the Hand Watering coco thread

[purcellville]

I know a grower who has been very happy with autopots. Easy and simple is all she keeps saying. The downside is her yiled seems to suffer a bit. But after turning out some whopping harvest with bio buckets for a few months she went right back to the auto pots for pure ease and simplicity.

Iv'e been thinking about them ever since.

 

[SOY.ALTO]

I tell ya, Ive tried so many different methods of growing over the years, and I gotta say Im thinkin that handwater coco is about as simple as it gets while still maintaining great results. Im 2 weeks flo into my first handwater coco try and I gotta say if shit continues like it has thus far I am SOLD!

Ive got 9 plants under a 400w HPS in 1 gal pots of coco. I water every other day at this point, although in a couple weeks I will probably have to water daily with the 1 gal pots. Feed them every other watering. Nothing special, just the GH 3 part with some cal mag in veg. I honestly think these plants are the best I have ever grown in terms of overall health and vigor.

The other half of the grow Ive got 8 plants under a 1k MH in a recirculating drip (in coco as well) and that grow is lookin lovely, to say I can't complain would be a gross understatement, I just spent a over two hours tieing up buds yesterday, and Im only in the 4th week of flo (of course, when you grow the wreck, this is all but expected). But the other side with the handwatered coco has just amazed me. And the thing is, with only 9 plants, I feel like I am spending quality time with my plants rather than keeping them fed is a chore. With some training and a longer veg, I could easilly fill two 1k lights with 8-10 plants in large pots of coco, and the amount of work it would take to maintain them would be minimal in comparison to the return. Assuming things stay on course, that will probably be my next run. Why bother with hydro systems that take time and money to build while being at the mercy of a pump and timer to keep your plants alive, when you can KISS and run 5 gal buckets of coco and get the same results?..

I think I just might love coco. I hope things continue on as they are up to this point.

 

[purcellville]

amen to that. I have gone completley hand watered and with 5 gallon pots maybe twice a week I water. But I think I am done with coco for now and just going good ole organic soil.

I tell ya, Ive tried so many different methods of growing over the years, and I gotta say Im thinkin that handwater coco is about as simple as it gets while still maintaining great results. Im 2 weeks flo into my first handwater coco try and I gotta say if shit continues like it has thus far I am SOLD!

Ive got 9 plants under a 400w HPS in 1 gal pots of coco. I water every other day at this point, although in a couple weeks I will probably have to water daily with the 1 gal pots. Feed them every other watering. Nothing special, just the GH 3 part with some cal mag in veg. I honestly think these plants are the best I have ever grown in terms of overall health and vigor.

The other half of the grow Ive got 8 plants under a 1k MH in a recirculating drip (in coco as well) and that grow is lookin lovely, to say I can't complain would be a gross understatement, I just spent a over two hours tieing up buds yesterday, and Im only in the 4th week of flo (of course, when you grow the wreck, this is all but expected). But the other side with the handwatered coco has just amazed me. And the thing is, with only 9 plants, I feel like I am spending quality time with my plants rather than keeping them fed is a chore. With some training and a longer veg, I could easilly fill two 1k lights with 8-10 plants in large pots of coco, and the amount of work it would take to maintain them would be minimal in comparison to the return. Assuming things stay on course, that will probably be my next run. Why bother with hydro systems that take time and money to build while being at the mercy of a pump and timer to keep your plants alive, when you can KISS and run 5 gal buckets of coco and get the same results?..

I think I just might love coco. I hope things continue on as they are up to this point.

 

[terran2]

yep - definetly a bit weird things going on but looks more genetical than anything IMHO.

are those stems dark red? or is just an optical illusion ?

keep it up man !

peace

Have heard many seedmaker/breeders comment on the instability of Blueberry strains with latent leaf deformation gene popping up very often plus some herm traits tendencies that are hard to control . This lead some ike tony over @ Sag to have to conduct extensive grow-outs back in the late 90's to try and stabilize their version of this gen/strain . Still have those same problems happenng over with DJ's gear which is why 'm going with a blueberry/nl hybrid and more stable genetics of the NL, less finicky and an eye for a good pheno. There are some amazing good cuts of the grape going round these parts and still trying out those as well , lovely aroma and stone.

