Coco debate. Please solve once and for all

[Ichibaniles81]

Hi, while reading about using Coco Coir on websites like GWE and Cocoforcannabis I 'learned' that you can fertigate (fancy term for water with nutes) up to 3 or 4 times a day.
I'm not able to achieve those frequencies however I kept at it with daily waters. I'm not heaps happy with my results, certainly not more happy than when I ran soil. Indoors too.

So, Water (with nutes) frequently? E.g. twice per day.

OR

Water when top of Coco is starting to dry?

**Side note** ive seen photos of people running Coco in 3 gallon fabric and similar pot sizes so I did too, but my local hydro shop guy reckons they are too small and that's the reason for my low yield - root bound.
However, this goes against the evidence I've seen with my own eyes.

[Tersky]

I have tried both ways and have never had success with high fertigation. Personally, i water to 10-20% runoff and water when pot is light, not when top is dry. This has given me better results than anything. I know there are some who do high fertigation but I have always had root issues when i did that. IMO you need to let the pot dry out so the roots search for water. If they dont have to search for water then they will not grow out.

Your second point is half right. I grew in 3 gal fabric pots with no issue. Fabric pots are not supposed to get root bound since they air prune. For reference, i grew 12 oz (dried) in 4x 3 gal fabric pots. That said, the bigger the container, the bigger the root system and therefore bigger the harvest. More than likely it was something else in the grow that caused low yields. Hell, there was just a competition on this site to grow a plant in it's full life cycle in just a plastic solo cup. Sure the yields were lower than a larger pot, but you can still get an ounce or so out of a solo cup grow. I even grew a clone in a one gallon fabric pot the entire grow and yielded about an ounce and a half.

Edit: To be clear i know frequent fertigation can be done but i dont know the secrets to it yet. I started in hydro and then moved to coco a few years ago so i still have a lot to learn. I suspect it is a more advanced technique that requires some experience to accomplish it without drowning roots. What i have found to be more consistent to me is the method i described above.

[SoOrbudgal]

If you can lift the pot lift it if it's light water the plant till runoff the bottom.

[9fingerleafs]

I grow in coco outdoors in mostly 7gal but I have a few 5gal. Temps stay 25-30C all day long. A two feet plant in veg needs water once every two or three days. The same plant in mid flowering is 5 feet tall, 4 feet diameter and drinks one gal two times a day. The lesson here is you don’t have a choice, if the plant needs more water you have to give it to her. If you are watering more often than the plan needs then no wonder you are having a slow growth. Like soorbudgal said. Lift or tilt the pot and water when it’s surprisingly light

[Mr.furley]

There is No best way to grow cannabis in coco across the board.

Every grower has a different amount of time, space, money and each grow has its own environment so what may work for one individual doesn't necessarily work for the rest of the class.

One of the biggest keys to Coco is a balance of moisture and oxygen, roots need O2 for uptake, Photosynthesis depends on it. By watering coco at the wrong times and/or too frequently this can create major problems, slow growth, lockout and rot. Although my end game is buds I look at it like I'm a root farmer and that is were the focus is. Any time you increase the water frequency around the roots you risk more variables, chances that you could have a problem increase, a dry plant wilts and eventually dies but you see it coming, a over watered plant can continue to grow but look like many problems that in the end hurt yield. even further down the increasing water usage rabbit hole, Hydroponic growers use air pumps/stones and airoponics works by a on off cycle of misting the bare roots.

I grow my best cannabis in coco with 5 gallon smartpots, under two 600w Hps light, watering 1.5 gallons every other day-ish when the pot has lost 70%-90% of the moisture and lite when lifted, alternating nutrients then plain pH water with temperatures and RH running 65f-78f/ 30%50% this is what balance out for my environment to maintain happy plants. It is important to understand that your temperatures and humidity play a key role in not only evaporation from the pot to the air but from the plant to the air as well for watering times.
https://bigbudsmag.com/vapor-pressur...ana-grow-room/

As far as the conflicting information on two website Growweedeasy.com is just that, a simple comprehensive way to grow cannabis in Coco Coir with proven results from them since 2010 on the web, the views of the coco growers on this forum range a broad spectrum of time, money, experience, environments, and differences.

CFC is only speaking to that one individual. IMHO its a narrow view with no variation and doesnt help people with there grow problem, only shows them one way. To fix a problem someone is having with a single method you are trying to teach repeatedly is easy but to help a wide spectrum of environments, situations, and styles shows real experience and I don't see that on their website. Personally If I wanted to watered that much, had the space and the money I would just grow DWC and skip their process.

when all else fails ask the peeps that make the product you intend to use
http://www.cannagardening.com/using_...%20off%20again.

[Mr.furley]

Good to see you posting again my friend.

[Tersky]

Mr.furley I try to post when im not cranky but dealing with a geriatric dog that i raised from a pup that can no longer hold herself up to pee has mad me less tolerant. Basically i've become an asshole lol. When i find myself spreading that on here i take a break. It's hard watching those you love (yes even a dog) slowly deteriorate.

[Mr.furley]

I do the same Tersky and that is what I love about this forum. It cycles through its share of rude asshats but they leave and the majority of people here are compassionate, when I find myself stress or overwhelm I focus on life's problems so im not "that guy" here.

Sorry to hear about you best buddy, that a hard process that I have recently went through. My condolences.

[Ichibaniles81]

Massive appreciation to all of you for commenting. I checked out the links on VPD and read all of your posts. Plenty of food for thought. Great community! 🙏
I agree with the notion of watering when pots are light, that's what I was doing until I read the CFC site. I will go back to going by weight and feel. Bigger or fabric pots too. Thanks!