Coco Seedlings - ph - nutrients - what do you do?

[wutang]

Hi there

Since I started growing in coco last year I just wanted to know how you guy start your seedlings off;

1. Some say that you don't need to add nutrients to seedlings..even little amounts as the cotyledons carry the food for the initial seedling stage of around 2 weeks?

2. Do any of you ph the water when you soak the coco in the initial small pots the seedlings will go into?

Previously I've added 1/4 strength nutes, but this time I haven't.

I have ph the tap water to 5.9. I've done this before because I mixed in nutes for the pre-soak.

How do you start yours off?

[kbag]

First question i would ask is what brand of coco do use?

[kbag]

I see you are using canna coco pro the best way I have found to start seedlings using cana pro is to presoak the coco with phed water with rhizotronic in the mix. You can also use it straight out of the bag with plain water. I have found the rhizotonic really promotes root growth.I noticed in your dairy you was questioning your watering regime this is really dependant on pot size and environment. It is difficult to overwater in coco but can be done especially when young. Even worse in coco is to underwater as this will hinder root development more IMO (this is specifically coco). Personally, I would not add a feed from the off-prop around the 7-10 mark depending on the look of the seedlings. I see you are doing auto's I would still start my seedlings in small pots and pot up as I go. Plus you really do not need 600w of light to start them off start low and work your way up.

[2-Scoops]

1. Some say that you don't need to add nutrients to seedlings..even little amounts as the cotyledons carry the food for the initial seedling stage of around 2 weeks?

I add ferts from day one i pre-sopak it first with a low ec 0.5`ish. Once seeds are above ground i give them a drink every 3 to 4 days around around 50ml top 100ml a drink, i don t soak pots again till roots have spread.

2. Do any of you ph the water when you soak the coco in the initial small pots the seedlings will go into?

I dont even ph the mix that i give the first soak of ferts with, just cus it can fuck with my EC on small plants, generally it tends to be in range anyhow without ph`ing

I have ph the tap water to 5.9. I've done this before because I mixed in nutes for the pre-soak.

I add my ferts and always ph last if im doimng it but as said i dont ph with young seedlings.

How do you start yours off?

Soak seeds for 12 hours in water, then a wet paper towel, i then plant out straight into coco thats in my smaller around 1 ltr pots.

All that said im a twat at messing up seeds.

[wutang]

I see you are using canna coco pro the best way I have found to start seedlings using cana pro is to presoak the coco with phed water with rhizotronic in the mix. You can also use it straight out of the bag with plain water. I have found the rhizotonic really promotes root growth.I noticed in your dairy you was questioning your watering regime this is really dependant on pot size and environment. It is difficult to overwater in coco but can be done especially when young. Even worse in coco is to underwater as this will hinder root development more IMO (this is specifically coco). Personally, I would not add a feed from the off-prop around the 7-10 mark depending on the look of the seedlings. I see you are doing auto's I would still start my seedlings in small pots and pot up as I go. Plus you really do not need 600w of light to start them off start low and work your way up.

Thank you for taking your time to reply bro.

600w is to keep the heat up in the tent. I am fighting a loosing battle in this British weather in the garage.

Biggest lesson I've learnt is not to pre-soak the 15l pot on the day I transplant from seedling pot and water around it. The RC auto took it well but the sherbert lost the battle. So I've started again..slowly observing ans not to make the same mistakes again.

[wutang]

1. Some say that you don't need to add nutrients to seedlings..even little amounts as the cotyledons carry the food for the initial seedling stage of around 2 weeks?

I add ferts from day one i pre-sopak it first with a low ec 0.5`ish. Once seeds are above ground i give them a drink every 3 to 4 days around around 50ml top 100ml a drink, i don t soak pots again till roots have spread.

2. Do any of you ph the water when you soak the coco in the initial small pots the seedlings will go into?

I dont even ph the mix that i give the first soak of ferts with, just cus it can fuck with my EC on small plants, generally it tends to be in range anyhow without ph`ing

I have ph the tap water to 5.9. I've done this before because I mixed in nutes for the pre-soak.

I add my ferts and always ph last if im doimng it but as said i dont ph with young seedlings.

How do you start yours off?

Soak seeds for 12 hours in water, then a wet paper towel, i then plant out straight into coco thats in my smaller around 1 ltr pots.

All that said im a twat at messing up seeds.

Cheers bro

So I had a theory that when I first start giving them feed I set ph to 5.8..so why would I not set the water right from the off around this level. Tap water pH is 7.6. However I contradict myself here as when I germinate I wet the towels with straight tap water. Who knows man.

She's popped her head today after just 24hours in to the 5.9ph pre soaked pot...

[Marcus]

Put coco in small pot, about the size of them mini bar cans of pop. I like those tiny cans of pop, if you hold them in your hand and look down at them, shutting your peripheral vision off, you can pretend you're a giant. It's quite fun!

Anyway, run the coir through with tap water a few times to get any bitty coir shit off it, seed in and pop it in the prop at 25*C - 30*C.

When it's up for a few days and the coir is looking drier than it was, run 1ml per L of A+B through it (1 ml is 0.425 EC if I remember correct).

Then run it through every few days. No need to ph until I pot them on to their next size pots when I take them out of the propagator and the growing can start proper. In the propagator they're mostly establishing their roots.

I hate fucking about with ph down, so the less I use it the better.

I'll let you into a little secret, don;t tell anyone but I've stopped phing my a+B feeds lately. 2ml/L lands it at about 6.5 and i rarely run more than that. Not had any issues by doing that recently.

[wutang]

Put coco in small pot, about the size of them mini bar cans of pop. I like those tiny cans of pop, if you hold them in your hand and look down at them, shutting your peripheral vision off, you can pretend you're a giant. It's quite fun!

Anyway, run the coir through with tap water a few times to get any bitty coir shit off it, seed in and pop it in the prop at 25*C - 30*C.

When it's up for a few days and the coir is looking drier than it was, run 1ml per L of A+B through it (1 ml is 0.425 EC if I remember correct).

Then run it through every few days. No need to ph until I pot them on to their next size pots when I take them out of the propagator and the growing can start proper. In the propagator they're mostly establishing their roots.

I hate fucking about with ph down, so the less I use it the better.

I'll let you into a little secret, don;t tell anyone but I've stopped phing my a+B feeds lately. 2ml/L lands it at about 6.5 and i rarely run more than that. Not had any issues by doing that recently.

I need to grow perpetually;

1. To maintain the knowledge..because gaps in between growing I sometimes make the same mistakes.

2. Enough time to experiment and learn even more.

Thanks for your input mate

[Keeno]

I use Canna Coco Pro. I don't do anything with it when I'm starting seedlings. I germinate in water then tissue. Once the seedlings are around half an inch long I move them to starter pots, normally 5 inches.

I use un ph'ed tap water with no nutrients the first week they are in these pots. I don't pre-soak the coco, straight out of the bag and into the pots. After a week I start them on very weak nutrients, normally just canna coco a and b.

[Hmr81]

i use the good old wet kitchen paper in a zip lock bag for seeds.

I buffer my coco with 1ml a and B and calmag and run that through and let it run off for a day or so. whack it in the tent, sometimes i go straight to final size pot and other times i go into a smaller pot.

I dont tend to feed for a good 5-7 days. i pop a clear plastic cup over the seedling and let the RH get nice and high. Seems to work out in the end.