TheFertilizer
Well-Known Member
So I'm just trying coco for the first time in hempy pots. The top is coco, the bottom reservoir is perlite. So far though I've been having trouble getting both clones or seeds to root.
At first when I planted clones, I pre-charged with about 220 PPM of Flora Nova Bloom and CalMag and pH'd to 6.1 (maybe). Those clones died within a bout a week, and I think I wasn't watering them frequently enough. Dug them up, no root development. I also suspected that perhaps the nutrients were too strong, or that my pH measurement weren't accurate because all I had was the drops and a cheap meter. So I bought a good meter (Apera PH-60), and started using plain water pH'd to 6.0 for another couple clones and so far only one of those is still hanging on, but it's rooting incredibly slowly.
With the seeds, I sewed them directly into coco, but I think I planted them a little too deep. After the 7th day they still hadn't sprouted, so I dug them up to get their cotyledons above ground. They didn't really do much after that, and since I thought I had been underwatering the clones, I started watering them every day with plain water pH'd to 6.0. Finally today one of them started yellowing on the cotyledons, and so I dug them up and they really hadn't done anything since germinating. The taproots were only about 1" long and had browned off and died. Meanwhile, I think I might have over watered them, because I noticed what looked like mold on one of the seeds. Was real fuzzy looking, so I thought maybe it could have been root fibers forming, but I don't think so because it was kind of concentrated at a weird section and the rest of the root looked dead so I'm pretty sure it was mold.
I also was sure to rinse the coco off really well. I tested some of the run-off tonight and it's only at 40 PPM so I don't think it being salty is the culprit. It's EarthJuice brand ProCoir if anyone has any experience with it.
I'm not really sure what I should try differently with seeds. Maybe planting shallower? Germinating in paper towel and then planting in the coco? I usually sew directly into soil pretty shallow and have great results, but this seems like a different animal. I have rockwool cubes too if I can germ in those, wait til they're pretty well rooted, and plant. But I kind of hate using humidity domes--I get mold real easy for some reason.
As far as my clones, I'm kind of suspecting that I just didn't have a strong enough root system established. I've planted clones with only a single 1" long root into soil and they do well, but I think soil has more water-holding than coco? I'm not really sure what could have made the difference there. I have one clone left that seems to be alive, but hardly thriving. I had flushed out the pot pretty well with plain water after worrying I burned them with the precharge, so I'm thinking perhaps 220 PPM could have been too much to start with too. This cut is from a very light-feeding sativa.
Here's what my roots look like before I transplant. Usually works in soil, but not gonna cut it in coco?
I have a few more unknown seeds to try with, and some plants veg'ing that I might be able to get more clones off soon to try again. But I'd like some tips before giving it another shot.
At first when I planted clones, I pre-charged with about 220 PPM of Flora Nova Bloom and CalMag and pH'd to 6.1 (maybe). Those clones died within a bout a week, and I think I wasn't watering them frequently enough. Dug them up, no root development. I also suspected that perhaps the nutrients were too strong, or that my pH measurement weren't accurate because all I had was the drops and a cheap meter. So I bought a good meter (Apera PH-60), and started using plain water pH'd to 6.0 for another couple clones and so far only one of those is still hanging on, but it's rooting incredibly slowly.
With the seeds, I sewed them directly into coco, but I think I planted them a little too deep. After the 7th day they still hadn't sprouted, so I dug them up to get their cotyledons above ground. They didn't really do much after that, and since I thought I had been underwatering the clones, I started watering them every day with plain water pH'd to 6.0. Finally today one of them started yellowing on the cotyledons, and so I dug them up and they really hadn't done anything since germinating. The taproots were only about 1" long and had browned off and died. Meanwhile, I think I might have over watered them, because I noticed what looked like mold on one of the seeds. Was real fuzzy looking, so I thought maybe it could have been root fibers forming, but I don't think so because it was kind of concentrated at a weird section and the rest of the root looked dead so I'm pretty sure it was mold.
I also was sure to rinse the coco off really well. I tested some of the run-off tonight and it's only at 40 PPM so I don't think it being salty is the culprit. It's EarthJuice brand ProCoir if anyone has any experience with it.
I'm not really sure what I should try differently with seeds. Maybe planting shallower? Germinating in paper towel and then planting in the coco? I usually sew directly into soil pretty shallow and have great results, but this seems like a different animal. I have rockwool cubes too if I can germ in those, wait til they're pretty well rooted, and plant. But I kind of hate using humidity domes--I get mold real easy for some reason.
As far as my clones, I'm kind of suspecting that I just didn't have a strong enough root system established. I've planted clones with only a single 1" long root into soil and they do well, but I think soil has more water-holding than coco? I'm not really sure what could have made the difference there. I have one clone left that seems to be alive, but hardly thriving. I had flushed out the pot pretty well with plain water after worrying I burned them with the precharge, so I'm thinking perhaps 220 PPM could have been too much to start with too. This cut is from a very light-feeding sativa.
Here's what my roots look like before I transplant. Usually works in soil, but not gonna cut it in coco?
I have a few more unknown seeds to try with, and some plants veg'ing that I might be able to get more clones off soon to try again. But I'd like some tips before giving it another shot.