Issue #124 - Sunday, August 31, 2014

Dear Fellow Grower,

In today's issue...

• Learn how to create an excellent coco coir mix for growing cannabis!
• Get tips and a tutorial on how to use coco coir to grow cannabis!
• Check out this week's trophy pics featuring beautiful plants grown in coco coir!

Happy Growing!

Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside (founders of GrowWeedEasy.com)

"I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do." 

~Leonardo da Vinci

Table of Contents

Introduction

• Why Use Coco Coir for Growing Cannabis?

• Cons of Using Coco Coir

Coco Coir Rehydration Tutorial - Make an Excellent Coco Coir Mix at Home

• Step-By-Step Instructions

How to Grow Cannabis with Coco Coir

• Coco Coir Nutrients

• What Else Do You Need?

• Step-By-Step Growing Tutorial

Interested in growing cannabis with coco coir? Coco coir is a relatively new growing medium for cannabis that gives the experience of growing in soil, but many of the benefits of growing cannabis in hydro (such as faster growth and bigger harvests).

A lot of cannabis growers have started adding coco coir to their garden, but there isn't a lot of information about exactly how to use coco coir for cannabis. It can be confusing since coco coir usually comes in dehydrated bricks with no instructions.

What is Coco Coir?

Coco coir (coir is pronounced "coy-er") is made of fibrous coconut husks. These husks have proven to create a great growing medium for cannabis. Recently coco coir has started replacing peat moss in popular potting mixes.

Coco coir is a versatile growing medium that has benefits for many different types of growers. Coco coir can be used by itself as a growing medium, or it can be mixed with soil to help fix compaction and loosen the soil. One of the most suitable ways to use coco coir for cannabis (in my opinion) is to mix pure coco coir with about 30% of an airy amendment like perlite, and provide nutrients through the water. This creates an amazing environment for cannabis roots to thrive. 

Why Use Coco Coir for Growing Cannabis?

• Feels Like Growing in Soil - Coco coir is a soilless growing medium which gives the experience of growing in soil. Plants are kept in regular pots, and growers simply water their plants with nutrient water. Coco coir can be treated basically the same as soil for growing cannabis.

• Good for the Environment - Unlike peat, coco coir is sustainable for the environment. It also doesn't have to be replaced every grow. Instead of breaking down like peat, coco coir is slow to break down and can be used more than once. 

• Does Not Attract Insects - Coco coir does not make a good home for many garden pests that affect soil growers. Cannabis growing in coco coir are much less likely to be attacked by pests or bugs.

• Get the Benefits of Hydro - Hydro is effective at making plants grow faster because it provides exactly the right amount of nutrients to the roots, in the most easily accessible form. Plant roots don't have to go out and search for nutrients, saving the plant precious energy. But growing directly in water can be complicated. Coco coir gives many of the benefits of hydro with a soil experience. This results in a quicker harvest and bigger yields for you as the grower, without having to manage a water reservoir.

Cons of Growing Cannabis in Coco Coir

• Coco coir is an inert growing medium with no inherent nutritional value, so growers must provide nutrients and manage pH throughout the grow. However, this is also the case for many soil growers as well. Unless starting with composted super soil, most soil growers end up having to add nutrients and manage pH just like with coco coir.

• Cannabis plants grown in coco coir tends to need more calcium compared to other growing mediums, so usually a standard "Cal-Mag" supplement is needed to make sure plants get all the calcium they need.

• Coco coir usually comes in dry bricks, so the bricks have to be re-hydrated before you can grow plants in the coir (explained below, it's actually really easy).

• There are premade mixes with coco coir, but they tend to be expensive. It's much cheaper to spend the half hour to make your own mix.

• Coco coir holds onto a lot of moisture, but also holds onto more air than similar materials, so your plant roots are getting the oxygen they need to thrive. When mixed with perlite, it provides and ideal amount of water and air for cannabis roots. Coco coir drains well so plants are less likely to get overwatered, but it also holds onto nutrients so you use less fertilizer.

Once your plants are in a good coco coir mix, you just add nutrients, water and light to get happy plants.

Which Nutrients for Coco Coir?

When growing cannabis in coco coir, always use nutrients made for coco coir or hydroponics. Most growers also benefit from adding a "Cal-Mag" supplement, which is a common gardening supplement that provides extra calcium. Learn more about which nutrients you should use for growing cannabis in coco coir.

There are pre-made coco coir mixes, but these are much more expensive than making a mix yourself. A pre-made mix is also heavy like soil because of the water that's been added. This makes a pre-made coco coir mix expensive to ship, and heavy to carry around. But you can get everything dry and just add water at home, so you're not paying a premium for water.

Everything you need to make your coco coir mix can be sent discreetly to your house. You just need some coir bricks and an airy bag of perlite which can be bought at any garden store. With this method, there's no lugging a huge bag of potting mix home, or paying for shipping to have it delivered.

I have put together a tutorial to show you how to re-hydrate coco coir bricks to create a rich, cannabis-friendly potting mix. I will also share some hints about growing cannabis in coco coir and how to take care of your plants for the best results.

Read on below...

Coco Coir Rehydration Tutorial

Make an excellent coco coir mix at home, without breaking the bank!

• Coco Coir Nutrients

• What Else Do You Need?

• Step-By-Step Growing Tutorial

1st pic  Strawberry Cough x Cinderella 99

2nd pic Strawberry Cough x  Bubba Kush

Grown indoors in soilless coco/perlite medium & fed Botanicare Pure Blend Pro nutrients.

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Jump to...

How to Grow Weed: Basics

10-Step Quick Start Guide to Growing Cannabis

Which Grow Light Should You Get?

Do I Need Special Nutrients?

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