Nutrient setup with coco?

[BayAreaDrofessional]

Hey guys,

so i am starting to take clones using rapid root starter blocks. i will be transplanting those to red cups of coco and vegging for 1-2 weeks before transplanting into 1 gallon coco pots for flower. i got this bloom booster from my local hydro shop for free through a raffle so i am using that. it's rasta bob's one love; Rasta Bob's One Love - Discount Hydroponics.

i wanted to try to use some worm castings or perlite in my mix too.

The main question is which nutrients should i use when im vegging for such a short period of time?? and is there another bloom booster i should use in conjunction with the Rasta Bob's?

thanks

 

[YardDog35]

Re: nutrient setup with coco..?

Hey austin! Good choice on the Rapid Rooters, they work great. Take your time with the clones, once they show some roots coming out of the plugs, pinch them off (the roots). It's like topping the plant to make it bushier. Give them a week or two after you do that and you'll have great roots and clones ready to transplant. I see folks make the mistake of planting too soon and I've done the same. More root, more fruit!

Nutes...you're open to a lot of choices. I would suggest Blue Planet Nutrients 2 or 3 part, people get great results. General Hydropincs 1 part FloraNova Grow and Bloom is about as simple as it gets and works great. Be cautious with that One Love booster, it's very potent at 0-50-30. That is something you'll use for maybe two weeks, during weeks 6 and 7 of flower. Phosphorus burns nasty, and that is a lot in there. 0-10-10 is about the range you want to use during the whole flower cycle.

Don't worry about adding perlite to your coco, it has plenty of drainage already. I can't chime in on worm castings.

This is all my opinion of course. I hope it helps! Keep us updated.

 

[BayAreaDrofessional]

Re: nutrient setup with coco..?

hey yarddog,

ya ive heard of that trick with the rapid rooter cubes and pinching the roots, ill have to give it a try. i was leaning toward both the ones you've listed, General hydro and BPN, i've seen them in plenty of successful grows here on the site. how early would you start nutrients? i've heard people start them as soon as the transplant into the solo cups, atleast with coco because of its low nutes.

thanks for the input man

 

[YardDog35]

You should start nutes early. When the clones show roots you can add 100 ppm or so of nutes, a good tea would be good. Once you plant them, depending on size you can go up to 200 ppm with whatever lineup you choose. Your coco is just a growing medium with no nutes in it so they will need food, but not too much. Just don't over water, that is key. Make sure to cut a slit in the bottom of the cups for drainage.

 

[BayAreaDrofessional]

i need a ppm meter i have yet to get one of those. ya the watering part is going to be tricky for me. im using FFOF now and i overwatered big time and almost lost the whole crop..

 

[YardDog35]

I highly recommend a ppm meter. I know the initial costs is a bit much, but it's really worth it. I've done the same with over watering. The coco drains very well so it will make it harder to over do it. I grow in a coco-coir blend in one gallon pots. It's like clockwork, every other day I water, 16oz each. I feed my 3-part every third to fourth watering, additives and tea in between.

 

[BayAreaDrofessional]

ya i know i need one, just gota find a good brand and reliable one to buy. ive started to read about compost tea and that sort of thing, idk if itll work down in the dry arizona weather though. im going to try it out though

 

[YardDog35]

I use a Hanna meter and really like it. You'll have to make the tea choice once you've decided on nutrients. If you're going organic than a compost tea will work great. If you're going to go synthetic nutrients, there is no need for a compost tea. Those types of teas break everything down over time in the soil or coco to create the beneficial microbes, and other stuff I can't remember.
Synthetic nutrients have already done that work so everything is readily available instantly. Then you would use a tea like GH's FloraBlend.

 

[BayAreaDrofessional]

i found a hanna primo tds meter for around $40. think i might go with that one. Ya i am going to be using synthetic nutrients, probably BPN or General hydroponics. ill have to find some other nutrients i can use for veg and flower until the later stages when i use my rasta bobs.

 

[Pulsegrow]

Re: nutrient setup with coco..?

Hey yarddog35, I have heard of this method before and was wondering if it would work the same with seedlings?