It might be daunting to try something for the first time. This is not an exception to grow marijuana in coco coir. It is not as much hard as you think to grow cannabis with coco coir. It is an excellent way for controlling and monitoring critical variables to grow marijuana in coco coir. For instance, nutrients, water, and pH for the production of a superb marijuana crop.
It is for the medicinal and recreational markets. And once you have become a master in the art and science of growing with coco coir. Then you will have a much better awareness of growing with soil and hydroponics.
What is meant by Coco Coir?
Coco coir is a coconut harvest byproduct. Coconut chock is not just filled with health benefits. But, when the husks of the coconut are processed, they do the production of a superior growing medium.
You can find the valuable fibrous material between the outer coat of the coconut and the hard internal shell.
The husks are having three main parts: the coco chips, fiber, and the coco pith. Numerous people are familiar with the coco pith. It is the dirt-like, finer, water-holding component. Within the husk, there are also long fibers the extraction of which happens for numerous purposes. For instance, beds, making mats, and other products in the development of nations.
Otherwise, the cutting of the fiber happens into small pieces. The utilization of it happens with the coco pith for aeration. The husks have cropped sections which are coco chips. These contain both the fiber and the cockpits in a chip. It assists in facilitating the aeration. And it still holds some water.
There is numerous coco coir that comes in compressed bricks of straight coir and these must be hydrated. These also have moist in a loose mix of perlite, peat moss, and coir.
Marijuana cultivators make use of coco coir in hydroponic grow systems. They also make use of it for warehouse or greenhouse potted plant production, and in the field.
What are the Pros of Coco Coir?
Coir is enhancing becoming popular among growers of marijuana. The reason is the ease of use along with precision in pH monitoring and nutrient delivery. Given below are some additional pros of growing with coco coir:
An inert substance: Without any additional nutrients Coco coir is pH neutral. You are beginning with a clean slate. So, you can have better control over your fertilization program. The only nutrients in the medium will be those which you add.
Retains water and drains well: It keeps the water for the growth of healthy plants and these also drain well for oxygenating the root zone.
Robust root development: Healthy roots are the base for growing healthy plants. The reason is that there is good aeration at the root zone. Fibrous roots are fond of dangling in coir for getting the nutrients and water when they require.
Renewable resources: Unlike growing mediums based on peat the mining of which happens from peat bogs. Coco coir comes from the waste of coconut. The processing of it happens initially for other purposes.
How can you make use of coconut coir for growing marijuana?
For indoor cultivation, you can make use of coco coir alone. Or you can mix it with perlite and a peat-based growing medium. Most often growers make use of three-inch deep 6″ by 6″ coconut cubes in more extensive marijuana operations. It is for the production of completely mature marijuana plants. Irrigation lines run to the cubes for fertigating and moistening the media. The companies make use of computerized control systems for delivering the correct amount of nutrients and water. It facilitates growers in the optimization of space and for saving money on potting soil.
You can mix coco coir with soil for the improvement of aeration and water retention for field-grown crops. You can also make use of coco coir for cloning.
It is more affordable for commercial growers along with passionate hobby growers. They can buy coir in the form of bales, compressed bricks. They can also add perlite after that. It is for buying a pre-mixed medium. You can purchase perlite from large wholesalers or you can buy it from big box stores that sell garden products.
Generally, growers make use of a 3:1 coir to perlite ratio. However, some go lower or higher. You must remember that the more perlite you add, the less water you will retain in the media. In any kind of growing setup, you can make use of this ratio, i.e. potted plant production, hydroponics, and in the field. Make use of a 5-gallon bucket or large barrel or vat for mixing the perlite and coco coir. The size of the container is well dependent on the scale of your growth operations.
If you select to buy bricks or bales, you will have the requirement of hydrating the bricks so they will expand. You can do so by lining a container with landscape fabric. After that, you have to drop a brick into the container. And then let it soak for about 15-20 minutes. Just drain off the excess water after that. There is a requirement of four to five gallons of water for hydrating a five-kilo coco coir brick.
How do you make additional nutrients to coco coir?
Fertilization is straightforward as the coco coir is inert. Coco coir is devoid of nutrients unlike growing mediums based on peat. This in turn makes coco coir an excellent medium for beginner growers of marijuana. The reason is that they learn what is the requirement of marijuana plants for thriving.
Your plants will be happy with nutrient products instead of your selected growing method. It is particularly formulated for growing with coco coir.
You must keep one thing in your mind that when you are growing with coir. You have the requirement of adding a supplemental dose of magnesium and calcium. It is not available in abundance in numerous popular nutrients used for growing marijuana.
The monitoring of nutrient levels pH and EC happens with the pour-through method along with a reliable meter. The pour-through processing will do the testing of the water that drains out the bottom of the plant.
How can you keep the medium moist?
Coco coir facilitates with the one-two punch of retaining water while also draining well. Since it does the draining faster than any other type of media. More often it facilitates the grower to feed more and to grow larger plants.
You must never allow coco coir to become dry. It will ban your plants from obtaining the required nutrients.
Tips For Watering When Growing With Coco Coir
Given below are tips for watering when you are growing marijuana with coco coir:
- Make use of water potted plants until 10-20% of the water drain out the bottom
- If you are making use of a hydroponics system, do the irrigation of the coir every 3-5 hours
- Do the monitoring of moisture levels daily for ensuring that the plants are getting a sufficient amount of water for thriving
Coco coir is a versatile growing medium. The use of it may happen in virtually any growing condition.
Beginner growers are having a lot for gaining by growing with coco coir. At least he must have a better understanding of the pH and nutrients. The requirement of it is therefore the growth of healthy plants.