Plumber's First Coco Grow

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Moshmen

Moshmen

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Lmao what so bad about? I got a soil grow about 3-4 week into flower. I have a dude watering and I go once a week. It looks after itself
Once you get it dialed the soul is almost set it and forget it ! Water yes but the plant takes care of its self? Coco /hydro seems like a lot mor work ? Time ?
Must work though there’s a lot of you guys growin in it! Lmao
 
PlumberSoCal

PlumberSoCal

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I think i have shown potting soil with good drainage can hang with the best of em’

;-)
Wife and I had salad with dinner from lettuce I planted a month ago in Kratky setup. Been growing it every winter for years and never have they grown this quickly. The taste was amazing, better than soil. Brought the leafs in clean, just rinced the dust off.

Cherry tomatoes with flowers. And the weed in coco. Just no comparison in growth rate. I'm able to grow 2 months seed to flip. First week and they've added 3".

I've been growing veggies for 5 plus decades and I've never seen anything like hydro.

Planning on some DWC buckets as soon as the broccoli and brussel sprouts get started. If this works like the Kratky or coco I'll install buckets throughout a 12 x 20'space and 8 along a rise where I've grown melons.

Peppers are the only plant I haven't been successful. Haven't had time to experiment and it has been getting cold here at night. I'll figure it out or not but I'll have fun trying

Lot more work, the coco that is. Kratky is almost set it and leave it. I've been keeping the coco moist every few days.

I can't do this at this pace in soil on any plants. My basil is amazing. Smell and taste outstanding.

I'm sold out on hydro w/ MasterBlend.
 
Moshmen

Moshmen

8,218
313
Wife and I had salad with dinner from lettuce I planted a month ago in Kratky setup. Been growing it every winter for years and never have they grown this quickly. The taste was amazing, better than soil. Brought the leafs in clean, just rinced the dust off.

Cherry tomatoes with flowers. And the weed in coco. Just no comparison in growth rate. I'm able to grow 2 months seed to flip. First week and they've added 3".

I've been growing veggies for 5 plus decades and I've never seen anything like hydro.

Planning on some DWC buckets as soon as the broccoli and brussel sprouts get started. If this works like the Kratky or coco I'll install buckets throughout a 12 x 20'space and 8 along a rise where I've grown melons.

Peppers are the only plant I haven't been successful. Haven't had time to experiment and it has been getting cold here at night. I'll figure it out or not but I'll have fun trying

Lot more work, the coco that is. Kratky is almost set it and leave it. I've been keeping the coco moist every few days.

I can't do this at this pace in soil on any plants. My basil is amazing. Smell and taste outstanding.

I'm sold out on hydro w/ MasterBlend.
Sounds good may be one day illl give it a shot
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

17,190
438
Wife and I had salad with dinner from lettuce I planted a month ago in Kratky setup. Been growing it every winter for years and never have they grown this quickly. The taste was amazing, better than soil. Brought the leafs in clean, just rinced the dust off.

Cherry tomatoes with flowers. And the weed in coco. Just no comparison in growth rate. I'm able to grow 2 months seed to flip. First week and they've added 3".

I've been growing veggies for 5 plus decades and I've never seen anything like hydro.

Planning on some DWC buckets as soon as the broccoli and brussel sprouts get started. If this works like the Kratky or coco I'll install buckets throughout a 12 x 20'space and 8 along a rise where I've grown melons.

Peppers are the only plant I haven't been successful. Haven't had time to experiment and it has been getting cold here at night. I'll figure it out or not but I'll have fun trying

Lot more work, the coco that is. Kratky is almost set it and leave it. I've been keeping the coco moist every few days.

I can't do this at this pace in soil on any plants. My basil is amazing. Smell and taste outstanding.

I'm sold out on hydro w/ MasterBlend.


Ok. Im not arguing it will veg plants faster. I just dont need or want that in my system.

I only meant i had yielded similar to a good hydro grower in potting soil.

Quality and flavor is subjective but i agree that hydro weed can taste clean and wonderful. I likely have only had greenhouse grown hydro veggies and garden soil grown far surpasses them. But that could easily be higher micronutrient content and unfiltered sunlight.
 
Dirtbag

Dirtbag

Supporter
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Ok. Im not arguing it will veg plants faster. I just dont need or want that in my system.

I only meant i had yielded similar to a good hydro grower in potting soil.

Quality and flavor is subjective but i agree that hydro weed can taste clean and wonderful. I likely have only had greenhouse grown hydro veggies and garden soil grown far surpasses them. But that could easily be higher micronutrient content and unfiltered sunlight.

I'm not even convinced of that yet, my last promix grow vegged super fast in big fabric pots. I'll honestly be surprised if rockwool is much faster. I'll let you know.
 
