Can I cut soil with coco to improve drainage? - New Growers - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

Presto_D · 04-11-2010, 01:05 AM

I'm needing to transplant, I can see roots everywhere.

They are currently still in their seedling cups(20oz), and range from 3-6" tall.

I believe they have suffered a bit from over watering. I was watering every two to three days as the cups felt lighter. But they were chronically droopy.
Now I've let them go 5 days, and they're just perkier and perkier every day, and the root explosion is crazy!

The soil I was using is local dirt, very sandy, cut with about a third perlite.
I got the soil from a new earthworks where a bank has been cut. Growing above this exposed cut are lots of nettles, which I hear are an ideal environment for cannabis.
They seem to like this mix, except I don't think it drains as well as it seems like it should. Very sandy, but they're taking off since I laid off watering every two-three days.

I have a brick of coco. Can I add it to the soil mix? Will that improve drainage? I think I read about someone else doing this, but I can't find it...
I know I should rinse it well first.
I was going to use some of the same sandy soil, I'm near the ocean, so I know there's good stuff in it. And plan to add some EWC, a pinch of dolomite lime since I found some in the basement and don't have a ph meter, and again some more perlite.
I have seedling mix potting soil I could cut things with as well.

They have been fed lightly once, and they loved it. Then watered three days later, and nothing for several days now.

Maybe I will put only some of them in a mix with coco added. I have seven little plants, it would be a good test to see which ones do better.

Any suggestions? Threads you could point me at? Feel free to shoot this idea down if it is massively retarded and I only dreamed about a thread of soil cut with coco.

OrganicMonkey · 04-11-2010, 01:14 AM

Coco is great to cut soil with, half and half mixes kindly.

Pseudo · 04-11-2010, 01:20 AM

ive heard of people doing it and having problems, your results may vary

High Country · 04-11-2010, 01:22 AM

I would mix the coco with perlite, say, 60/40.

Presto_D · 04-11-2010, 02:11 AM

Half and half perhaps, OrganicMonkey? Thanks.

How forgiving is the coco/perlite?

I don't have a PH meter or have any way to check EC. I'm relying on the water report of the bottled water I use. It's great, really! PH 6.6, no sodium, EC nice and low. This PH is ideal for soil, not so much for other mediums.

I know I shoulda started out with more gear, I'm kind of accumulating as I go along. Just ordered a can filter. Next on the agenda will be more lights, I think. If my girls start looking sick, you can bet I'll be getting a PH meter real quick.

I know, less than ideal plan here. I won't be at all surprised to wind up in the infirmary whining about the sad state of my plants.

I'll be working with soil until next year, but coco exclusively or cut with perlite sounds optimal, I just need more equipment.

ArcticBlast · 04-11-2010, 02:26 AM

i'm going to cut my outdoor mix with half coco (that's the plan, anyway) this season, i'll let you know how it goes

ArcticBlast

High Country · 04-11-2010, 02:27 AM

Pot is basically a weed in many countries and will grow in a variety of soil profiles and climatic conditions. I would not over complicate your cultivation method at this stage.

By growing inside we have better control of the growth cycle and can maintain a stable environment.

I am sure there are many farmers in Afghanistan and other places who don't check PH, EC or provide fertilizers. They probably water if possible and that's about all. Look what they can produce.

captain.koons · 04-11-2010, 02:48 AM

I can only speak from experience so I'm not saying 50:50 is a bad idea. I've done 20% coco in my soil mixes with about 35% perlite, 35% soil, 10% worm castings and a handful of guano. This is the mix that big buddha seeds suggests. I've played around with it a bunch but it's a pretty solid mixture in my opinion and I've always kept the coco.

Don't play around with soil too much anymore, I grow in straight coco now without perlite added.

Presto_D · 04-11-2010, 06:44 AM

The lights went out before I could repot them, so I left them for the night. But I have a nice mixture ready to go now.
I've still used some native soil, perhaps even portions of the soil and rinsed coco. Also about quarter of the mix is seedling potting soil, Black Gold brand, mixed with several handfuls of EWC, also Black Gold brand.
The seedling potting soil has some fine grain perlite in it. I'm debating adding more...
I think the mix breaks down about like 35 coco: 35 native soil: 10 EWC: 20 seedling potting soil.

tube dude · 04-12-2010, 06:48 PM

If you get some powdered dolemite lime and mix in about 2 tbls per gal of mix, you wont need to worry so much about ph. It will buffer the ph of yor mix to between 6.8 and 7.

