Newbie

[badass123]

hi guys
this is my third grow & my first auto flower grow
Im using green posion xl auto from sweet seeds outdoors in balcony
my growing soilless medium is coco, peat moss & perlite
my container is 50 litre
my question is whats the proportion per part of coco, peat moss & perlite?
50 litre container is suitable? Is it a good idea to start in 50 litre final container or the chance of over watering is high?
since Im using a big container is there any chance of over watering? how much & how often should I water 50 litre container?
regards

 

[Pbass]

Welcome @badass123 you've found the right place to get all your answers questioned! Oop...well I'm not going to change that dyslexic slip because while it will be done respectfully it might be done! Lets test that hypothesis shall we?

I'm new too and really just like to be the walmart greeter so I can't really speak to your question expertly except to say the bit of research I did just for my own edification came up with peat moss and coco coir can be substituted 1:1 to each other, and that combo should run about 2:1 to the perlite.

Can we get a answer check on isle P please?

 

[Barney86]

Hiya buddy welcome aboard. Wouldn't bother with the peat moss tbh. 70/30 coco/peri is about as well behaved a media as you can get. Water it as often as you can and always to run off.
Would start her up in something smaller and pot up though. Give her 2 weeks in a 1 -2 litre then transplant. you'll get better root growth and it's just easier all round to look after a seedling in a smaller pot. Just make sure you set the pot up properly so you can get it off without damaging the roots. Don't wanna transplant shock an auto.
Over watering is a soil growers problem, Doesn't effect us cos we've got more air in the media. Get an auto feed set up to drench her 4 times a day and she'll grow like buggery.

 

[Pbass]

Hmm I thought you were using the peat moss/coco mix? I'm not that advanced and quite lazy, I started my girls in MG and transplanted into Jiffy Potting Mix. I had some time on my hands so I up potted to home made fabric pots (one from a bigger felt pot I got on clearance, the others from old bluejeans). They tell me everything! Between wet/dry weight and a visual/feel on the fabric, it's really easy to tell when they are dry from top to bottom.

Edit: DOH @Barney86 I didn't read your guys names right...nevermind!

 

[badass123]

Hiya buddy welcome aboard. Wouldn't bother with the peat moss tbh. 70/30 coco/peri is about as well behaved a media as you can get. Water it as often as you can and always to run off.
Would start her up in something smaller and pot up though. Give her 2 weeks in a 1 -2 litre then transplant. you'll get better root growth and it's just easier all round to look after a seedling in a smaller pot. Just make sure you set the pot up properly so you can get it off without damaging the roots. Don't wanna transplant shock an auto.
Over watering is a soil growers problem, Doesn't effect us cos we've got more air in the media. Get an auto feed set up to drench her 4 times a day and she'll grow like buggery.

thanks @Barney86 putting her till 2 weeks in 2 litre would'nt affect the root growth & overall growth? since 50 litre is huge for seedling the chance of overwatering is high? how much yield per gram should I expect from an auto? how much water per litre should I give her in 2 litre & 50 litre? how often should I water? 3 days is good? always should water it till 30 percent run off even in 50 litre? regards

 

[badass123]

Hmm I thought you were using the peat moss/coco mix? I'm not that advanced and quite lazy, I started my girls in MG and transplanted into Jiffy Potting Mix. I had some time on my hands so I up potted to home made fabric pots (one from a bigger felt pot I got on clearance, the others from old bluejeans). They tell me everything! Between wet/dry weight and a visual/feel on the fabric, it's really easy to tell when they are dry from top to bottom.

Edit: DOH @Barney86 I didn't read your guys names right...nevermind!

thanks @Pbass for quick reply. what proportion per part should I use for coco, peat moss perlite? 11? regards

 

[Pbass]

It's the ass crack of dawn here, I'm old and can't sleep in anymore. Plus I'm obsessed so this is my first stop after feeding my annoying cat and getting the coffee pot brewing.

I'm not positive on that combo but I think that's what the math would flesh out if my interwebs generated ratio is right. We better wait for the smart guys to chime in on that one though for sure, this is a important step!

 

[badass123]

It's the ass crack of dawn here, I'm old and can't sleep in anymore. Plus I'm obsessed so this is my first stop after feeding my annoying cat and getting the coffee pot brewing.

