Coir in swamps

[.clunk]

I just came across a very nice little swamp spot this morning, I was wondering how coco coir/perlite mix works out in the swamp, anything extra I need to add? I'd be using AN Heavy Harvest as a top dressing.

Last year I used coconut coir and perlite in grow-bags on a waterline spot (getting watered as much as needed every day) and was very dissapointed with the results.

The coir would be really easy to pack into the swamp but I don't want to risk having poor results from it again, any insight?

 

[hulkbogan]

I find it works better than peat indoors, I have used it outdoors in pots but never in the swamp before. I just put out about 40 plants in coir swamp tube/grow bags I make. Hopefully they don't dissapoint I usually get about half pound off one with peat and organics.

 

[Reibsi]

I grow on a floating peat bog...which is very similar to a swamp but it`s dry on the top with the water just below the surface...I make my tubes out off 2 foot high 1 inch chicken mesh...4 wooden stakes and panda film...I grow in sunshine mix #4 and i use Yield Master slow release pellet food.
I`ve never used coco before.

 

[apartmentblower]

i would think you'd need to add extra cal? dolomite lime doesn't work well with coco coir. you need to look for oysterized lime.

hi reibsi i think i have a "floating peat bog" as you describe nearby. does yours grow lots of long grass on it during summer?

 

[Reibsi]

i would think you'd need to add extra cal? dolomite lime doesn't work well with coco coir. you need to look for oysterized lime.

hi reibsi i think i have a "floating peat bog" as you describe nearby. does yours grow lots of long grass on it during summer?

This one doesn`t but i do have a few others that do grow a golden long bladed grass that hides my tubes perfectly. You should check into it because these floating bogs are the cats ass for growing...the fibres in the peat act like a giant filter that keeps the water clean...their is no smell to the water at all.

 

[apartmentblower]

This one doesn`t but i do have a few others that do grow a golden long bladed grass that hides my tubes perfectly. You should check into it because these floating bogs are the cats ass for growing...the fibres in the peat act like a giant filter that keeps the water clean...their is no smell to the water at all.

yes, i used to get water from the bog and march it to my other patch. then i thought one winter, why the hell don't i just grow on the bog????

by july the grass on the bog gets pretty tall, good place for hiding swamp tubes. ill be doing it up next year

 

[Reibsi]

Well here`s a few pics that show the peat being dug out and the tubes being assembled...2 more pics to follow.

 

[hulkbogan]

i would think you'd need to add extra cal? dolomite lime doesn't work well with coco coir. you need to look for oysterized lime.

hi reibsi i think i have a "floating peat bog" as you describe nearby. does yours grow lots of long grass on it during summer?

Pelletized lime works fine with coco.

 

[Reibsi]

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[.clunk]

Hey guys, thanks for the input..
I've read that you should soak the coir in Epsom Salts before using, to help with the Mg/Cal I think, I wonder if it would stick around long enough in a swamp spot to make it feasable.

I did a search and found that Greens used coir in wet areas with a slightly lower water table but still moist soil and just added a cup of lime to the bottom of the hole then stuck a grow bag on top, no mention of top dressing it with more lime or mixing it in though.

Good info on the swamp tubes, nice pictures Reibsi, I've enjoyed your threads alot..I think to keep security my priority I'm going to have to go into a part of the swamp with a bit more cover, but a slightly lower water table. I'll definately have to dig down half a foot or so to make sure the soil stays moist even in the middle of the summer, I don't want to build swamp tubes so I was just going to use 12 gallon grow-bags and dig them down into the water table with a couple of extra holes cut in the bottom for the roots to go down when it dries out a bit more in the middle of summer

 

[apartmentblower]

Well here`s a few pics that show the peat being dug out and the tubes being assembled...2 more pics to follow.

wow thanks reibsi, looks very similar to mine.

 

[apartmentblower]

Pelletized lime works fine with coco.

cool. i was referencing an article from maximum yeild that explained to not use dolomite in coir. never done it myself so no personal experience to add.

 

[.clunk]

cool. i was referencing an article from maximum yeild that explained to not use dolomite in coir. never done it myself so no personal experience to add.

i've heard lime and coir don't work so well either...

 

[hulkbogan]

To solve the cal/mag problem I use gaia green glacial rock dust .. has lots of trace minerals. I believe that using lime in coco is probably bad if you have water with a stable ph because coco itself is inert the lime would lower the acidity too much and cause lockout problems, the swamps are so acidic that you absolutely need it.

I also found out last year that coco yields better on it's own rather than a coco perlite blend.