04-11-2010, 01:05 AM	#1
Presto_D Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: PNW Posts: 134	Can I cut soil with coco to improve drainage? I'm needing to transplant, I can see roots everywhere. They are currently still in their seedling cups(20oz), and range from 3-6" tall. I believe they have suffered a bit from over watering. I was watering every two to three days as the cups felt lighter. But they were chronically droopy. Now I've let them go 5 days, and they're just perkier and perkier every day, and the root explosion is crazy! The soil I was using is local dirt, very sandy, cut with about a third perlite. I got the soil from a new earthworks where a bank has been cut. Growing above this exposed cut are lots of nettles, which I hear are an ideal environment for cannabis. They seem to like this mix, except I don't think it drains as well as it seems like it should. Very sandy, but they're taking off since I laid off watering every two-three days. I have a brick of coco. Can I add it to the soil mix? Will that improve drainage? I think I read about someone else doing this, but I can't find it... I know I should rinse it well first. I was going to use some of the same sandy soil, I'm near the ocean, so I know there's good stuff in it. And plan to add some EWC, a pinch of dolomite lime since I found some in the basement and don't have a ph meter, and again some more perlite. I have seedling mix potting soil I could cut things with as well. They have been fed lightly once, and they loved it. Then watered three days later, and nothing for several days now. Maybe I will put only some of them in a mix with coco added. I have seven little plants, it would be a good test to see which ones do better. Any suggestions? Threads you could point me at? Feel free to shoot this idea down if it is massively retarded and I only dreamed about a thread of soil cut with coco. __________________ EWS seeds, several generations in, better than the neighbors!
	Quote

04-11-2010, 01:14 AM	#2
OrganicMonkey Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 316	Coco is great to cut soil with, half and half mixes kindly.
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04-11-2010, 01:20 AM	#3
Pseudo just do it Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: down the road Posts: 1,619	ive heard of people doing it and having problems, your results may vary __________________ Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure. -Napoleon Hill
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04-11-2010, 01:22 AM	#4
High Country Give me a Kenworth truck, an 18 speed box and I'll go anywhere Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: High Country NE Victoria, where Indica reigns supreme. Posts: 3,472	I would mix the coco with perlite, say, 60/40.
	Quote

04-11-2010, 02:11 AM	#5
Presto_D Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: PNW Posts: 134	Half and half perhaps, OrganicMonkey? Thanks. How forgiving is the coco/perlite? I don't have a PH meter or have any way to check EC. I'm relying on the water report of the bottled water I use. It's great, really! PH 6.6, no sodium, EC nice and low. This PH is ideal for soil, not so much for other mediums. I know I shoulda started out with more gear, I'm kind of accumulating as I go along. Just ordered a can filter. Next on the agenda will be more lights, I think. If my girls start looking sick, you can bet I'll be getting a PH meter real quick. I know, less than ideal plan here. I won't be at all surprised to wind up in the infirmary whining about the sad state of my plants. I'll be working with soil until next year, but coco exclusively or cut with perlite sounds optimal, I just need more equipment. __________________ EWS seeds, several generations in, better than the neighbors!
	Quote

04-11-2010, 02:26 AM	#6
ArcticBlast It's like a goddamned Buick Regal Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Between the Sun and the Sea is where I am Posts: 4,158	i'm going to cut my outdoor mix with half coco (that's the plan, anyway) this season, i'll let you know how it goes ArcticBlast
	Quote

04-11-2010, 02:27 AM	#7
High Country Give me a Kenworth truck, an 18 speed box and I'll go anywhere Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: High Country NE Victoria, where Indica reigns supreme. Posts: 3,472	Pot is basically a weed in many countries and will grow in a variety of soil profiles and climatic conditions. I would not over complicate your cultivation method at this stage. By growing inside we have better control of the growth cycle and can maintain a stable environment. I am sure there are many farmers in Afghanistan and other places who don't check PH, EC or provide fertilizers. They probably water if possible and that's about all. Look what they can produce.
	Quote

04-11-2010, 02:48 AM	#8
captain.koons Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 447	I can only speak from experience so I'm not saying 50:50 is a bad idea. I've done 20% coco in my soil mixes with about 35% perlite, 35% soil, 10% worm castings and a handful of guano. This is the mix that big buddha seeds suggests. I've played around with it a bunch but it's a pretty solid mixture in my opinion and I've always kept the coco. Don't play around with soil too much anymore, I grow in straight coco now without perlite added.
	Quote

04-11-2010, 06:44 AM	#9
Presto_D Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: PNW Posts: 134	The lights went out before I could repot them, so I left them for the night. But I have a nice mixture ready to go now. I've still used some native soil, perhaps even portions of the soil and rinsed coco. Also about quarter of the mix is seedling potting soil, Black Gold brand, mixed with several handfuls of EWC, also Black Gold brand. The seedling potting soil has some fine grain perlite in it. I'm debating adding more... I think the mix breaks down about like 35 coco: 35 native soil: 10 EWC: 20 seedling potting soil. __________________ EWS seeds, several generations in, better than the neighbors!
	Quote

04-12-2010, 06:48 PM	#10
tube dude Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 300	If you get some powdered dolemite lime and mix in about 2 tbls per gal of mix, you wont need to worry so much about ph. It will buffer the ph of yor mix to between 6.8 and 7.
	Quote