An international debate...

[Innocent criminal]

Well, seems we aussies are doing it different once again .

Going through the international forums I have hardly found anyone growing in 100% coco except the odd aussie, nearly all the growers in europe and the US seem to use a 70/30 mix of coco and perlite.

I get questioned regularly about the lack of perlite in my grow, some are quite adamant that you need perlite to get good results from coco! I have been using straight coco for about 12 months without any issues with the water/feeding balance, which seems to be the most common reason people give for requiring the extra drainage (they say coco stays wet to long, not allowing enough feeding before risk of root rot).

Are we just cheap? or are we onto something? because I wont be changing until I get problems with the pure coco, no matter what the yanks say .

As far as I'm concerned results speak for themselves and I cant complain...

 

 

THC

Edited May 25, 2009 by TheHeadCing

[bufo marinus]

Well, people use perlite for a few reasons, to stop the coco compacting, it becomes a bitch to flush properly, some like to use clay balls on top to break the surface tension to deal with the crusty skin it gets, and give the coco an even soak.

Can easily go the other way too with overwatering and end up with shitty looking plants like the ones in the pics here with the droopy leaf, they are far from healthy and I'd be far from happy hehe

https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners...=24234&st=0

They could be either, overwatered, rootbound, over fertilised or underwatered in spots, root disease/Pythium from inadequate flushing, Fungus gnats attracted by the damaged roots, lack of oxygen in the rootzone, etc etc.

These are the reasons people use perlite. There are many ways to grow, just as there are many ways to water coco which is what it's all about.

[loylty gets u nothing]

straight coco

all the way

if not only for return from pot size

i love the straight coco 100%

coco perlite was fun but with 100% coco

i know me girls are happy and thriving

all the best

bil