MIMedGrower

MIMedGrower

17,190
438
I'm not even convinced of that yet, my last promix grow vegged super fast in big fabric pots. I'll honestly be surprised if rockwool is much faster. I'll let you know.



Maybe we should clarify what “soil”is. I keep saying potting soil. Ocean forest is really no different than pro mix once i mix extra perlite in. Its simply a growing medium with an organic starter charge. With the extra drainage you can feed every time like coco once its nutrients are depleted.
 
Beachwalker

Beachwalker

7,055
313
Wife and I had salad with dinner from lettuce I planted a month ago in Kratky setup. Been growing it every winter for years and never have they grown this quickly. The taste was amazing, better than soil. Brought the leafs in clean, just rinced the dust off.

Cherry tomatoes with flowers. And the weed in coco. Just no comparison in growth rate. I'm able to grow 2 months seed to flip. First week and they've added 3".

I've been growing veggies for 5 plus decades and I've never seen anything like hydro.

Planning on some DWC buckets as soon as the broccoli and brussel sprouts get started. If this works like the Kratky or coco I'll install buckets throughout a 12 x 20'space and 8 along a rise where I've grown melons.

Peppers are the only plant I haven't been successful. Haven't had time to experiment and it has been getting cold here at night. I'll figure it out or not but I'll have fun trying

Lot more work, the coco that is. Kratky is almost set it and leave it. I've been keeping the coco moist every few days.

I can't do this at this pace in soil on any plants. My basil is amazing. Smell and taste outstanding.

I'm sold out on hydro w/ MasterBlend.
My own basil got off to a slow start with the rainy spring but it did very well after it got going! I'm having pesto this weekend! :)
20190817 200224


I forgot to bring my oregano in Friday, busy day plus I trimmed and hung a bubble gum plant too LOL ..it's in the upper 20s now but it's a hardy bush I'll harvest it tomorrow
 
Aqua Man

Aqua Man

26,480
638
Maybe we should clarify what “soil”is. I keep saying potting soil. Ocean forest is really no different than pro mix once i mix extra perlite in. Its simply a growing medium with an organic starter charge. With the extra drainage you can feed every time like coco once its nutrients are depleted.
Good point you pretty close to what I would call soilless.

As for rockwool it won't be as fast as RDWC and would say similar to coco. The fastest is aeroponics.
 
PlumberSoCal

PlumberSoCal

1,611
263
Good point you pretty close to what I would call soilless.

As for rockwool it won't be as fast as RDWC and would say similar to coco. The fastest is aeroponics.
Yeah, when I say "soil" I'm referring to organic material continually being broken down by bacteria. Although it can include perlite, coco coir, rocks, etc but generally the majority is organic.

The problem in soil is having to guess what nutes need to be added and in what amounts. Years of growing experience makes the guess work easier but it's still guess work.

With coco or hydro you mix the nutes to the plants specifications. No guess work. The only problems I've experienced in coco so far were mild and of my own making, i.e. not mixing the nutes to the proper recommended amounts and then trying to recycle the nute water. Otherwise it really couldn't be easier.

The several waterings per day are the biggest drawback although the days I'm only able to water 2-3 times haven't caused any issues.

I bought a pump and can add a watering or two when I know I'll be gone all day and my 20 yr old is learning and will be able to care for the plants when I go camping next month. He's already requested the days off.

I've never used any of the over priced specifically designed soil for pot. I learned many years ago all these speciality ferts and soils can be put together much cheaper than purchasing a ready made bag or mix. Seeing cactus ferts for sale makes me laugh. You'd pay 10 x's more than purchasing the individual ingredients and then using the left over for other plants with different needs by using different amounts of the ferts. And all the recipes are online and have been tested.

After 50+ years of dirt farming I'm pretty much done. I'll plant corn next spring and some cannabis in the soil but not until I've amended all winter long.
20191107 190627

I spread the the horse manure out and covered with the shower doors this morning. I'll water it once a week, add dirty chicken straw and all the weeds I pull. This has become some of the best organic "soil" I've ever used but still does not compare to hydro.
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
Yeah, when I say "soil" I'm referring to organic material continually being broken down by bacteria. Although it can include perlite, coco coir, rocks, etc but generally the majority is organic.

The problem in soil is having to guess what nutes need to be added and in what amounts. Years of growing experience makes the guess work easier but it's still guess work.

With coco or hydro you mix the nutes to the plants specifications. No guess work. The only problems I've experienced in coco so far were mild and of my own making, i.e. not mixing the nutes to the proper recommended amounts and then trying to recycle the nute water. Otherwise it really couldn't be easier.

The several waterings per day are the biggest drawback although the days I'm only able to water 2-3 times haven't caused any issues.

I bought a pump and can add a watering or two when I know I'll be gone all day and my 20 yr old is learning and will be able to care for the plants when I go camping next month. He's already requested the days off.