* On the subject of Coco , is it best adviseable to do a rinse out first and then a wash of Cal Mag to neutralize the K and prep the medium ? I'm still a newbie and hunting for the right combo of perlite/coco for top feed (or ebb&flood) and fert concentrations . And always there is the strength & vigor of a strain vs the size of the pot to always consider. Am trying out some HK/Skn1 (pog) that is so extremely vigorous , not sure that even a 2gal pot will see it thru to a good finish ...just have to flower early on...

Have mixed 50/50 which seems suited even for the slow Ebb&F on an 8ft table and to extend the Coco by dillution adding much aeration ...but as always the more perlite the more sensitive to drying out etc and a plant quickly overwhelming the root space before finish . Have been using GH w Calmag along lucas formula lines , seems should also try some other brands too

tia

 

[bonecarver_OG]

i dont use calmag - so some else would ahve to answer.

the only thing i can say - dont make it complicated coco is easy

peace bredren!

 

[Guest]

On the subject of Coco , is it best adviseable to do a rinse out first and then a wash of Cal Mag to neutralize the K and prep the medium ?

Buy good, prewashed coco like Botanicare or Canna, and you won't have to worry about rinsing anything.

I'm still a newbie and hunting for the right combo of perlite/coco for top feed (or ebb&flood) and fert concentrations

There is more then enough information in this forum to answer just about every single question you can think of. Happy hunting! If your a noob, don't dick around with the perlite. You don't need it.

 

[bonecarver_OG]

Buy good, prewashed coco like Botanicare or Canna, and you won't have to worry about rinsing anything.



There is more then enough information in this forum to answer just about every single question you can think of. Happy hunting! If your a noob, don't dick around with the perlite. You don't need it.

good post

 

[Guest]

good post

Seems like only a handful of us are still active in here, whats the deal bonecarver?

 

[bonecarver_OG]

i dont know man.. maybe we scared them away?

peace man!

 

[reddy1]

i like this thread. good info for my first ever grow.

i've bought a couple of bales of botanicare cocogrow and am mixing it with perlite and FFOF. first batch was 1/3 coco. last transplant batch was a week ago, 2/3 coco. i got kind of nervous with the last batch drying out fast but in 5 gallon pots i water every other day. i'm lazy. so far it's looking really healthy. i vegged in OF and perlite and transplanted the first week of flower. i'd love to see huge root growth. will the late transplant mess me up? i couldn't waste resources on males.

my next grow will probably be pure coco. you guys sold me! soil is my buffer right now because i'm making lots of mistakes. first timers tend to do that.

oh yeah to add what i orginally meant to say . i soaked and broke up the coco in my hands, filled up 5 gallon pots and put outside for a day to dry. i didn't really wash it hard. i got it loose and let it dry. is that enough for botanicare.

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

i dont know man.. maybe we scared them away?

peace man!

I aint scared!! lol. I love this thread and i encourage anyone using coco to read this whole thing. I think i read every thread in coco forum relevant to my type of grow, and the info was very helpful.

I use botaincare coco and canna A B nutes with some pk 13-14.

Currently running

Sour D IBL
Strawberry D x Deep chunk
Cheese x dc
C99
Free love
Cripple creek X sputnik
Deep chunk


Clones on the way

Indiana Bubblegum
Dabney Blue ( the real one,lol)
The original ( clone only from OR)


So you got me in this thread now!! I water daily and am growing in 2 gallon grow bags. I stole someones idea of the sugar shaker diners use to hand water, lol. I also drill 10-15 holes in my lid for 1 gallon containers of milk and use them to water. The holes let the water come out at a slower pace. I love coco and aint turning back!







Nevermind

 

[THC4SIM]

I love coco and aint turning back!Nevermind

Hey MrNevermind, welcome to Coco!!,

i think i am due a bit of an update!
ive got on the go at the moment:
OG Kush
Haze
ECSD
Cheese

using all the canna nutes, water at about 1.8 and PH6
all looking good, but them runaway OG's!! ill get some pics together this week..

 

[Mr. Nevermind]

Thanks for the welcome to coco thread bro. Nice line up you got there. Nice having straight cheese as well. I have the dc cross of it and have a pheno that leans to cheese that i love. she is a stinker.

