Coco vs Soil medium? First Timer

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cozyboytro

cozyboytro

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Hey relatively new grower here, I'll be setting up a 2x4 (80cm x 80cm x 180cm) Tent with ViparSpectra P2000 200W lights. I'm thinking of going with an auto flowering strain but I'm still unsure about that. My question is which would be a better medium for a beginner soil or coco? Could I grow 2 plants in the same tent 1 with soil and 1 with coco without any complications? (Will having different mediums in the same area affect the other lol) Also should I consider just growing a regular photoperiod plant? Someone else recommended them over auto flowering, but I thought auto was easier for a beginner? Slowly it's all coming together haha
 
phxazcraig

phxazcraig

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Hey relatively new grower here, I'll be setting up a 2x4 (80cm x 80cm x 180cm) Tent with ViparSpectra P2000 200W lights. I'm thinking of going with an auto flowering strain but I'm still unsure about that. My question is which would be a better medium for a beginner soil or coco? Could I grow 2 plants in the same tent 1 with soil and 1 with coco without any complications? (Will having different mediums in the same area affect the other lol) Also should I consider just growing a regular photoperiod plant? Someone else recommended them over auto flowering, but I thought auto was easier for a beginner? Slowly it's all coming together haha
Hmm. For me, this is a tricky question. I started growing a year ago with 4 autos in soil in a 4x4 tent. Made all kinds of mistakes.

And that is the key. With autos, if you make a mistake it's likely to hurt your yield. Because autos don't have a lot of time to undo mistakes by extending vegetative times. Make a lot of mistakes as a beginner, like I did, and you end up with a miserable yield. I only got 3 ounces out of four plants.

But, if you don't make mistakes (no overwater, no overfeeding, no topping, no drying out, no pests, etc, etc,) then autos are a great choice. They grow fast in small spaces.

My second grow, I went to photoperiods, partly with the idea that I could fix mistakes by extending the grow. First grow I overdid everything. Second grow I underdid it. Veg'd from May 1 to August 15, harvested Oct 10. In that crop, of 5 plants in soil, I got 18 ounces. But it did take a long time.

My third, and current, crop is 4 plants growing in coco coir, with 7 times daily feeding. The seeds started germinating Jan 7, and the plants are 1-3 weeks from harvest. They are also massive, and I have no doubt I will get more than 18 oz from this crop, and it's likely to be better (stronger) smoke as well.

Try two autos and be very careful not to overdo anything. It will be a learning experience, and you can't really avoid paying the price of ignorance in learning how to grow. Set lights to 18/6 and leave them there. Be hyper aware of the watering amounts and soil conditions, and feed at 1/4 recommended non-auto dosages. Adjust from there if you see issues.

Along the way, you're going to need some measuring equipment as well as growing equipment. PPM/EC, temp & humidity in tent (for fan control), pH and PAR meters are what you need. At the very least start with an EC pen (if PPM, ensure it uses 500 ppm scale!) because it is needed and cheap at under $15. The most expensive meter is a PAR meter (over $200) and a pH meter (accurate ones are $75-100. See Bluelab.) If you have the right model of iPhone, you can use an app instead of a PAR meter, but as far as I know, only one model has been found accurate. None of the android phones have accurate brightness metering.

With soil, you don't have to be so knowledgeable about pH as the soil should buffer it where it wants. Not so with coco.

By the way, I'd start with soil to lower the learning curve some - and build up equipment. With coco you need to be on top of your nutrients and lighting, and that means either a lot of knowledge, or have all that measuring equipment plus a lot of knowledge. Or - start with coco and learn like crazy!
 
2Bad

2Bad

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Better to learn with photoperiods cus you can always correct the issues. Coco is much easier to come back from for a beginner because you can't overwater. I'd say try both though soil and coco at the same time won't be any complications just can't water the same. Soil loves a really good dryback. If they dry to much they start to slouch but with water theyll come back to life it's beautiful. Coco is alot of watering either you automate or just handwater it once a day like me.
 
phxazcraig

phxazcraig

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Better to learn with photoperiods cus you can always correct the issues. Coco is much easier to come back from for a beginner because you can't overwater. I'd say try both though soil and coco at the same time won't be any complications just can't water the same. Soil loves a really good dryback. If they dry to much they start to slouch but with water theyll come back to life it's beautiful. Coco is alot of watering either you automate or just handwater it once a day like me.
Seems like the point of coco is the ability to water a lot more often than once a day. The more you water, the faster it grows.
 
NorthernOrganics

NorthernOrganics

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Soil is forgiving. You have an army of microbes working for you, and you don't have to pH anything in properly amended soil. You can just water when they need it and watch 'em grow. Coco takes more work and equipment. You need to pH and measure how much you are feeding. You should feed/water multiple times a day, automation in coco is the key IMO. The extra work pays off in extra growth. I like to grow all organic, I feel the smoke is better in the end.
 