I've never used any of the over priced specifically designed soil for pot. I learned many years ago all these speciality ferts and soils can be put together much cheaper than purchasing a ready made bag or mix. Seeing cactus ferts for sale makes me laugh. You'd pay 10 x's more than purchasing the individual ingredients and then using the left over for other plants with different needs by using different amounts of the ferts. And all the recipes are online and have been tested.

After 50+ years of dirt farming I'm pretty much done. I'll plant corn next spring and some cannabis in the soil but not until I've amended all winter long.
View attachment 908474
I spread the the horse manure out and covered with the shower doors this morning. I'll water it once a week, add dirty chicken straw and all the weeds I pull. This has become some of the best organic "soil" I've ever used but still does not compare to hydro.
add some card board with it and you have a recipe for suscess,keep in mind you even said it,soil is a workplace,all manure are employess ,hahahahwe are really about thatr clasification too,but the manure will build your organic matter,ALONG with your organic matter work in some green and browns,leaf mold in winter is best just from abundance,manure is perfect,for greens we got a problem,i wouldnt but you probally would depending on were you live,i dont have winters so if i planted green mnaure like buck wheat and let that stuff get about 3 to 4 ft tall,then lay it over at that hieght,cover with tarping then let it lay there over winter,about a month before my first planting date ,give it all a good twirl and golden bro,them worms are really attracted to the manure and cardboard making the perfect little love nest for both if you dig,card board draws um in,so everyone is right,soil is soil depending on how you work it.
bag soil is soil after it has been tuned to become soil,peat pro mix all are soil again working it,so when i come down to it to just buy soil,in reality starts with equal amount of clay silt and sand,that doesnt happened even taking a excavator you can scopp out a bucket drop in one place and it is no longer equal simply from braking up the profile if you dig,so only soil there is ,is pretty much all 3 textures the same in equlity then you add what you prefer for typical planting you desire to grow,doesnt stop there only begins,you might have the best garden you ever had from this stand point,but the following season sucess begins in the reblance of what your plants took away while filling your belly,that time clock to get it done before the next set has to be timed and charged year after year anyway i love these debates there is no wrong or even a right,just examples of minds that keep things on track for the younguns coming up,with all or contributions maybe one day folk say screw them damn machines again and get um some sweat loving i grew this stuff and you already know you like it veggies ,medicine or trees,came from the hands fro several dummies from generation before,me i think that thought is cool.
another thing and i move on,just think if you could buy real soil,textures equal,npk ideal,cec ideal,how the hell would you move it right,you all know i live on a rock and make all my own soil,last year i wanted to pay close attention to soil texture,wasnt a easy challenge,but i did acomplish all 3 textures even npk adajuate or ideal,cec ideal,done all this i 18 gal totes,and i mean some work,when it was perfect for what i was looking for, standard loom on the soil indicator,i couldnt even scoot that tote back to the spot i wanted my container to go,now that soil hahahahahh
 
PlumberSoCal

PlumberSoCal

1,611
263
add some card board with it and you have a recipe for suscess,keep in mind you even said it,soil is a workplace,all manure are employess ,hahahahwe are really about thatr clasification too,but the manure will build your organic matter,ALONG with your organic matter work in some green and browns,leaf mold in winter is best just from abundance,manure is perfect,for greens we got a problem,i wouldnt but you probally would depending on were you live,i dont have winters so if i planted green mnaure like buck wheat and let that stuff get about 3 to 4 ft tall,then lay it over at that hieght,cover with tarping then let it lay there over winter,about a month before my first planting date ,give it all a good twirl and golden bro,them worms are really attracted to the manure and cardboard making the perfect little love nest for both if you dig,card board draws um in,so everyone is right,soil is soil depending on how you work it.
bag soil is soil after it has been tuned to become soil,peat pro mix all are soil again working it,so when i come down to it to just buy soil,in reality starts with equal amount of clay silt and sand,that doesnt happened even taking a excavator you can scopp out a bucket drop in one place and it is no longer equal simply from braking up the profile if you dig,so only soil there is ,is pretty much all 3 textures the same in equlity then you add what you prefer for typical planting you desire to grow,doesnt stop there only begins,you might have the best garden you ever had from this stand point,but the following season sucess begins in the reblance of what your plants took away while filling your belly,that time clock to get it done before the next set has to be timed and charged year after year anyway i love these debates there is no wrong or even a right,just examples of minds that keep things on track for the younguns coming up,with all or contributions maybe one day folk say screw them damn machines again and get um some sweat loving i grew this stuff and you already know you like it veggies ,medicine or trees,came from the hands fro several dummies from generation before,me i think that thought is cool.
another thing and i move on,just think if you could buy real soil,textures equal,npk ideal,cec ideal,how the hell would you move it right,you all know i live on a rock and make all my own soil,last year i wanted to pay close attention to soil texture,wasnt a easy challenge,but i did acomplish all 3 textures even npk adajuate or ideal,cec ideal,done all this i 18 gal totes,and i mean some work,when it was perfect for what i was looking for, standard loom on the soil indicator,i couldnt even scoot that tote back to the spot i wanted my container to go,now that soil hahahahahh
I got a lot of cardboard, been saving it for the big greenhouse walkway. Good idea!

