How long does coco last?

[Greenraiza]

Does anyone else reuse coco.
Does it break down to a powder eventually. Does it retain salts and anything bad for the plant.
I let chopped pots dry completely before pulling stump and any old roots.
Then I mix in Bokashi fras&das perilite and same amount of new coco in a huge tub for a 50/50 mix of new/old. Just a formula I came up with. No real science behind it.
Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations. Thanks.

You can re use coco bro just make sure to wash out proply as you probably have salt build ups...it’s re usable but for the sake of 40$ I just replace .. better to have onlay the best for the girls aha that’s just me a bit ocd lol

 

[Greenraiza]

Do you use perlite in your coco? I decided to mix with clay balls and it’s really good..seems to drain a lot better though you get those big dips when you feed..

 

[Bill284]

You can re use coco bro just make sure to wash out proply as you probably have salt build ups...it’s re usable but for the sake of 40$ I just replace .. better to have onlay the best for the girls aha that’s just me a bit ocd lol

If I dumped it after 1 use it would cost me a fortune. I mix it 50/50 with new and new perlite bokashi and frass & Dazzle. Haven't had a problem yet. But I would use all new if I could.

 

[Bill284]

Do you use perlite in your coco? I decided to mix with clay balls and it’s really good..seems to drain a lot better though you get those big dips when you feed..

Just perlite, ive never tried the clay balls.

 

[Greenraiza]

Just perlite, ive never tried the clay balls.

Yeah true..well personally I’d recommend ... I’ve had nothing but good results thou you also get great results with perlite so I guess it’s just preference..

 

[greenforpres]

I have also always reused my coco. Like bill said. It would cost a fortune to buy new. In my area they mostly speak of 3 uses. Meaning you can reuse it 3 times. I've been up to 6 without any issues. Of course if i see a moldy pot i throw it away. I used to flush hard for last 10 days with cannazym. And cut out root heart and stick new one in. No flush and no mixing. my coco was always dry by the time i was reusing that pot.

 

[Shaggn]

Coco for the win!! Like Scotch, gets better with age

 

[Bill284]

50 liters a month is just too much to replace every month so I reuse it. I mix it 50/50 with new canna coco and new perilite. After a couple months drying I take out stump and any roots I can grab easily. Then I add Bokashi and Frass & Dazzle and spray it to active the microbes. Let it sit for a couple days to brew a bit. Usually see a little white mold from bacteria that’s normal.

 

[Purplehazer]

Hi Bill284

Yes you can reuse Coco...However no more than two times in my experience.the medium will degrade fairly quickly due to the use of PH- and high amounts of Phosphor we tend to use....And it helps if you use Enzymes which will break down left over roots and nutrients

 

[Bill284]

Hi Bill284

Yes you can reuse Coco...However no more than two times in my experience.the medium will degrade fairly quickly due to the use of PH- and high amounts of Phosphor we tend to use....And it helps if you use Enzymes which will break down left over roots and nutrients

I think that's what the Bokashi does. I keep mixing it 50/50 new and old. Seems to work so far. Thanks @Purplehazer .

 

[Southerncough]

I like to reuse it on my outdoor plants, tomatoes, pineapple, kitchen herbs, etc. Instead of flushing i just let the new plant eat what's left in the coco

 

[Purplehazer]

I like to reuse it on my outdoor plants, tomatoes, pineapple, kitchen herbs, etc. Instead of flushing i just let the new plant eat what's left in the coco

Great idea...May i give you some advise?, Mix the Coco in a 50/50 ratio with your soil...this will give you the benefit of that great property of water regulation of coco and the Buffering property's of your soil....So no need to adjust PH anymore

 

[Southerncough]

funny you mention that, last week I was at Big Lots and they had some huge bags of (evil brand) vegetable potting mix for cheap and I grabbed one and mixed it 50/50 with some used coco for transplanting tomatoes!
I know a lot of people love using peat and swear by it but I can't F*&^% stand it. MIss one watering on a hot day and that stuff goes hydrophobic and water then passes right through the pot and the soil is bone dry! F that!
I like to mix in old coco to help retain water. Also, the outdoor plants aren't as picky and love whatever I throw at them...like some old partial bottles of GH I have laying around. They love that stuff LOL.