I love the canna line so far. No problems at all. Helll ,y Sour D IBL in flower is already 3 feet tall maybe 2 weeks in and has 6 inch roots sticking out of the holes in gorw bags. Roots galore and leaves bgger than my hand. So far im using 2.5 ml per liter but gonna slowly pump em up now. Sour d is a hog anyway





Nevermind

 

[THC4SIM]

Nice having straight cheese as well.

niceOne MrNevermind!!


There is a good mate from on here i have to thank for the Cheese u know who you are..
heres a shot from one of the cheese while i had some out watering this morning..

 

[-VT-]

Good one Indica Sativa I'm used to trolls ...so I continue to post...even in this thread
Running so many strains, I am gonna stick to handwatering....run to waste (this is important) I run to waste.... and I don't recycle nutes
I never check runoff pH or EC...hoping I get lucky with this uneducated, blind approach

I see no reason to recycle nutes...I run to waste....in veg I am watering every day...but not consistently....very little to no runoff...usually no runoff...

Any plants that have a lockout get flushed

edited to add: nice cheese shots....that shit looks frosty and flossy...nice job th41scm

 

[suckerrepellent]

my first coco run

my first coco run

hey i just wanted to check into this thread. ill keep you guys posted on the progress of my first run at coco. i have soil and hydro experience from the past, and am looking for a good blend of the two... voila coco. it seems like noone is reporting on the use of Advanced Nutrients (primarily, although i have a couple others).

heres the break down:

2400 watt LEGAL medical grow, including 40 plants (ten per 600w hps) spread out over two three by six hydro trays with a drain to waste style res to collect my hand watering. {edit} strains being covered in this grow are an bubbadutch's ssh,original diesel, a single HIP OG Kush, a single master kush, and a hand full of Pure Kush (thank the gods for the so-cal elite availability). i used a coco to perlite mix of 2 parts to one for about half the bags and 2:.5:.5 mix of coco, perlite, fytocel flakes for one quarter, and the last quarter will be 2:1 coco to fytocell flakes. these fytocell flakes are new to me hence the different levels of test run. they came as a handout from the local hydro store after a promise that i would do a test run and report back. if you haven't seen this stuff it is essentially a softer, even more aerated form of styro foam if thats possible.

my nutrient solutuion consists of scheduled feedings of fairly high ppm counts (once i hit full flower anyhow). for veg i am using AN b-52, sensi grow A + B, AN Sweet leaf, AN Sensi zyme, and green fuse veg formula. i augment my root growth with AN pirannha, and GH Subculture, all fed by AN Voodoo juice.

when i switch to flower i will be using AN sensi bloom A + B, sweetleaf, zyme, and a green fuse bloom formula, augmented with AN Big bud, AN overdrive, and my favorite products, Humboldt county's own line with a focus on purple maxx and gravity, with a one or two time shot of bushmaster right at the flip. in a ddition, i use a sulfur burner as a safeguard against PM (although my room is controlled to the degree it might not be necessary) and of course a shot of flora-mite right before i induce flower (This is the best product i have ever seen hands down against mites for all those struggling out there. its expensive, but i swear to you you won't regret it, and won't see another mite again). augment all this with a healthy dose of co2 via a burner hooked up directly to the gas line, and you get the expectations of one elbow per 600 watt.

so far i am sitting a couple weeks into veg with absolutely explosive results. i am hoping to get a camera next weekend, and if so i will share pictures with everyone. oh one more thiing, i will be adding a screen of green on the top, and super crop and bend all plants for maximum yield. look forward to dropping you guys some updates because these two weeks have been very exciting. i can honestly say the growth rate rivals that of a hydro system, pretty impressive especially coming off of soil. in themean time, here are a couple shots of my last soil run

SAGE




snowcap

 

[bonecarver_OG]

nice

 

[igrohydro]

Nice one bonecarver,back in ireland.Loved Spain,bbs.

 

[suckerrepellent]

sorry guys, accidently started my coco grow in its own thread. heres the link if anyone is interested. ill be updating it at least twice a week.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=69074


original diesel from the above link

 

[bonecarver_OG]

looks nice sucker repellent

peace all