I'm not positive on that combo but I think that's what the math would flesh out if my interwebs generated ratio is right. We better wait for the smart guys to chime in on that one though for sure, this is a important step!

by the way @Pbass I love jethro-tull & ian anderson regards

 

[Barney86]

thanks @Barney86 putting her till 2 weeks in 2 litre would'nt affect the root growth & overall growth? since 50 litre is huge for seedling the chance of overwatering is high? how much yield per gram should I expect from an auto? how much water per litre should I give her in 2 litre & 50 litre? how often should I water? 3 days is good? always should water it till 30 percent run off even in 50 litre? regards

Over watering doesn't exist mate. It's a myth that soil growers tell each other because they don't understand that roots need oxygen. Best results you'll see are those that grow in nothing but a bucket of water with an air stone (dwc). With coco you need to feed it often, if you let it dry out between feeds you'll get nutrient build up which causes an endless list of problems. Feed light and always to run off and youll avoid most chances of any problems.
While she's in the smaller pot just once a day half litre or so. Tiny bit of nutes. Like less than quarter strength. Once she's in the big pot and rooted up you'll need a lot more than that. That's why best to set up a recirc pump to auto Feed it 3 or 4 times a day. Can hand water a few litres once a day and she'll do well but nowhere near as well as on auto Feed.
Impossible to guess the yield though, I've had autos that were everywhere from 3grams to 600grams.

 

[badass123]

Over watering doesn't exist mate. It's a myth that soil growers tell each other because they don't understand that roots need oxygen. Best results you'll see are those that grow in nothing but a bucket of water with an air stone (dwc). With coco you need to feed it often, if you let it dry out between feeds you'll get nutrient build up which causes an endless list of problems. Feed light and always to run off and youll avoid most chances of any problems.
While she's in the smaller pot just once a day half litre or so. Tiny bit of nutes. Like less than quarter strength. Once she's in the big pot and rooted up you'll need a lot more than that. That's why best to set up a recirc pump to auto Feed it 3 or 4 times a day. Can hand water a few litres once a day and she'll do well but nowhere near as well as on auto Feed.
Impossible to guess the yield though, I've had autos that were everywhere from 3grams to 600grams.

thanks @Barney86 what proportion per part should I use for soilless medium coco, peat moss perlite? 11? as you said I will water it once a day half litre for seedling & 3-4 litre for 50 litre container is ok? should I wait till the soil loose all the moisture for the next water? watering her once a day or once 3 days? thanks a lot mate

 

[Pepperbrew]

Welcome !

 

[Barney86]

thanks @Barney86 what proportion per part should I use for soilless medium coco, peat moss perlite? 11? as you said I will water it once a day half litre for seedling & 3-4 litre for 50 litre container is ok? should I wait till the soil loose all the moisture for the next water? watering her once a day or once 3 days? thanks a lot mate

Feed every day mate. Don't want coco drying out, that's only for soil growers.
I'd leave out the peat though cos it'll make it harder to control the ph. Just 3parts coco to 1 part perilite and you're golden. Can use as much perilite as you want really but the more you use the more often you need to water cos it'll dry out rapid. Most of us do the 3-1 rule.

 

[badass123]

Feed every day mate. Don't want coco drying out, that's only for soil growers.
I'd leave out the peat though cos it'll make it harder to control the ph. Just 3parts coco to 1 part perilite and you're golden. Can use as much perilite as you want really but the more you use the more often you need to water cos it'll dry out rapid. Most of us do the 3-1 rule.

thanks @Barney86 for reply
these cheap mix bags are suitable? it contains coco, peat moss, perlite & vermicompost.
I dont use any fertilizer like GH or AN for this one. In the past in soiless mixture I wait till lost moisture & then water it. Is it bad or should I keep moisture always?

 

[Backlipslide]

I did closer to 60/40 coco to perilite. Everywhere I read said 70/30 mix. Other places I read 50/50. I know someone that has a really good method. He uses straight coco and no perilite, with an inch or so of some washed gravel on the bottom. Coco has such great drainage that the perlite is not necessary and just another thing to pay for. Which isn’t very much by the way. That guy I know also likes to grow in 2L pop bottles with the tops cut off, with great yields. On a smaller basis but he gets two to three zips per plant. He has it set up so he takes two plants out of flowering and put two in to flower, with two more that are half finished flowering, every month or so he’s cropping plants down. Great lil system he has.

Over watering is and can be an issue, you can cause root rot, coco is a better drainage compound so you will have a less of a chance at doing it but just be cautious about it. I forget who that was, I’m new to the site but like he said start in a smaller pot then up root to a bigger pot. The roots will be much happier.

