COCO YEILD container size vs watering frequency

[LostTribe]

Wondering if I should be up potting? I have 6 plants vegged in 1 gal of 80/20 Coco/Perlite. They are not rootbound yet but I can tell the larger plants have more roots because they require more watering and are drying quicker. Will increasing watering frequency on my drip timer be sufficient or will I get a bigger yeild if I up pot now with only a couple days before flipping to bloom?

Thanks!

 

[StickyBandit]

I'm interested also. I have a box of blumats and haven't decided on pot size and medium yet. Was thinking of using coco and pumice gravel instead of perlite since it's a bit heavier and less dusty

 

[OG_NoMan]

I would increase water frequency as needed but I have only grown in 1 gallon pots so couldn't tell you if bigger pots are better. I would also think it depends on the size of the plant your going for when choosing pot size (I believe @flower~power uses 3 gallon pots to grow trees). My understanding of coco is that you want root bound plants so you can multi feed a low ec nutrient water daily increasing oxygen to the root zone and yielding more similar to hydro. My plants in 1 gallon pots of 70/30 coco/perlite will end up about 4-5ft tall 12 plants per 4×4 space and be watered 3-5 times a day. Hope this helps a bit and good luck

 

[FJ2000]

I have traditionally used 3 gallon bags with hydro halos…50/50 perlite/coco..
I find I spend less time dialing in frequency and duration with 3 gallon…. 1s and 2s had a tendency to dry out or be over watered.
By overwatered I mean excessive run off.

 

[Ca++]

Smaller pots are easier with automated batch watering. You water when the dry ones demand it. Knowing the wet ones will of at least used half the water. So nothing gets too wet. With small pots having fast dry back times.

There is another option, where large well draining pots can't get too wet. So you can keep them pretty much retaining all they can. Small pots on like 6 a day, will be very pot bound though. A dry back is the better method. Pot plants do better in airy systems.

1 gallon isn't really a small pot. A 9oz plant shouldn't be a problem. A 15oz plant is getting remarkable. Anybody should be able to get a 4.5oz yield from a commercial strain in a gallon of coco. Any bigger is a bit wasteful. It's also a lot to recycle. Excess work. Think of all the riddling. Or all the disposal and replacement efforts.

It depends on your goals really.

 

[Bush Dr]

FWIW I’ve hit 8+ oz per plant in 1 gallon pots, so has HGO with 6 feeds per day

 

[Popice]

For piece of mind... I've had 1 gallons start at 3' going into bloom and still made it through 9 weeks of 12/12. They will drink a lot by wk6. Near the end the roots could be breaking through fabric pots and if theres a tray sometimes the roots will just move in. (Roots up top or through holes) Same basic ratio 80/20. The structure just give the roots a place to grow and a base for the plant. I was probably running like 2-3 gallons of feed per day through them the last third though.

For up potting I like letting the plants settle in like 7-10 days, at least, before switching. Gives time for a haircut and growth into new space. The only slow up, I have found, has to do with soil moisture and turgor pressure, which is where the settling in comes in. If there's empty space in the pot ,without root infiltration, the moisture has to "wick" over to where the roots are. When the roots are there, growth is happening and the plant can feed faster/more... Well there's more plant and more feed gets processed....

 

[Popice]

I'm interested also. I have a box of blumats and haven't decided on pot size and medium yet. Was thinking of using coco and pumice gravel instead of perlite since it's a bit heavier and less dusty

Personally I always like pumice over perlite. It can add actual weight which changes a feeling, but you get used to it. And I've come to hate perlite. Natural or synthetic glass substance, idk, horrible dust. I've had rocks show up... and it floats so when you get into heavy water it makes a mess of the grow area....

With coco and good vegging, however, like say a "failed attempt" at making your own pro mix minus extra perlite, and just forgetting the perlite all together... 100% coco and some bark/wood mulch still works as a medium. Just watch the moisture content leaf curl, and plant growth. Pot size is all a preferential grow style concerning the grow area in bloom for me. Sqft scrog, multi scrog. Or cubic ft bushes and trees. ??? That's the fun part I guess.

 

[LostTribe]

I will roll with the 1 gallons this round.

 

[Brother Nature]

I'm interested also. I have a box of blumats and haven't decided on pot size and medium yet. Was thinking of using coco and pumice gravel instead of perlite since it's a bit heavier and less dusty

I've found when using blumats, straight coco was the better way to go, I found I got dry spots at times or they'd over water at others with the perlite (i didn't use pumice, but it's the same principal). My thoughts were that the perlite sitting up against the ceramic moisture 'detector' led to incorrect readings of the cocos moisture level. I also found 10l round pots were the perfect size for the final pot, any larger and I'd need to add another dripper. With the correct strain I was pulling an average of 5.5oz a plant with that method.

 

[FJ2000]

Are the six plants all the same from a known cut?
I usually 6 run different plants in a 5x5 and the larger bags give me a little more room to play.. some bags 3 is an overkill and others are perfect. When I ran 1 gallons I was bound to the thirstiest plant… all the same plants 1 gallons is the way to go for sure.
I also reuse my coco, hit it with some cannazym.

 

[StickyBandit]

I've found when using blumats, straight coco was the better way to go, I found I got dry spots at times or they'd over water at others with the perlite (i didn't use pumice, but it's the same principal). My thoughts were that the perlite sitting up against the ceramic moisture 'detector' led to incorrect readings of the cocos moisture level. I also found 10l round pots were the perfect size for the final pot, any larger and I'd need to add another dripper. With the correct strain I was pulling an average of 5.5oz a plant with that method.

