How wet should your coco be?

Hey all. I've been growing using coco for around 9 months and reckon its the best medium i've used. Bigger chunkier buds over soil etc.

A friend of mine has just started growing using coco and has been reading the forums here. He's been winding me up, telling me that I'm not keeping my plants wet enough because the top inch or so of my 75liter pots are dry. I can tell by the weight of them that there is plenty of water in them and after giving them a good watering with around 10-15% runnoff they take over two weeks, even three to completely dry out or feel lighter. I don't see any advantage of pummeling them with more water when imao they have plenty and will perform better slightly drier but not dry! I even heard somewhere that Canna recomends that you let the substrate dry a little before rewatering for best results.

Btw my plants are in 75 liter pots and are 2 foot, still in veg.

Please give me your educated opinion

cheers RR

I'll also add by saying there are threads on this forum that state that you cant overwater coco. Imo this is just misinformation.

If I was to keep topping up my 75 liter pots with water the bottom of them would be complete mush and it would only inhibit the growth and root production.

I agree that It's just about impossible to overwater smaller pots with bigger plants but wack a small plant in a big pot and its quite easy.

RR

Dude 75 liter is a big ass container dude! Wow. Thats a grip of coco...

On topic.... I am flooding my veg table 3 times per day, my flower tables 6 times. The pump's are pumping/filling for 15 minutes, and get flooded 2"-3" high.

hi
perhaps the statement that 'you can't overwater coir' needs some qualification. It is difficult to overwater coir if you are using conventionally sized plants and pots. Clearly it is possible to overdo it when plants are becoming established and, of course, larger containers require less frequent watering.
I got into this when doing a couple of coir runs using 50-60L containers-and then there were a couple of massive acrimonious 'debates' on here with some people treating coir like soil and letting it get well dry with the other side running drippers almost continuously.....
personally i like to keep coir on the wet side (but how wet is wet) but-as you have said-found the larger containers a bit mushy in the bottom using this regiume.

eddie

riverrat7 said:

I'll also add by saying there are threads on this forum that state that you cant overwater coco. Imo this is just misinformation.

If I was to keep topping up my 75 liter pots with water the bottom of them would be complete mush and it would only inhibit the growth and root production.

I agree that It's just about impossible to overwater smaller pots with bigger plants but wack a small plant in a big pot and its quite easy.

RR

Click to expand...

It is not misformation. Coco is like a hydroponic medium, you CANNOT overwater it. You might want to research a bit more, because opinion is much different than fact.

75 liter is HUGE for coco. You must be ready to grow some trees.

Best Wishes!

HenDokuYaku, you might want to research more yourself...start with Canna. You can definitely overwater coco except around weeks 3-5 of flower if you've really maxed out the root growth in your pot size.

I believe -VT- did a side x side, daily watering and as needed. Check the "The coco-coir experiment" thread.

I agree about mis-information being spread!!!

I think that information is more intended to help growers who come from a soil background and to prevent them from underwatering coco.

yes, you can overwater coco!!! When using larger containers and growing "trees" the top lever will get slightly dry

Also that also is a very general statement that doesn't cover all the facts.

with fine coir USALLY you do not have to water everyday in larger containers.

You got to take into play ALL the factors.

here are a few.

Pot size
Type of coco and whether perlite or amendments are added
Plant size

There are many types of coco.

In my educated opinion based on experience. That is assuming your using canna coco?

You are correct about using larger container and letting the top dry out with 100% fine coir like canna coco.

Listen to your plants and let them tell you what they like best.

I have found with 7 (26 litre) gallon or larger containers. I can let the top dry out and the plants like it better.

Other people use much smaller containers that are watering daily.

For example: coco chunks would dry out without multiple watering per day.

or 2 gallon or smaller pots once the roots take over

later on as the roots take over the whole container the watering frequency will increase.

sometimes even more than once daily is needed.

Fro example I grew 3 footers in 5 gallon containers with canna coco, they got so large i had to water daily just to keep em from drying out and locking out.

But wow 75 litres!!!!

I thought I used large containers.

I prefer to lift the container after 15% runoff, then you will know for sure when it is too dry. Just looking a the top being dry isnt a good indicator in larger containers with fine coco.

Agreed?

Thanks for chiming in everyone and keep it coming!

For me the most noticeable symptoms of overwatering are when my plants are at clone stage and during first three weeks of veg.

What I try and do now is put the clone into relatively dry coco (20 liter pot for starters) and just water a little around the clone roots and not the whole pot. From my experience the clones take of much faster and are much healthier.

If i watered the whole 20L pot in with the clone it wouldn't need watering for weeks. Thats fine but they seem to stagnate, taking longer IMHO to root out, grow and become healthy. Turned down leaves etc.

I agree that theres no way i could over water my larger plants because they can suck 10 liters a day. In my experience its easy to overwater clones in larger pots.....

HenDokuYaku said:

It is not misformation. Coco is like a hydroponic medium, you CANNOT overwater it.

Click to expand...

Good copy pasta of misinformation HenDokuYaku . Mabe you should let canna know about this too.

HenDokuYaku said:

You might want to research a bit more, because opinion is much different than fact.

Click to expand...

HenDokuYaku Obviously you got that statement arse about face.

Here's a good place to start and may i suggest that you actually accumulate some experience with coco before posting next time.

http://www.canna-uk.com/images/stories/canna_downloads/IP_COCO_UK.pdf

riverrat7 said:

Good copy pasta of misinformation HenDokuYaku . Mabe you should let canna know about this too.



HenDokuYaku Obviously you got that statement arse about face.

Here's a good place to start and may i suggest that you actually accumulate some experience with coco before posting next time.

http://www.canna-uk.com/images/stories/canna_downloads/IP_COCO_UK.pdf

Click to expand...

I won't be as antagonistic as you. You obviously are an angry little rat. I assure you that I have my own successful experience using coco as a hydroponics medium. I suggest all members do their own research and experimentation.

I repeat, it is my EXPERIENCE that says you cannot over water coco.

HenDokuYaku said:

I won't be as antagonistic as you. You obviously are an angry little rat. I assure you that I have my own successful experience using coco as a hydroponics medium. I suggest all members do their own research and experimentation.

I repeat, it is my EXPERIENCE that says you cannot over water coco.

Click to expand...

Ok in a way your right about me being antagonistic and quick to fire shots. Sorry I think I got out of the wrong side of bed that morning so apologies.

With respect though we'll still have to agree to disagree.

RR

u can, yet u cant...... confusing?

Ive ran in it for 4 yrs and both statements ring true. never killed anything by over water, but it will show the signs, it just corrects itself faster. Its a balance that needs dialing like so many things in this great hobby, once found, u will know.... obviously y'all need some time to play with it still

RR, how often do you water in them 75l pots? also do you start your plants in it or you work your way up to that size pot? Im looking to getting into the Coco scene and really want a sorta set it n forget setup, something i can go away for a few days and not worry to much about it(cause you know we always worry when were gone lol)

Some details on your setup will be appreciated if you dont mind

If I had pots this big, I would be worried about the coco compressing too much at the bottom and not being fluffy enough == I would mix chunky perlite in with the part so it's still got air spaces

peace

basilfarmer said:

If I had pots this big, I would be worried about the coco compressing too much at the bottom and not being fluffy enough == I would mix chunky perlite in with the part so it's still got air spaces

peace

Click to expand...

some people seem to think the same thing but instead of perlite they put a layer of hydrotron in the bottom