 

[.clunk]

Hey guys, I took another walk through the swamp this morning and found a nice spot which is a little higher (no standing water) but is a nice grassy opening surrounded by thick alder. I dug a test hole and the soil was all black river bottom loam loaded with earthworms to a depth of 1 foot where I hit the water table. Based on this I changed my plan slightly and I think I'll just dig holes or beds down to the water table then amend with perlite and a bit of peat or coir. The native soil looks really rich but is a little compact, with a few 4cu foot bags of perlite I should be in business and I'll try to use as much native soil as possible.

Here's where I need some more advice; I don't think the top layer of soil will stay moist enough to use a slow-release top dressing like the AN heavy harvest, the roots will be nice and moist to keep the plant going but they need nutes too! I was thinking that at the most I could visit to hand water every two weeks, maybe if I hand water with soluble nutes it would be enough but I'm not sure. What you do you think?

 

[apartmentblower]

you got a point there. if you mix in HH throughout first you'll be ok but when you come back to re-amend instead of top dressing dig a small 2" trench approx 6" away from base of stem and fill with your HH and cover. that is the way i was taught to use it. if you do it before a rain and then top water once every couple weeks you should be fine. i would still use HH for re-amending b/c when it rains it will help and you never know maybe it will work fine even i the top layer isn't that moist.

 

[.clunk]

cool, thanks for the info. I've never mixed the HH into the soil before planting, always just top dressed with a small handful every two weeks or so throughout the season. How much do you use when you mix it into the soil, do you follow their guidelines? do you dig it into the full depth of the holes or just the top 3-4 inches?

Thanks!

 

[apartmentblower]

cool, thanks for the info. I've never mixed the HH into the soil before planting, always just top dressed with a small handful every two weeks or so throughout the season. How much do you use when you mix it into the soil, do you follow their guidelines? do you dig it into the full depth of the holes or just the top 3-4 inches?

Thanks!

This will help you out:

http://www.progressive-growth.com/images/feedchartimages/advanced-heavy-harvest-recipe.pdf


p.s. yes i would always recommend mixing throughout in first application. i see no reason not too. you don't dig the full depth of the hole or else you'd do a lot of root damage. just a couple inches around the plant and some inches out to avoid roots near the top. the guide above explains well. then if you are concerned about not being moist enough just hand water after the first application or time it for rain. i would think there'd be enough moisture in swamp pots + heat to active the ferts.

 

[Reibsi]

Yield Master slow release food.

Yield Master slow release food.

Here`s what i used last year in all of my tubes and most of my holes..."Yield Master"...Check out the ingredients..5% Humic and 5% Kelp plus all essentials nutrients...I put in 1/3rd of my soil...add the bloom...then the other 2/3rds of my soil...then mix in the grow.
It costs on average about 20 bucks cheaper for a 5 gallon pail then AN`s Heavy Harvest line...I love this stuff.

 

[.clunk]

I've never seen that stuff around here Reibsi, maybe it's just an east coast thing? Sounds nice, since the AN line is pretty expensive.

This morning I dug all my holes for the spot, and took a few photos for you guys too:

First I cross the main river with hip-waiters, then I walk up this tributary so I don't leave a trail:

Here's a photo at around 7am before I started working:

a few hours later I had dug quite a few BIG holes:

In total I dug thirty 40 gallon holes, each plant will have a full meter+ in each direction, they get full sun from sunrise to late evening so I'm hoping to grow some tree's in this spot! I'm going to be planting all my biggest sexed seedlings which have been vegging since april 1st, most will be 2ft+ and quite bushy by the time they go out!
The native soil is really rich and aside from adding some perlite to aid with aeration and a little lime to balance the pH, I think it'll be okay for growing dope. Some of the worms I dug up were a centimeter thick, big bastards!
Even though the soil should stay moist throughout the season I'm still going to have to mulch and hand water once a week or so if I don't get much rain. At first I was kinda bummed out about this but realized that even with my waterlined spots I have to visit every 7-10 days to make sure it's working alright, so this won't be much different. What do you guys think about a sprinkle of polymer crystals to help with moisture retention at the top of the soil surface?

I nearly drowned on my way out crossing the main river, I'm going to have to be more careful. We're at peak runoff right now and I crossed in a different spot than the morning and stepped into a deep pool by accident. The water was deeper than my hip-waiters and they filled up with ice cold water, making my legs heavier than cement bags. The current was really strong and with the water-filled hip-waiters I fell in and was pulled downstream around 15' until I jammed into a log and managed to pull myself to shore. Quite the scary moment since I'm not a strong swimmer..luckily I keep my camera in a waterproof case!