid the pot will hold. Try alternating between top and bottom feeding to see which you prefer.

Other additives like PK 13/14, root stimulant and silicon are all good but not strictly necessary - keep it simple at first, try one new thing each grow.

This post has been edited by Lobo: 13 February 2012 - 02:50 PM

[Atomic Haze]

Looks like good advice, wishing your mate luck although I doubt he will need it having a good friend like yourself.

[joe2dee]

You can be my friend also if your giving blues cuts away
nice one

[Lobo]

Well, spread the love fellas I'd happily give cuttings to any fellow grower.

Actually it's an evil scheme really...when he's cropped I get a smoke

This post has been edited by Lobo: 13 February 2012 - 05:03 PM

[formabud]

great post Lobo

can this be made a sticky? alot of people can benefit from this, and its gonna be harder to if they dont know if it exists

forma.

[Lobo]

Thank you forma, really? ... you think so?

Well I'm not sure what the procedure is to get a sticky, maybe a mod needs to choose whether it's suitable or not.

Obviously any other advice from anybody else would be great. There may some things I missed or haven't learned yet myself.

[stigz]

Top post mate I've copied that into a word document for guidance

[Conspiracy23]

Can you use the Hesi Coco (orange) bottle right through including Veg ?
I thought I read they had changed the balance of nutes so it wasn't great for Veg and you needed TNT until Flowering ?
I've only recently moved to Coco so am still trying to suss out the best feeds in early stages.
The bottle I have is 3-4-5 and only states for a Complete Food for Flowering Plants

[Lobo]

You can use it the whole life of the plant from cutting or seed to finished monster. I have for a few grows now. This grow I'm going to try not using even PK 13/14. I have sen it done and recommended on here. Just one bottle the whole grow.

Its got plenty of N for veg and you can adjust the nutrient uptake by starting with PH of 5.8 in veg and finishing with 6.2 in late flower.

The lower the PH the more nitrogen is available - the higher the less N is available, but if thats hassle just stick with 6.0 the whole grow.

If 'keep it simple' is our motto then it don't get any simpler than this.

e2a: unfortunately as I understand it, there only was one Hesi coco formula and they introduced the TNT for Veg to encourage us to buy extra products. Don't get me wrong TNT works very well but totally unnecessary considering how well the orange coco bottle does.

This post has been edited by Lobo: 15 February 2012 - 12:42 AM

[Conspiracy23]

Cheers, I'll try that with a couple of cuttings as one bottle would be a lot less hassle

[Lobo]

Actually here is something to consider - My PH pen packed up a week ago and I can't afford to buy one for another week.

I haven't PH'd my feed for a week and the plant is as healthy as I have seen. From what I have seen when I did measure the feed, Hesi does a very good job of PH buffering anyway.

How's that for simple - one bottle, no EC no PH. I'm not suggesting that anybody should ditch the PH measuring as it's important, but it can be done if needed.

All I can say is try it on a plant or two

[komodod]

i wish your friend luck. its a good template for the strain you gave him and the nutes you use. personally i couldnt do withouth my ec meter but if you know the strain i doubt you would need it.

[Bigbud585]

Good thread mate.
Bottom feeding in coco in sog with 2L pots with hesi nutes.
Looking good so far and very easy.

Cheers.

[Bigbud585]

Double post.

This post has been edited by Bigbud585: 19 May 2012 - 12:36 PM

[troy]

Good advice, I just let them drink the run off back up again though. I would never put cuttings in large pots personally , it can shock them and they stop growing for a while. But if you only give them a little nutrient solution maybe this isn't a problem. I like to pot up several times during veg , it seems to keep the momentum going.

This post has been edited by troy: 24 May 2012 - 06:13 PM