How is this not a sticky in the coco forum? 
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Perlite cut vs. straight coco - a documented trial w/ clones
- Thread starter Mr. Bongjangles
- Start date
squarepush3r
Member
*bump*
Interesting thread, so the theory is that perlite holds more air, so the roots are less likely to be oxygen starved with perlite ...
However, I have to question if the watering methods (tendency to overwater) were at play in this experiment. If overwatering was occurring, then I would expect the perlite mixture to come out on top. However, if there was a tendency to underwater, or water with less frequency, then possibly the coco mixture would come out on top?
Just an idea, oxygen somehow had to be a critical part of this experiment.
Interesting thread, so the theory is that perlite holds more air, so the roots are less likely to be oxygen starved with perlite ...
However, I have to question if the watering methods (tendency to overwater) were at play in this experiment. If overwatering was occurring, then I would expect the perlite mixture to come out on top. However, if there was a tendency to underwater, or water with less frequency, then possibly the coco mixture would come out on top?
Just an idea, oxygen somehow had to be a critical part of this experiment.
PoweredByLove
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I always use perlite in my coco since the beginning. I never use any media in pots without some sort of rocky substance to add aeration. I don't get why so many people in this thread think perlite retains water though lol. they must be confusing it with vermiculite.
one thing I don't like about coco so far is it dries out really fast up top and the rest stays wet longer. when I examine my rootballs there's barely anything in the bottom 1/3rd of the pot just wet coco. most of the roots seem to be up top, and in my last hand watered grow instead of using the drip I found water roots down the middle. i'll be adding more perlite next round i'm sure the lack of root growth impacted my yields. going from 30% or so to 50%. maybe i'll make 2 mixes one with 30% for the top portion and i'll use the lighter 50% mix in the bottom.
one thing I don't like about coco so far is it dries out really fast up top and the rest stays wet longer. when I examine my rootballs there's barely anything in the bottom 1/3rd of the pot just wet coco. most of the roots seem to be up top, and in my last hand watered grow instead of using the drip I found water roots down the middle. i'll be adding more perlite next round i'm sure the lack of root growth impacted my yields. going from 30% or so to 50%. maybe i'll make 2 mixes one with 30% for the top portion and i'll use the lighter 50% mix in the bottom.
doob
Member
Blast from the past hey, interesting thread indeed. I use canna coco pro out the bag and results are good. Think I will be doing some tests though myself over the coming months, I only hand feed to run off once a day after lights on, probably different to most of you.
I would still be interested in hearing more opinions, must be plenty of people who have tried various combinations.
I would still be interested in hearing more opinions, must be plenty of people who have tried various combinations.
PoweredByLove
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I was only using small pots previously and hand watering before I moved into a tent. I had been treating like soil and watering when dry. last grow I used a drip because I was under a bigger light and in a bigger space but still small pots and the growth was explosive to say the least. 5 foot plants in a 5 1/2" square pot. this run i'm using larger pots. I think the same kind bojangles is using, they look identical, and i'm hand watering once or twice a day no runoff. once at lights on and a little bit at lights off to keep em from drying out the top layer to dust overnight. i'll let you know how it turns out.
CaliWorthington
Member
Nice thread bump. I was about to transplant into pure coco, always mixed w/ perlite before. This caused me to do more reading, and now I think I'll mix in some hydroton. So... chow mix.
Hydroton improves the structure, giving roots something to grab onto. It also gives bennies a solid place to colonize, perlite does not.
Hydroton improves the structure, giving roots something to grab onto. It also gives bennies a solid place to colonize, perlite does not.
PoweredByLove
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they're not "devoid" of roots. just most of em are in the top 2/3 1/2 of the pot where it dries and gets wet daily instead of spreading downward to the part with few roots that never really gets dry enough for roots to spread. I can either continue watering my plants or I can let all the roots die waiting for the bottom of the pots to dry. I chose the former.
I use these pots btw. when I transplant from 5.5" pots to these 7" pots I put like 1-2 inches of coco in then I put the rootball then cover in coco. in a week or so I have roots poking up all over the top from the wet/dry cycle. when I harvest and check roots the bottom 1/3rd is usually not very colonized with roots, and sometimes as much as half the pot is moist coco with few roots and the top is a solid mat of thick roots I have to bang apart to recover my coco. might be the shape of the pots. I dunno. but i'm not willing to let my plants die while I wait for the coco in the bottom to dry out more. #sacrifices
I use these pots btw. when I transplant from 5.5" pots to these 7" pots I put like 1-2 inches of coco in then I put the rootball then cover in coco. in a week or so I have roots poking up all over the top from the wet/dry cycle. when I harvest and check roots the bottom 1/3rd is usually not very colonized with roots, and sometimes as much as half the pot is moist coco with few roots and the top is a solid mat of thick roots I have to bang apart to recover my coco. might be the shape of the pots. I dunno. but i'm not willing to let my plants die while I wait for the coco in the bottom to dry out more. #sacrifices
Last edited:
CaliWorthington
Member
Or maybe I'll try Growstones instead.
PoweredByLove
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don't you see the picture? they're not sitting in any standing water. I only water till a few drops come out. I've yet to see any root system develop from the bottom up. but anyway, that's a discussion for another thread.