 

[badass123]

I did closer to 60/40 coco to perilite. Everywhere I read said 70/30 mix. Other places I read 50/50. I know someone that has a really good method. He uses straight coco and no perilite, with an inch or so of some washed gravel on the bottom. Coco has such great drainage that the perlite is not necessary and just another thing to pay for. Which isn’t very much by the way. That guy I know also likes to grow in 2L pop bottles with the tops cut off, with great yields. On a smaller basis but he gets two to three zips per plant. He has it set up so he takes two plants out of flowering and put two in to flower, with two more that are half finished flowering, every month or so he’s cropping plants down. Great lil system he has.

Over watering is and can be an issue, you can cause root rot, coco is a better drainage compound so you will have a less of a chance at doing it but just be cautious about it. I forget who that was, I’m new to the site but like he said start in a smaller pot then up root to a bigger pot. The roots will be much happier.

thanks @Backlipslide
how much & how often should I water 2 litre & 50 litre container?
should I wait till the soiless mixture loose all the moisture for the next water? watering her once a day or once 3 days? thanks a lot mate

 

[Backlipslide]

Well, I’m More familiar with gallons then litres. Me personally my last two I tried in soil, I had them in 5 gallon cloth smart pots. I found I was giving them under two gallons of water per feeding, I found my self watering once a week for a while, then they got bigger and it was once every three to four days. Don’t worry too much about when should I water them, when shouldn’t I water them... let the plants speak to you, water them, pick up the pot, judge how heavy it is. When you come back to it the next day or two, lift it, is it light? Is it heavy? If it’s light, then you may need to think about watering them. Also if the top one or two inches of soil are dried out, it may be time to water. Let them talk to you my man. Also when you water, you want to see run off... maybe about 10-15% of what you put in. I may be off a bit on my percentage there, but just make sure you have run off, this will assure you that all of the roots are getting fed and watered. Happy growing!!

 

[Bucudinkydow]

Welcome, Badass, to the friendliest forum around. You’ll find lotsa folks eager to help.

We all have fallen into our somewhat unique methods that we prefer. While we may differ in minor ways, parameters of success with coco coir are pretty wide. With experience you’ll find the path you’re comfortable with.

I’ve used coco/perlite exclusively for about four years now. I by no means consider myself a guru but happy to share some experience.

I’ve used coco/perlite in ratios varying from 2/1 to 1/1 with no noticeable difference. I’ve never used peat moss in the mix and not sure if it will be of adv@ntage.

After transplanting into my final pots, usually 7 gal rag bags, the plant is pretty tolerant to a wide variety of watering regimens. I have an auto watering system using top feeding emitters. I usually start with 1 minute waterings twice daily and eventually advance to 2minute waterings 3 times a day.

As seedlings in 1 quart hard containers, I found you CAN definitely overwater even in coco/perlite. I’ve adopted a method usually used by soil growers. Feel the weight of the container fully saturated. On a daily basis, pick up the pot and when it becomes recognizably lighter, give another good watering. It’s generally recommended not to allow coco to completely dry out. There’s a lot of variables that will determine watering schedules in this early age, such as temps, humidity, lights being used, etc. I usually water thoroughly every third day in the seedling stage. Your situation will probably vary.

Don’t become confused with the varying recommendations you receive. Just remember parameters of success are pretty wide so don’t view varying contributors as wrong just different.

Good luck
BCDD

 

[Barney86]

I did closer to 60/40 coco to perilite. Everywhere I read said 70/30 mix. Other places I read 50/50. I know someone that has a really good method. He uses straight coco and no perilite, with an inch or so of some washed gravel on the bottom. Coco has such great drainage that the perlite is not necessary and just another thing to pay for. Which isn’t very much by the way. That guy I know also likes to grow in 2L pop bottles with the tops cut off, with great yields. On a smaller basis but he gets two to three zips per plant. He has it set up so he takes two plants out of flowering and put two in to flower, with two more that are half finished flowering, every month or so he’s cropping plants down. Great lil system he has.

Over watering is and can be an issue, you can cause root rot, coco is a better drainage compound so you will have a less of a chance at doing it but just be cautious about it. I forget who that was, I’m new to the site but like he said start in a smaller pot then up root to a bigger pot. The roots will be much happier.

Probably the best indoor yielder I've come across to date actually grows in 2L bottles.
100 + plant sog under hps. Can't remember the specifics but he was getting 2.5gpw puting clones straight into bloom. Scary good results from something you'd never think would work. Find some truly amazing growers on the forums now and then. It's awesome what people can create out of necessity.

 

[Barney86]

thanks @Barney86 for reply
these cheap mix bags are suitable? it contains coco, peat moss, perlite & vermicompost.
I dont use any fertilizer like GH or AN for this one. In the past in soiless mixture I wait till lost moisture & then water it. Is it bad or should I keep moisture always?

Sorry but are you pulling my leg mate?