2Bad

2Bad

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Seems like the point of coco is the ability to water a lot more often than once a day. The more you water, the faster it grows.
I feel you but I don’t have room for automation but they are good with once a day this is a week apart no kidding man
 
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steamroller

steamroller

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First time grower should go soil with photos IMO .
The most forgiving simple path to growing your own .
Plenty of time while growing your first to learn the necessities for coco like proper irrigation and the need to ph your water properly.
Autos any way for any first time grower less then very confident is a hard lesson learned usually IMO.
Just me maybe .
 
Choppr

Choppr

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Could I grow 2 plants in the same tent 1 with soil and 1 with coco without any complications?
No - You would have Plenty of complications - mainly because of mixing/feeding requirements, and the scheduling of. Also multiple buckets of feed water/batch mixes, 2 different types of Nutrients some not cross compatable, you'd have to label everything - Your log book would be full of entry's/schedules, and the 1st time you forget to log something important, the cascading issues would begin...I was 20+ years in soil indoor/outdoor with Photo Dependent Cannabis, and grew Top Shelf very successfully. I'm 8+ years now in Coco/Hydro I will never go Back to Soil. Ive Also been testing Auto's since 2019 and Auto's are for Real Now, both in Yield and Quality, as far as the nay'sayers... I used to be 1 of them until I started testing, remember all of the Auto's come from Excellent Parent Strains that we All love, as far THC levels even those are neck and neck now, there is also a lot more to Cannabis than THC, terpenes are equally important - Arguably, Hydro/Auto's are the Future of Cannabis, and although a lot of good points made by the Good Farmers above, I'd recommend Coco/Hydro and Day Neutral Cannabis. Advice: do your research, alot of research and pre-planning leads to success. I will leave with 2 very important take aways.
1) Day Neutral - requires no light manipulation, this is a huge Factor - I leave mine at 19/5 - I rotate seedling, clones, young veg teens, adults Veg/Flowering, the light stays on, harvesting every 3 weeks (1lb minimum every 3 wks 3 plants) - Soil 18/6 for 5-8 weeks, plants go into complete darkness 30hrs, lights on 12/12 another 8-12 wks+ (Ive had sativas go forever), any light mistakes can spell issues. tent is locked cant add plants of varying ages/ you will multiple everything, tents lights,exhausts,filters, fans, humidifiers, etc etc needed to do multiple gardens.
2) Coco/Hydro - simple/cheap salt based nutients (megacrop/greenleaf nutrients-Jacks) and auto's respond well. Sick plant, no head scratching wondering what it is, flush with 3 gal clean water, mix a "corrective nutrient solution" pour it in, sick plant fixed overnight! (me: girl' i dont care what your issue is your gettin flushed!) literally a complete reset of the rhizo. Also little to no pest Pressure. in soil ive chased my tail for weeks hunting down deficiencies, on a plant that takes 7-10 days to respond. (was that a promotional hard sell or what? someone owes me some fuckin money!)
These of course are just my personal opinions, and no offense to anyone on the farm, ive seen the crops some of you bring in and have much respect for your opinions and your swagger (lol)

Anyway You go @cozyboytro , have fun with it and lots of good lads on here to help out.
good luck M8
 
phxazcraig

phxazcraig

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1) Day Neutral - requires no light manipulation, this is a huge Factor - I leave mine at 19/5 - I rotate seedling, clones, young veg teens, adults Veg/Flowering, the light stays on, harvesting every 3 weeks (1lb minimum every 3 wks 3 plants) -
I had not thought of this aspect before. It's big! I could have a continuous harvest with a single tent this way...
 
YoungPadawan

YoungPadawan

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Better to learn with photoperiods cus you can always correct the issues. Coco is much easier to come back from for a beginner because you can't overwater. I'd say try both though soil and coco at the same time won't be any complications just can't water the same. Soil loves a really good dryback. If they dry to much they start to slouch but with water theyll come back to life it's beautiful. Coco is alot of watering either you automate or just handwater it once a day like me.
Love the sig man, lol.
 
Blastfact

Blastfact

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I would recommend a good old fashion basic soil grow with photos and learn the ropes. I like soil and hydro growing. Coco sucks rocks in my book. It is without a doubt a huge pain in the ass and not worth the time or effort for me. Coco is like hybrid soil and hybrid hydro all rolled into one big cluster. I would rather be doing anything than growing in coco and I am a veteran grower. So much to be learned in a soil grow at a bit of a slower pace and simpler. The gained knowledge will apply to a coco or hydro grow down the line. But at any rate enjoy your first grow and don't stress.... Good Luck!
 
