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reuse coco coir?

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reuse coco coir?

smokey79 20 Replies 57,046 Views
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smokey79

smokey79

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#1
just wondering has anyone reused coco, if so do u need flush , recharge?
what about mixing coir with standard coco?
anyone know
 
#2
smokey79 said:
just wondering has anyone reused coco, if so do u need flush , recharge?
what about mixing coir with standard coco?
anyone know
Click to expand...

There have been a couple magazine articles and also Youtube video as of late where they discuss this. The general consensus is that it works well, sometimes even better than the initial run, something to do with the coco getting seasoned. In all cases I think they recommend soaking the coco in a "pond enzyme" which is pretty cheap if you get it at a pond supply place, and very expensive if you buy a product like Hygrozyme or Sensizyme, which is the same thing. Soak the coco after the first run, for a couple weeks, I think.
 
#3
My one room is on its 6th run in the same coco...and yes it seems to get better every time. I don't know if it is beneficials in the coco that have multiplied over time or exactly what it is.

I flush my crop as usual for about 10-14 days, making sure that my coco is thoroughly flushed out of nutes. Runoff is usually under 250ppm at that point.
Last week of flush I run pond enzymes. I really do not know if this makes a huge difference bought I bought a ton of it and I just got to have faith that I did not waste my money.
As soon as I pull a plant...I shake out the rootball into a clean trash can. Probably 70% of roots are out...but lots of fine root hairs remain. Then I simply scoop up my coco and repot up the new clone.

I do have a theory (only a theory) about why it may get better on 2nd runs.
Coco tends to hold Calcium tightly to it. The first run it takes a while to naturally find its holding point. Runs after that already start out with the holding point reached.

I do love running roots excelerator for the next couple weeks of the new babies lives. Roots fly through the re-used coco.

Coco does seem the most wonderful reusable medium. Caveat.....You really need to be vigilant about bugs. Once you have them beat though, it is really quite easy. As a plus there is no risk of introducing new bugs by bringing in new coco or soil.
 
#5
Great idea, but in the end, it just isn't worth the risk. Consider the relative values of coir vs meds, factor in the chance of transmitted malefactors, and then do your patients a favor and reuse your coir on a tomato patch.
 
#6
whats the difference between coir and "standard" coco
 
#7
you can safely reuse coir, flush very well, I shift out the roots and soak in pond enzyme, then when transplant comes around I dump a lot of water thru the buckets with the coir in it at my ppm and ph of choice
 
#8
motherlode said:
whats the difference between coir and "standard" coco
Click to expand...
to be honest i jus think coir is finer and hi grade coco, but pro someone who has more knowlage about mediums will give "us" a better answer.
 
#9
Motherlode...I had to google that question as well.
Seems that all coco that is used by us is considered "coir".

Lately though it almost seems like for growers, that coir refers to finer ground coco in contrast to the chunkier pieces.

Treehugger..I will re-use coco all the time. If you have no pests within it..why would you not? It is basically an inert material which really only serves to anchor the plant, while externally added nutrients are applied. Also figure in the cost of running (6 so far for me) multiple crops in it, vs the money for 6 runs of "new" coir. Additionally many "new" batches of coir have been reported to contain gnats etc. Once you have a bug-free coco system...why would you also want to introduce new unknown coco?

Then we get into the disposing problem. For many in apartments or really anywhere, its a pain in the butt getting rid of alot of soil or coir. re-using cuts down the risk substantially of being detected getting rid of loads of growing medium.

For me, I will reuse this coco till it shows signs of producing less or giving problems. As it got better after the first run and is still producing great, I predict it may be in my room for many more runs to come.
 
#10
yeah I'm fairly new to the coco game - am on just my second run - I was just wondering because its a versatile product

you got the chunky stuff, the coir and then the mats and slabs

and just recently I found 6"x6" coco cubes wrapped in cloth - so they are like a cube and a smartpot in one

thought maybe there was another version I hadnt seen
 
#12
I am just about to start my 3rd run useing coco. Normally I augment my horrible rocky soil with used coco, and get new bails..If I have just started to see fungus gnats. Can coco still be reused? if so what do you do to get rid of the gnats, and their larvae'?
 
#13
Coco is extremely re-usable, in fact, I have been using the same 20 bricks for 5 runs now, with the addition of a brick from time to time, due to some of the coco being lost on transition between runs.

I simply put the used coco into a large rubbermaid, pick out all large roots from prior runs, put in the new plants, and send straight ph water through on the first water then continue on with normal nutrient schedule.

This stuff can be used a long time, don't let anyone tell you different
 
#14
I always resuse. I flush the last ten days cut the plants and take out the roots, then I put the old coco in a wheelbarrow and mix it 50/50 with new fresh coco. Then I water with just prozyme water.
 
#15
I reuse as well. Just let the root mass dry, smash it apart and a quick sift with my fingers to get out the root chunks. I used to do what canna says and double canazyme last two weeks of flower but found out I don't have to. The only thing I do different with the reused coco is start the canazyme at 5 mls a gallon instead of waiting until flower. Over the last couple years I have simplified my coco methods I was making it way harder then necessary. Also treatments for bugs. Azamax, bayer tree and shrub.
 
#16
audiohi said:
I re-use as well. No enzymes, just a good flush and remove the main rootball. Mix it up... and start again.
Click to expand...
that works for you every time just removing root ball and flush ?
 
#17
I reuse as well. Just try to hydrate a bit of the coir is dryed as it has effected germination in the past compared to fresh hydrated coco.
 
#18
vonwolfen said:
I am just about to start my 3rd run useing coco. Normally I augment my horrible rocky soil with used coco, and get new bails..If I have just started to see fungus gnats. Can coco still be reused? if so what do you do to get rid of the gnats, and their larvae'?
Click to expand...
I get them or spring tails I have, what I'm have are little white bugs in my coco and specially at the bottom of the pots , I always use new fresh coco each time, because of these little white bugs that sorta jump about and float in the water, I bleach the shit out of everything and still get then lol

I read spring tails if that's what I and you have are harmless unless they really get out of control.

Id be interested to know myself if I can reuse the coco with the bugs in it,

Anyone know ?
 
#19
ZOMBIE THREAD BACK
 
#20
I’ve heard you can reuse 3 times. Any beneficial bacterial and bugs would probably stay alive. I’ve been reusing for houseplants. They like it
 
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