Girl Scout Cookies

[UnknownProphet]

Cookie Dough got me all sorts of peaceful. Heavy Peacin.

Cookie Dough got me all sorts of peaceful. Heavy Peacin.

That's what's great about this site, we're all here to learn and gain experience from those with knowledge.

I may come off as if I know it all sometimes, but I assure you that's not the case. And I apologize if that's misinterpreted as cockiness. I consider myself to be educated, but one thing I know for sure is: I don't know shit. There's no right or wrong way to grow, just what works best for you, in your own particular situation.

I think after things settle in a week or so I'm going to start a grow along thread, and invite others that are also growing to post up. Only way we can get this girl to yield is trial and error.

 

[LumpStatus]

I would like to join you in the I don't know shit club. I learn something new everyday. I am looking forward to the grow along and will definitely join you on that adventure!

 

[TripleDraw27]

I would like to join you in the I don't know shit club. I learn something new everyday. I am looking forward to the grow along and will definitely join you on that adventure!

its like a zen garden with herb. don't lie!....you have a rake to comb the beds for relaxation. Those beds look so nice and neat.

 

[Mia]

I do let them dry out a lot between watering. I go by the feel of how heavy the table is when lifting a corner. Allowing them to dry out is important in the beginning to establish good root development. I continue this throughout as I have a lot of gnats outside and if they are kept too wet they infest the inside. But they are definitely not as dry as you would think by looking at them, my humidity is around 45% and massive air circulation throughout dries the top layer pretty quickly.

It''s interesting because you always hear one of the golden rules of coco is don't let it dry out.
Every so often I'll miss a watering or something and my pots will dry out more than normal, seems the plants actually like it and I get that extra little kick akin to when soil grown plants go through their dry stage and pop.
Don't know how much I'd want to push my luck though...
In fact I just flipped a bunch of stuff into flower like a week ago I'm not going to water tonite for a little mini experiment....

UP I figured out who you are,

"True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing."
Socrates
You are now known prophet....

 

[NorCal]

Yeah man when I got started about 10 years ago I read every book out on weed growing and everything I could online. Then I started school for my horticultural sciences/greenhouse management degree and then I actually started growing weed. All i can say is you can read everything on this subject but once you get your hands in some dirt and start farming you won't know SHIT. Experience goes a LONG way. I cant wait to see some cookies In A fully sealed room. I guarantee no ones gonna complain about the yield then.

if you want no larf no matter how many plants you have on a table you need to prune more aggressively. Lollipop those bitches and you'd be surprised. I do this and ill admit I prob don't yield as much as I possibly could because of the lack of larf but it's not much, and my trimmers love me because all they have to trim is golf balls. My clients love me becuase there's no bullshit larf just golfball nugget elbo's.

 

[LumpStatus]

its like a zen garden with herb. don't lie!....you have a rake to comb the beds for relaxation. Those beds look so nice and neat.

Haha you nailed it! I do go a bit ocd leveling them and getting them just right before planting... But that's mostly because its just enough coco to bury the 4 inch pots I'm planting in. If the table is not level then the pots don't get fully buried in some areas. You can call me picky, I don't mind!

@MIA - They love to dry out, significantly more root development will occur in drier coco. It is easy to go too dry if you are not careful, but coco insulates well and if you use some mycorhizzae they will stay somewhat protected from dry conditions. Even can a admits that plants best root in coco that's not too wet. I treat my coco just like soil, don't water until they need it.

@NorCal - Every time you look at my cookie pics you are looking at a completely sealed room

 

[NorCal]

It''s interesting because you always hear one of the golden rules of coco is don't let it dry out.
Every so often I'll miss a watering or something and my pots will dry out more than normal, seems the plants actually like it and I get that extra little kick akin to when soil grown plants go through their dry stage and pop.
Don't know how much I'd want to push my luck though...
In fact I just flipped a bunch of stuff into flower like a week ago I'm not going to water tonite for a little mini experiment....

