How many people reuse coco?

[RidgeRebel]

i am absolutely sure that reusing coco makes it better and better every time. canna recommends using their cogr slabs 3 or more times by just flushing between with enzymes. every time i or anyone i know has ever reused coco crops established quicker, grew faster, and had higher yields than the previous garden. i think reusing it actually supes it up more and more by the microbial fields improving over time from feeding on the enzyme treated roots from the crop before. I've seen the results time and time again and if you're thinking of reusing coco and its not diseased or too infested, give it a try. you'll be impressed by it for sure.

 

[BlindDate]

I just finished the biggest yielding tree I have ever grown in a 5 gallon bucket. 2.5 lbs dry on a single plant. That was the 4th run in the same coco. The only problem I've ever had with reuse is dealing with gnats, but Bayer Complete usually takes care of them quickly. I think that used coco is chock full of beneficial s and that is one reason why people do so well at reuse. Another is that any initial sea salts have long been rinsed out. Another is that old coco does not have the cation problem to the extent new does. Give it a try, you won't regret it. Don't even bother to clean out the old roots, just yank out the old stump and put a fresh clone in the empty hole.

 

[LittleAmsterdam]

Yes, it's a GREAT idea but it also depends on what type of fertilizer you were using last. Some people like to use PK boosters towards the end and this would make the Coco too HOT to use again.

 

[SuperConductor]

Dunno like, I just did exactly that and the plants are loving it. Didn't even bother flushing just made sure i got enough run off to get some of the old nutes out and they're more healthy looking than they were.

 

[caljim]

Yes, it's a GREAT idea but it also depends on what type of fertilizer you were using last. Some people like to use PK boosters towards the end and this would make the Coco too HOT to use again.

Your mileage may vary, but i use pk boosters throughout flower and flush for two weeks. Been reusing the same coco round after round, no problems here.

 

[LittleAmsterdam]

Caljim hit the nail on the head ! I forgot to mention flushing.....

SuperConductor - Your plants look great because they're mature and able to handle a full dose of fertilizer and more. Reuse that mixture without flushing and your little girls won't be able to handle the strong mixture.

I let mine sit outside in a pile and let winter rain wash away the excess nutes. I'm constantly adding used medium and mixing so it's always ready / fresh.

 

[djingo]

like people said here, fresh coco is a clean startup.

reusing coco works great. I don´t do it, because it takes time and makes dirt.
it will work if either bugs, fungi, or etc have been around your last grow.

-screen out rootmaterial, flush medium with enzymes or a rootzone cleaner.
-let it rest for min 24hrs before planting anything into it !!
-its common to reuse coco 3-4 times, than buy fresh

 

[Shcrews]

i have done a few grows with 100% reused coco, had no problems. It takes some time to get the root balls out, but still better than spending $500 for coco every new cycle

I think the important thing is to flush properly before harvest. That way no chemicals remain in the coco, it will be clean and ready for reuse, However if money were no option i would buy new coco everytime, and use the old stuff outdoors

WARNING: if you have had any issues with pests, mildew, or mold, then DO NOT reuse your coco

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

Not me, I burn mine in the fire, keeps the house warm and no need to run about the country dumping tons of it like I used to do with soil, coco FTW.

 

[Ground Up]

Hellzzz no , discard and start fresh. old coco old issues, bugs ,root decay oh my!!!

 

[BigDawg]

bet the root mass with air pots is so dense that you couldn't re-use it. I been thinking about using them but I want to see a video of someone watering plants in them. I'm afraid the water would run out of the holes everywhere.

 

[MrBill1969]

The airpots work really well, especially witht he high aeration mixes. What I do is when the cuttings are first replanted into the airpots is to dip the filled airpots in a 50% grow solution in a five gal bucket. The entire coco mass is soaked. I then hook up a drip system using a 250-300 gph pump on a looped 5/8" line so that all of my 1/4" feeders are at equal pressure. No drip heads, just 60 seconds of pump (digital timer) 1, 2, 3, or 4 times a day. No fuss, no muss.

 

[Blaze215]

yep i reuse my coco slabs at least 4x, have used them 7 x before now. it's not about the expense it's about getting just as good results with used coco slabs as with new ones, plus the ninja action of taking old slabs out and bringing new ones in is not fun when you have neighbors. as long as you flush the coco really well before harvest and use enzymes, it's good to go again. the only time i will make an exception is if i have animals in the coco.

as was said by others i just cut the rw cube off the coco slab and put the new one in the same hole 2x then i cut 4 new holes in the slab in between the old holes and use those 2x too. normally by then the first holes are clean again as the roots have broken down.

Gaius,

Thanks for your input. Which enzymes do you use throughout your grow? Are you also using a PK booster? If so at what application rate for both substances?

215

 

[TribalSeeds]

I reuse my coco and my waste nutes on my yard plants. They seem to enjoy the extra care they get. If anyone walking by knows what perlite is they can probably tell I grow because theres a bunch under my bushes out front. lol

 

[gaiusmarius]

i dont always use pk 13/14, but when i do i add it 1 time only about 3 or 4 weeks from harvest, reducing the normal ferts by the 0.3 ec the pk adds. i still use cannazym or hessi powerzym, still haven't dared to try some pond enzymes.

 

[Blaze215]

i dont always use pk 13/14, but when i do i add it 1 time only about 3 or 4 weeks from harvest, reducing the normal ferts by the 0.3 ec the pk adds. i still use cannazym or hessi powerzym, still haven't dared to try some pond enzymes.

Does Hygrozyme perform the same function as Cannazyme?

 

[RidgeRebel]

@ Blaze215 Yes, basically.

 

[dramamine]

Hellzzz no , discard and start fresh. old coco old issues, bugs ,root decay oh my!!!

Root decay? If you had no issues the first run, why would you have them the second run? There's more than one way to skin a cat, but some ways are cheaper and more logical.

 

[BlindDate]

reusing coco works great. I don´t do it, because it takes time and makes dirt.
it will work if either bugs, fungi, or etc have been around your last grow.

-screen out rootmaterial, flush medium with enzymes or a rootzone cleaner.
-let it rest for min 24hrs before planting anything into it !!

You don't get it. Don't clean anything. Just dig a hole in your used coco deep enough to plant the new clone. Put the new clone right on top of the root ball. I have no idea where all those old roots go, but the new clones love it.

Yes, it's a GREAT idea but it also depends on what type of fertilizer you were using last. Some people like to use PK boosters towards the end and this would make the Coco too HOT to use again.

BS...I go heavy with PK boosters and have never had any problem. One day flush and the coco is clean.

 

[BlindDate]

Re using coco is only practical if growing in large buckets or slabs. If you are growing in 1 gallon pots it's probably not worth it.