cc503
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So I've seen some people on here doing pure coco killing it and gardens with a mix 50/50 25/75 75/25 also looking killer. besides more drainage and air I'm curious about why people like it one way or the other...
They can't? Huh. I wonder where all those roots I clean out come from.
Ah, yes, I observe the same thing. But does that mean that we "want" roots growing into the perlite? And by that I mean, are you observing any significant differences in those tomatoes? I did not observe any significant differences when growing in perlite hempy tubs vs coir, other than the pH and Ca and Mg issues I mentioned previously.I think the roots are growing around the perlite instead of through the rocks. I do about 75 to 100 heirloom tomato vines out side every year grown in dutch pots aka..Bato Buckets. When grown in coir after a 7/8 month season the roots mass and coir fiber have become one and can not be seperated. Plants grown in chunky perlite simply need a good shaking and the perlite falls off and is ready to be used again.
I have a media I feel out preforms all others I've used. I have used straight Rockwoll(6" cubes stuck in slabs), RWflock mixed with LECA, str8 LECA, diatomaceous rock str8, peat moss "soil" with perlite (big n chunky), coco with perlite, a mix of the two, coco st8... for a couple good years I made a coco based mix from seperatly sourced ingredients very similar to the "Just Right Xtra" pre mixed bags from GH except I used more maidenwell Diatomaceous Rock(DR)than they did, twice as much... Etc. etc....I now do something specific that works for me, but is centralized around what I call the mixture. It's just medium sized diatomaceous rock and coco croutons (coco chips). About 50/50. The croutons are the same material as the coir, same CEC, just much more in spaces and drainage. I irrigate 3x a day so they are Lil sponges. Tha DR holds nutrient solution or water(same shit right ;)) just as well, and has great capillary action, but dries faster. To nerd out further, the the air spaces in the media-, which DO comprise a certain amount of volume percentage, as pointed out by someone above, -are probably near 100% humidity. The root hairs are unimpeded in their growth in these areas, coupled with their extended reach from colonizing mycorrhiza, means MUCH more access to nutrients all day and much more % in successful survival of the root hairs past a few hours, turning into faster lateral root growth. So I don't believe that the air space is wasted in aerated mediums if the environment is well controlled. Which is the job of the CEA operator. It CREATES a situation of greater control if you want to keep the water moving. At least it has for me. I like the available silica in the DR as opposed to the perlite, and it holds my plants in place much better. The chips over the coir because I have better drainage. I do put a small 2" or so bed of coir with Glomus intraradices mixed in directly under the cutting or seedling. But hen top up with the mixture. I got tired or fingerings or pushing around my pots. And hand watering. And slow(er) veg.So I've seen some people on here doing pure coco killing it and gardens with a mix 50/50 25/75 75/25 also looking killer. besides more drainage and air I'm curious about why people like it one way or the other...
Were you watering them the same?I have run pure coco side by side a 70/30 coco/perlite mix all in 2 gal pots. I had very similar nutrient schedules for both tables and have to say they came out almost identical in yield and quality.
yes, they both established substantial root zones very quickly.Were you watering them the same?
Does all Coco have to be rinsed out, These bricks you can get that expand that are sold for growing, I am assuming all of them should be rinsed.
I am a Hempy Coco growerprefer the behavior and consistency of rice hulls