[NiteTiger]

Heya Coco Nuts

Here's the deal -

I've got a revegged plant that's starting 12/12 today. I'm thinking about repotting her into a coco mixture for her reflower.

She's in soil at the moment, but it's basically a soilless mixture, as all nutes have been used up long ago. I've been watering with hydro nutes anyway, so I don't think there'd be much of a shock.

Any tips or tricks to a good coco mixture for a plant coming from soil?

Any particular problems I should be aware of and look out for?

And, how much coco should I get to fill a 5 gallon pot?

Hey how's it goin? just thought I would throw some thoughts out there.
As I see it, either you're going to be watering frequently, which is good for the coco, but bad for your soil-established rootball, as the soil part needs time to dry to allow oxygen back in. Or you're going to be watering like it was soil, waiting for it to be almost dry again before watering, and as I see it, the coco with dry out long before your soil.
I don't see this working with straight coco, maybe a coco mixture like you said, perhaps like 50%+ of vermiculite ???

[NiteTiger]

Yeah, I figured I'd have to cut it with something, not go pure.

But that much vermiculite? Wow.

whooooaaaaa.... do not add vermiculite to a coco mix, especially in a 5 gallon. That is way too much water retention! Sure ya didn't mean 50/50 perlite?

If I were you I would use the double pot method.. cut the bottom off your current pot and just place it on top of the 5 gallon filled with coco.



Like that...

[Maj.PotHead]

^^^^ ya like BOGS double pot method eh right on

hey NT i'm doing something kinda the same i took established clones in 3x3x3 inch containers. then mixed little over half a brick of GH coco tek in with about 3 gal FFOF soil i had left. now my coco i prepared by soakn the brick in 2 gal water PH @ 6.0 let it soak untill all the coco was broke up no clumps . then i took 3 gals water added 1tsp/gal water clearex then PH'd to 6.0 and rinsed the coco with all 3 gal's, my drainoff was 5.3-5.4. i added 50% mix of perlite to the coco mixed it with my left over FFOF soil mixed real good few hrs worth. my soil wond up lookn almost like i added FFLW to the mix lol, planted the kinda droopy clones into the mix 2 days later they are happy and seem to be doing great.

unsure what you run your soil plants water PH i run mine 6.5 PH so for this soil coco mix i'll run 6.2 to start out then drop it to 6.0.
i planted the 3x3x3's into top cut off 2 liter soda bottles added 1/4 tsp dolimite lime to be safe . like i said things really seem fine, the mixture is acting like soil in the amount of time mine takes to dry

[NiteTiger]

Yeah, I thought about the Double pot, but I'm really wanting to get rid of this old soil. It's used and abused LOL.

Getting harder and harder to keep PH in check, and flushing it doesn't last for long. It just needs to go

Since I'm moving to hydro, I don't wanna bring more soil in (especially in midwinter ), so I thought I'd move her to coco, get an idea of what that's about. It doesn't sound too terribly different than what I've been doing with this no grade wal mart potting soil mixed 60/40 perlite. All my nutrients come from handwatering a FNB Lucas hydro nute solution.

So, basically I'm thinking coco won't be too different, just a higher-class grow medium

[Ono Nadagin]

I would gently shake off as much dirt as possible and then I would set the rootball in a net pot if you have one and then set that net pot into what ever you can make into a temp DWC style bubbler... fill it up almost to the top so the net pot has tater almost to the top and then put the airstone/airhose under the pot.... the air bubbling past will gently flush the dirt from the roots ....... you wont be able to get it al off of the roots but you can get enough.... after the roots have been cleaned up , partially fill your new containers with coco then holf the plant over the partially filled pot and gently hand fill in aound the rootball... once that is done feed with 1/4strength nutes and a little superthrive... when it perks back up switch it to 12/12

Depending on size, you could bare root it and put it in a bubble cloner with humidity tent until she has some water roots.

With a bit of SuperThrive, I haven't had any hermie doing this. Of course, they weren't big moms.

[gaiusmarius]

there has just been another thread started where he recomends washing the roots.

maybe a bucket of water at ph 6.3 with some rhizotonic or super thrive, then dunk the root ball in there and leave it a few minutes. after a while you will be able to remove a lot of soil. leave the center ball, you can't be to rough. once 2 thirds of the soil is gone you can plant her into some coco as you would any plant. although i believe this is a risky propposition, lol. the safer bet is to use the double potting method. your roots would quickly adapt to the coco in the lower pot. and you could water the coco directly when you feel the earth is still wett, once the roots have grown into the coco that is.

[NiteTiger]

Hmmmm, good info guys! Don't think I'll be able to use any bubbler method, I haven't seen a netpot that can hold a 5 gal rootball

The double potting is definately a thought, though.

I did just put her into flower though, so maybe right now isn't the time to change mediums. Dunno though, this soil is... well, it's basically just holding the plant in place

I'll have to give it some thought. Thanks for the good info guys!