Thanks for the reply Brother N So would 2 or 3 gallon fabric pots be best for a single blumat? I have both

 

[Brother Nature]

10l is almost 3 gal. Kinda depends on your growing style and space though, if I could have run bigger trees with more veg time I would have, but my space was constricted. I've also not seen many people have good luck using blumats and fabric pots, there's a few posts in the blumat thread detailing a few peoples experiences using them and with blumats in coco, you really want a constant feed, constant moisture, little to no run off, as opposed to the 5-6 times a day dtw drip feed you'd do with automated systems. The fabric pots tend to cause the coco to dry out too quickly and you can get ph imbalances and salt build up because of that. I'm sure you could figure something out though if that's all you have available.

 

[LostTribe]

I have tried blumats. I bought about 20 of them. I used 6 of them for a couple weeks. Then straight back to cheap sprinkler manifold and 1/4 inch lines.

Issues with Blumats:
-Stupid resevoir must be ABOVE planters!
-They do not water each planter evenly!
-They are COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE!
-They flow out and the resevoir empties

I tried the Blumats for a short few days away. Lucky I came back when I did or I would have lost everything. With a simple orbit or rainbird sprinkler manifold and easy flexible 1/4 inch no clog tubing, a $12 pump and a tub for a rez you are way way better off. You can water DTW and not worry about leaving for over a week at a time.

Anyways anybody want to try the blumats let me know I'll make you a deal!

 

[troutman]

I will roll with the 1 gallons this round.

I dare you to grow an Oldtimer's Haze indoors in a 10 gallon pot with no training or pruning allowed.

 

[StickyBandit]

10l is almost 3 gal. Kinda depends on your growing style and space though, if I could have run bigger trees with more veg time I would have, but my space was constricted. I've also not seen many people have good luck using blumats and fabric pots, there's a few posts in the blumat thread detailing a few peoples experiences using them and with blumats in coco, you really want a constant feed, constant moisture, little to no run off, as opposed to the 5-6 times a day dtw drip feed you'd do with automated systems. The fabric pots tend to cause the coco to dry out too quickly and you can get ph imbalances and salt build up because of that. I'm sure you could figure something out though if that's all you have available.

I have loads of 15L pots, I might give them a try, cheers for the info

I have tried blumats. I bought about 20 of them. I used 6 of them for a couple weeks. Then straight back to cheap sprinkler manifold and 1/4 inch lines.

Issues with Blumats:
-Stupid resevoir must be ABOVE planters!
-They do not water each planter evenly!
-They are COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE!
-They flow out and the resevoir empties

I tried the Blumats for a short few days away. Lucky I came back when I did or I would have lost everything. With a simple orbit or rainbird sprinkler manifold and easy flexible 1/4 inch no clog tubing, a $12 pump and a tub for a rez you are way way better off. You can water DTW and not worry about leaving for over a week at a time.

Anyways anybody want to try the blumats let me know I'll make you a deal!

I appreciate the input but I think I will give them a go. I have them now and many people seem to swear by them so it must be possible to get them to work, maybe... I'll try a small res first so I don't flood the room

 

[FJ2000]

I have tried blumats. I bought about 20 of them. I used 6 of them for a couple weeks. Then straight back to cheap sprinkler manifold and 1/4 inch lines.

Issues with Blumats:
-Stupid resevoir must be ABOVE planters!
-They do not water each planter evenly!
-They are COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE!
-They flow out and the resevoir empties

I tried the Blumats for a short few days away. Lucky I came back when I did or I would have lost everything. With a simple orbit or rainbird sprinkler manifold and easy flexible 1/4 inch no clog tubing, a $12 pump and a tub for a rez you are way way better off. You can water DTW and not worry about leaving for over a week at a time.

Anyways anybody want to try the blumats let me know I'll make you a deal!

Yup, I generally leave the garden alone for a few days at a time, I just use 1/2 poly into 1/2 vinyl with inline ball valve to adjust flow to each plant.. pump failure is my biggest concern.

 

[LostTribe]

Yup, I generally leave the garden alone for a few days at a time, I just use 1/2 poly into 1/2 vinyl with inline ball valve to adjust flow to each plant.. pump failure is my biggest concern.

I used to run 1/2 in on a bigger hydro set up with diy halo rings starting about 20 years ago in hydroton.

Heres a tip. Set up your rez with not one but 2 pumps with the white pvc tubing to fill your manifold before feeding your ball valves and forget about it. If one pump fails you still have a shot. Replacing the small cheap pumps every now and then is standard procedure. I used to have a Little General pump like soquick has in the icmag is boring as shit thread. It is way overbuilt for this tent. I think I still have it and it is built to last but would be like a fire hose and I might lose an eye or two on 1/4 inch lines haha!

 

[LostTribe]

I dare you to grow an Oldtimer's Haze indoors in a 10 gallon pot with no training or pruning allowed.

You should have said this a couple weeks ago. Slap one of those Sally's in a corner and fix a hanging 1k Horti in front of her and gradually move the light towards the center of the room. Welcome to the Jungle Baby!

Blumats would not help you there either, where you going to access a hanging rez after its been wrapped up and devoured like pet shop horror?

 

[englishrick]

In coco (pot culture),,I usaly create a big root ball in party cups first,,I let them over colonise the cups and only when it's drinking like mad and busting out of the cup do I transplant,,,After cups I do the same 4.5L pot,,,this sets the air to water ratio perfectly because the root fibers and mass stop you being able to over water ,,going into flower il transplant to bigger pots,,but at this point you can't over water or find the medium over compacted,,,once you colonise a container properly its impossible to over water,,,its important to set air to water ratios with root fibers imo