Stonerbudz

Stonerbudz

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First time I would go coco choir or soil and probably an photo myself and get use To a photoperiod than work with and auto
 
KingOfUranus

KingOfUranus

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1 photoperiod plant, in a 65/35 soil/coco mix (2part soil to 1 part coco) Topped, trained/suppercropped and finished in a 25-30 litre (5-6gallon) pot.

(Imho autos are for outdoors. Why would you waste an extra 6 hours of electricity every day to flower something thats of less quality than its photoperiod version? (Thats 1/3 extra on the overall cost of electricity.) In a space where you can control light cycles? It doesnt make sense. Autos have their place for sure - Its outside in the Northern Hemisphere)
 
GrimgorzDaBest

GrimgorzDaBest

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I would recommend a good old fashion basic soil grow with photos and learn the ropes. I like soil and hydro growing. Coco sucks rocks in my book. It is without a doubt a huge pain in the ass and not worth the time or effort for me. Coco is like hybrid soil and hybrid hydro all rolled into one big cluster. I would rather be doing anything than growing in coco and I am a veteran grower. So much to be learned in a soil grow at a bit of a slower pace and simpler. The gained knowledge will apply to a coco or hydro grow down the line. But at any rate enjoy your first grow and don't stress.... Good Luck!
Could you specify why coco elicits such a negative reaction from you?
 
Blastfact

Blastfact

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Could you specify why coco elicits such a negative reaction from you?
Because it's a big pain in the ass for a new grower. All coco is good for is holding roots,,, thats it. You have to water/feed and measure run off and screw around with it and manipulate it all. It's a manual half ass hydroponics way of growing. Some delude themselves to thinking it's a miracle advanced soil grow. Of which it is not. New growers have so many other facets of growing to master. Why complicate it with a coco baby sitting busy work grow? Can a coco grow out produce a soil grow,,, you bet it can if everything is perfect and the coco grow is managed right. If wrong it's a bunk grow and a waist of time and money. But a true, well setup and managed hydroponics grow will blow a coco grow away. After the setup cost and time for hydro is met it's as easy as a soil grow if not easier. Many of my fellow veteran growers fall in one of two camps now days. We are either soil or hydro growers. We rode the coco grow fad when it started years ago because it was the new thing. We were young and idealistic. Now it's master your lighting and environment and simplify the grow and nutrients.
 
GrimgorzDaBest

GrimgorzDaBest

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Because it's a big pain in the ass for a new grower. All coco is good for is holding roots,,, thats it. You have to water/feed and measure run off and screw around with it and manipulate it all. It's a manual half ass hydroponics way of growing. Some delude themselves to thinking it's a miracle advanced soil grow. Of which it is not. New growers have so many other facets of growing to master. Why complicate it with a coco baby sitting busy work grow? Can a coco grow out produce a soil grow,,, you bet it can if everything is perfect and the coco grow is managed right. If wrong it's a bunk grow and a waist of time and money. But a true, well setup and managed hydroponics grow will blow a coco grow away. After the setup cost and time for hydro is met it's as easy as a soil grow if not easier. Many of my fellow veteran growers fall in one of two camps now days. We are either soil or hydro growers. We rode the coco grow fad when it started years ago because it was the new thing. We were young and idealistic. Now it's master your lighting and environment and simplify the grow and nutrients.
I would disagree that coco is a pain in the ass for new growers, or that its flower production doesn’t match traditional hydroponics.
For my grows it was always extremely simple feed guides to follow (2ml part A 2ml part B per liter + 2-5ml cal mag + 1-5ml PH down etc). I always knew exactly what was going into my plants and I never bothered measuring EC or runoff. Super simple watering once or twice a day, later switched to auto pot system making the grows fully automated outside of lst and training.

Always had fantastic results in coco where my earliest grows were soil based and plagued with gnat infestations and ambiguous guides saying to fertilize every other watering.

Different strokes I guess but saying coco isn’t a good medium for new growers is 100% hyperbole.
 
Blastfact

Blastfact

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I would disagree that coco is a pain in the ass for new growers, or that its flower production doesn’t match traditional hydroponics.
For my grows it was always extremely simple feed guides to follow (2ml part A 2ml part B per liter + 2-5ml cal mag + 1-5ml PH down etc). I always knew exactly what was going into my plants and I never bothered measuring EC or runoff. Super simple watering once or twice a day, later switched to auto pot system making the grows fully automated outside of lst and training.

Always had fantastic results in coco where my earliest grows were soil based and plagued with gnat infestations and ambiguous guides saying to fertilize every other watering.

Different strokes I guess but saying coco isn’t a good medium for new growers is 100% hyperbole.
Good,,, so why did you even bother asking me? Have a great day!
 
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