It's good to stimulate root growth but when it dries out the mediums EC goes up because the waters evaporated out and all that's left is the salts (nutrients) that's prob why you feel like they get an extra kick. Because they're actually getting hit with a higher concentration of nutrients than they normally would as they dry out. Basically the more it dries the higher the EC gets. It's fine and all but just make sure you don't burn your plants.

Coco is a very versatile medium but from all the methods i've used, drain to waste feeding a little bit, multiple times a day is where it's at once the roots become established. At some point There's a groove you kinda get into and the plants just love it. Hope this helps.

 

[Mia]

That may be but I'm a pretty heavy feeder although lately I've been backing off and switching things up a little.
I think it has more to do with oxygenating the root zone.
Although that's odd because you'd think watering every day would be doing the same thing....

Edit: thanks for the info lump.

 

[LumpStatus]

Concentrations rise in every medium as it dries out, that is why i feed less, 1.5ec feed water is my absolute max. Watering multiple times per day is like heaven for fungus gnats. Feed less concentrated nutrients, little to no runoff throughout and you get better root growth, less pests and increased oxygen in the medium. But there is no one right way to grow. This is just what works for me...

 

[OrganicBuds]

Since we are talking nutes...... On my outdoor cookies that I have been planting throughout the week I have been sprinkling the roots with Azos Mycos and Azos nitrogen fixing bacterium. Then once I have transplanted and built a little moat around my plant, I top dress each plant with 30 oz of Vital Earth compost and 30oz of home made EWC. (earth worm castings) So far no transplant shock even with windy afternoons. I highly recommend people growing outdoors top dress with EWC. It buffers the PH of the soil and creates a slow release of calcium and Nitrogen while feeding your micro heard.

 

[NorCal]

That may be but I'm a pretty heavy feeder although lately I've been backing off and switching things up a little.
I think it has more to do with oxygenating the root zone.
Although that's odd because you'd think watering every day would be doing the same thing....

Edit: thanks for the info lump.

So if your a heavy feeder you've been getting lucky that you haven't burned your plants yet.

Yes Watering everyday is good For oxygenating the root zone however if the roots have not properly developed then it's pointless. Oxygen itself isn't gonna make the plants and roots grow, especially when you keep giving them nutrients unnecessarily. If your letting them dry out more your gonna have to flush more often to avoid potential salt build up issues. Don't get me wrong there's plenty of different ways to skin a cat. Just my two cents

 

[NorCal]

Concentrations rise in every medium as it dries out, that is why i feed less, 1.5ec feed water is my absolute max. Watering multiple times per day is like heaven for fungus gnats. Feed less concentrated nutrients, little to no runoff throughout and you get better root growth, less pests and increased oxygen in the medium. But there is no one right way to grow. This is just what works for me...

I routinely treat all my grows for root aphids so fungus gnats aren't really ever a problem for me becuase the stuff I use also takes care of gnats and a bunch of other soil borne pests.

What your saying about The concentration thing is true for all HYDRO mediums. However not soil.

 

[Mia]

Sure I understand what you are saying and appreciate the advice...
I was just looking at it from the whole "roots go searching for water when medium dries out" dogma that I was taught by others many many years ago....

 

[Veg N Out]

I routinely treat all my grows for root aphids so fungus gnats aren't really ever a problem for me becuase the stuff I use also takes care of gnats and a bunch of other soil borne pests.

What your saying about The concentration thing is true for all HYDRO mediums. However not soil.

Wait a minute..You spray your shit down with Imidiclorpid all the time ?? Disgusting! Please start using pesticides properly!

PS>> It's also true for soil..As the medium dries out , the EC of the soil will rise..

 

[NorCal]

Oh yeah that works great. That's what I do everytime I tp a plant into a new container. Then when the roots start popping out the bottoms I speed up the feedings little by little. when plants are bigger and not being flushed properly then you can run into problems letting them dry out, but it's not overnight, this usually has to happen multiple times before any adverse effects are noticed. Basically when the roots start popping out of my containers I take it as a cue to start warring more often being more careful to avoid having them dry out. It seems like common sense but over and under watering are two of the biggest mistakes even seasoned veterans in this game make. Master this and I guarantee you'll see a huge improvement.