 

[gr865]

50 liters a month is just too much to replace every month so I reuse it. I mix it 50/50 with new canna coco and new perilite. After a couple months drying I take out stump and any roots I can grab easily. Then I add Bokashi and Frass & Dazzle and spray it to active the microbes. Let it sit for a couple days to brew a bit. Usually see a little white mold from bacteria that’s normal.

Bill, have you thought about making your own Bokashi. I made it for years when I was selling EM1 products. Would have from 5 to10 - 5 gallon Bokashi tubs. I still use EM1 in my garden and yard, have also added it to some of my grows, but I don't add it to a rez that will take a few days to empty.

 

[Bill284]

Bill, have you thought about making your own Bokashi. I made it for years when I was selling EM1 products. Would have from 5 to10 - 5 gallon Bokashi tubs. I still use EM1 in my garden and yard, have also added it to some of my grows, but I don't add it to a rez that will take a few days to empty.

@gr865 if you know how to make that stuff do tell. I'd love to be able to make my own.

 

[gr865]

@gr865 if you know how to make that stuff do tell. I'd love to be able to make my own.

The recipe I use.

Bokashi Recipe & Bokashi Bran

Bokashi:
To make your own Bokashi (in this recipe) you'll need some bran (or some other dried plant material), some EM-1®, unsulfured molasses, and fresh water. A 50-pound bag of wheat bran made into bokashi costs about $22 to make (including the EM-1® Microbial Inoculant, molasses, and bran). Rice bran costs about twice as much as wheat bran. This recipe takes about 20 minutes from start to finish to make a 50-pound bag of Bokashi. It needs to ferment for a minimum of two weeks and then is dried for long-term storage (up to several years). If you choose not to make it, you can purchase it ready to use.

Where to get the ingredients
Wheat bran or rice bran can be purchased at any co-op or grain/feed supply store. A 50-pound bag of wheat bran usually costs about $20 (plus tax). The molasses can be purchased at a feed store or in any grocery store in the baking section (near the sugars). A quart of molasses is usually about $5. Blackstrap, cane, or feed molasses are what you want. Other sugars can be used, but require recipe changes to accommodate for lack of sugar and minerals and are not as stable during fermentation.



Materials;

• Ingredients
• Large black plastic garbage bag or airtight container(s)
• Something to mix the materials in or on

Procedure;:

• Mix one gallon of the water with the molasses to dissolve the molasses. Mix in the EM-1 ®.
• Mix the liquid thoroughly into the bran.
• Squeeze some of the bran into a ball. If it holds shape and no extra liquid comes out, it is the correct moisture. Put into bag or container. If it is too dry, add more water and mix.
• If using the bag, tie the bag tightly, squeezing out excess air. If using a container, press down mixture and cover container tightly.
• Place mixture somewhere warm and out of the way. Let it ferment for a minimum of two weeks. Longer is fine.
• When fermentation is complete, you may notice some white mold on/in the bokashi. This is good. Black or green mold means some air got into the container or it was too moist and is not desirable. You can use the material as is without drying, stored in a closed container, for up to 2 weeks, or dry for long-term storage.
• Keep airtight during storage, whether dry or wet.

You want to be sure and use unsulfured molasses.
This is the website for Teraganiix.

EM-1® Soil Conditioner, Gardening Supplies & Compost Bins

Elevate your gardening game with EM-1® Soil Conditioner, Probiotics, Gardening Supplies & Compost Bins. Explore our range of organic supplies and Bokashi compost bins designed to enhance soil health and boost plant growth naturally. Unleash the power of EM-1® for a thriving garden ecosystem...

www.teraganix.com

You can buy the EM1 from teraganix or you can buy Bokashi direct.
It is easy to make.

 

[gr865]

@Bill284
Now here is the method for making a Bokashi Bucket, turning food scraps into a usable Bokashi compost.

Learn How to Make an Inexpensive DIY Bokashi Bucket

Learn how to make an easy and inexpensive bokashi bucket at home to ferment food scraps for compost with a regular 5-gallon bucket, lid, and a drill.

www.thespruce.com

 

[Bill284]

@Bill284
Now here is the method for making a Bokashi Bucket, turning food scraps into a usable Bokashi compost.

Learn How to Make an Inexpensive DIY Bokashi Bucket

Learn how to make an easy and inexpensive bokashi bucket at home to ferment food scraps for compost with a regular 5-gallon bucket, lid, and a drill.

www.thespruce.com

Thank you my friend. Thats great.