It's made a world of difference composting everything. Leaf is a really good additive as well as grass clippings. Our lawn is way too big to bag and usually borrow my neighbors riding mower.
20191108 142648

There's something seriously wrong with that guy, kinda like me😜
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
I got a lot of cardboard, been saving it for the big greenhouse walkway. Good idea!

It's made a world of difference composting everything. Leaf is a really good additive as well as grass clippings. Our lawn is way too big to bag and usually borrow my neighbors riding mower.
View attachment 908958
There's something seriously wrong with that guy, kinda like me😜
i noticed it too,he be rolling down that road hhahahahahah
 
PlumberSoCal

PlumberSoCal

1,611
263
After removing 2 pollen balls off two plants and then isolating for a week and no signs of more I've put them back and will continue to check, of course.
20191110 071240

Stretching away.

Have 4 in here growing to 8 tops. They'll join their sisters in a few days
20191110 065408

Some of the younger are taller but have only been topped once. Very close to their 2nd.

No new mice/rat damage last night but I moved the garden plant seeds to the swing set and covered the rest.
20191110 065603

It's working. GDP's, Ground Pounders and Big Pipes are all coming up.

Grabbed a few dry branches to trim and jar and look.
20191110 084839

Scale. These are a bitch along with whatever species of leaf borers I got. The Kratky tomatoes have been hit bad and I even noticed a leaf on a garden weed I pulled effected. Never noticed it or scale on my weed before. Maybe just my eyesight. Who knows but I gotta try to control the little bastards.

Hum, I need to roll one up.
20191110 105801

Frosty. This one may not make it to the jar. Smells like heaven. Yeah, I'm gonna roll on up, had to work yesterday and been busting balls all week. Tired and hurting today. Gonna medicate and think about wrapping the greenhouse. Ha!
 
PlumberSoCal

PlumberSoCal

1,611
263
i cant really tell from pic,but them ball shape eggs remind me of this feller bro
I believe they're soft bodied scale. I get em pretty bad on my citrus trees and this year on an old large Jasmine plant. I think their explosion this year was due to our wet spring. We've been petty dry for several years and when we do get a long wet spring the pests explode faster than the natural predators.

I do have a nice population of long legged flies and wasps. I haven't seen any lady bugs or lacewings in a few weeks and the nurseries are out until spring.

Everything I've read about em says not to use any poisons that can effect natural predators. While attached and sucking sap little can get to them but they fill will eggs. I've coated them with neem when bad and then wipe them off. Once the eggs hatch the nymphs are food for the basic array of predators and usually keep them under control.

Next spring as soon as temps allow I'll buy a 1000 both ladies and lacewings to keep things undercontrol and another 1000 of each as needed. Ladies take off but while in the yard mow down their share of pests.

I plan on growing corn again this year. Last time, a couple years ago aphids were a problem.

I'm really getting tired of sharing with all the damn pests.
 
oldskol4evr

oldskol4evr

12,306
438
I believe they're soft bodied scale. I get em pretty bad on my citrus trees and this year on an old large Jasmine plant. I think their explosion this year was due to our wet spring. We've been petty dry for several years and when we do get a long wet spring the pests explode faster than the natural predators.

I do have a nice population of long legged flies and wasps. I haven't seen any lady bugs or lacewings in a few weeks and the nurseries are out until spring.

Everything I've read about em says not to use any poisons that can effect natural predators. While attached and sucking sap little can get to them but they fill will eggs. I've coated them with neem when bad and then wipe them off. Once the eggs hatch the nymphs are food for the basic array of predators and usually keep them under control.

Next spring as soon as temps allow I'll buy a 1000 both ladies and lacewings to keep things undercontrol and another 1000 of each as needed. Ladies take off but while in the yard mow down their share of pests.

I plan on growing corn again this year. Last time, a couple years ago aphids were a problem.

I'm really getting tired of sharing with all the damn pests.
aint that the damn truth,im same way,just plant extra,but damn this year was a dozzie,same sit too,lot of rain from middle of feb to end march and slugs and grubs reeked hell,i really wish i would have got a pic of that 30 lb watermelon they bore a hole threw,4 melons and 2 pumpkins,i had the whole garden coated with de look like christmas in july but some still were stronger than others
 
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