 

[NorCal]

Wait a minute..You spray your shit down with Imidiclorpid all the time ?? Disgusting! Please start using pesticides properly!

PS>> It's also true for soil..As the medium dries out , the EC of the soil will rise..

LOL calm down there cowboy. I don't spray for shit really. Everything gets dunked or drenched. I just make a batch of water and top feed it in. Simple as that. Spraying that shit would be horrible considering how much of it you'd ingest if you didn't wear a suit. Don't do it after flower and it's all good in the hood. As for "routinely" I mean it's done every 2-3 weeks with alternating products. I'm good man I've taken courses in IPM I think I know what I'm doing. And I'd like to see where soils EC rises as the water dries out. Find me something on that. Organically the plant will only take up what it needs which is why it's hars to burn your plants in soil. And if your only watering with plain water there's no nutrients to leave behind but heat was already in the soil to begin with.

 

[skull and roses]

It's good to stimulate root growth but when it dries out the mediums EC goes up because the waters evaporated out and all that's left is the salts (nutrients) that's prob why you feel like they get an extra kick. Because they're actually getting hit with a higher concentration of nutrients than they normally would as they dry out. Basically the more it dries the higher the EC gets. It's fine and all but just make sure you don't burn your plants.

Coco is a very versatile medium but from all the methods i've used, drain to waste feeding a little bit, multiple times a day is where it's at once the roots become established. At some point There's a groove you kinda get into and the plants just love it. Hope this helps.

I agree with this, once the roots are established it's better to water more and let the top layer just barely dry out.

I have been in coco for 5 years and I always did it like soil. For the last year and a half I have watered more with higher yields and even frostier and denser. The problem as Lump alluded to is the gnats. I have remided this with the mosquito dunks. You break about half of a dime sized piece and crush it to powder and then sprinkle it in each plant. You also put a full dunk in the Rez every 10 days....they will vanish in a week!!!! New crops seem fine if u start the plant of with the first sprinkle. Works!!!!

 

[NorCal]

I agree with this, once the roots are established it's better to water more and let the top layer just barely dry out.

I have been in coco for 5 years and I always did it like soil. For the last year and a half I have watered more with higher yields and even frostier and denser. The problem as Lump alluded to is the gnats. I have remided this with the mosquito dunks. You break about half of a dime sized piece and crush it to powder and then sprinkle it in each plant. You also put a full dunk in the Rez every 10 days....they will vanish in a week!!!! New crops seem fine if u start the plant of with the first sprinkle. Works!!!!

Exactly dude. I did soil for 3 years then coco for the last 7. I think I've got it down by now, but always open to new suggestions. Just trying to give some pointers. There's a learning curve to every medium and there's certain things I wish growers at the time would have schooled me on so I coulda been more successful with my crops sooner. Mosquito dunks are the shit too. I keep those in my rez's as well and no gnats in my dirt. Inevitably There might be a few flying around but they won't be hatching in my dirt.

 

[unclefishstick]

good compost tea also seems to keep the gnats in check,i know i have gnats in my houseplants but i only ever see one gnat at a time in the garden,but i have to water the flowering areas every single day,the medium is bone dry after 24 hrs (sunshine advanced mix #4 in 3 gallon smart pots) so its not a good spot for gnats to get hold. but they all but disappeared when i started using compost tea every two weeks in the medium and as a foliar spray

 

[LumpStatus]

I believe it works for you guys...but imo the amount of oxygen in your medium is significantly increased by letting it dry slightly between waterings, basically the top one inch... As far as salt buildup, even in soil salts build up, soil doesnt mean organic. Plenty of growers use nutrients in soil.

Ive tried watering everyday and find soggy coco just doesnt do well for me...