Question about Nutes with growing medium. Using Coco or Soil?

[genghis]

I am trying to decide whether to use Coco coir and perlite mix or a mix of coco and Fox Farms Ocean blend. My question is about using nutes with this.. I want to use Coco for sure, but I am wondering about the Nutes I would need to use. I was going to purchase the Cana Nutes A & B and use that if I was using Coco coir alone, but let's say that if I use a 50/50 mix of coco and Fox farm would I still be able to use the Cana A and B nutes. I know those are made to be used specifically with Coco Coir and was worried that the soil would through it off or I would have to change the dosing recommendations. Any help is greatly appreciated.

genghis Reviewed by genghis on 12-05-2012. Question about Nutes with growing medium. Using Coco or Soil? I am trying to decide whether to use Coco coir and perlite mix or a mix of coco and Fox Farms Ocean blend. My question is about using nutes with this.. I want to use Coco for sure, but I am wondering about the Nutes I would need to use. I was going to purchase the Cana Nutes A & B and use that if I was using Coco coir alone, but let's say that if I use a 50/50 mix of coco and Fox farm would I still be able to use the Cana A and B nutes. I know those are made to be used specifically with Rating: 5

[polishpollack]

I've never used coco, but I'm guessing that it's really only to be used to support the plant, not necessarily hold nutes like potting soil will. For example, you could use coco in a hydro setup, washing a water/fert mix several times an hour or a day as the coco gives the roots something to hold on to. What's good about coco is that is shouldn't break down and plug up hydro plumbing. Anyone else, feel free to correct me, but that's how I see it. If you want a simple way to grow, just use foxfarm soil. Some people say that you can use the soil without having to feed for a while. If you spend your money on the canna, you spend alot without really know if you're doing the right thing. You can buy that fert if you want, but it might be better suited to coco only, and runoff the water/fert mix. You'd have to do this several times a day or hour to ensure plants get enough and I don't know about you, but I'm not home enough to feed like this. Therefore, I suggest that you do something different. Use foxfarm soil but get a box of foxfarm's fruit and flower fert at the grow store and mix in one half cup or so of fert for every gallon of soil and transplant into a much bigger container, like a 5 gallon bucket or even bigger if you want. You won't have to do anything else as this box of fert will have everything plants need, just add distilled water you can buy at the store. If you want a liquid fert, I usually recommend Dynagro 7-9-5 to people as it is a one-part fert with pretty close to everything plants need. For a soil grow it's a small amount like 1/2 tsp in a gallon of water and give that every time you water and you shouldn't have to give anything else. If you already have the canna, then go ahead and use it, but if were you I'd stick with just foxfarm soil. If you want you could mix in some coco just to improve airation, but it's not really necessary. Just let the soil dry for a while before watering again and it'll be okay. Just don't get crazy and mix and match hoping that spending money will give you the best grow ever. It won't work. Plants only need a suitable environment in order to grow properly and anything else will probably kill them. The foxfarm fruit and flower fert, or anything like it (Whitney Farms, Happy Frog, Dr. Earth, etc.) are designed with indoor growing in mind, meaning they have the bacteria and fungi necessary to break the molecules down to a level that can be asborbed by the roots. This is why we have stomach acid - large food particles have to be broken down so cells can take the stuff up. Canna and similar ferts (like Dynagro) are already made this small, however, they are synthetic, made in a lab. Powder ferts are natural and while they work a little more slowly, also tend to give the best quality possible.
Foxfarm-Peace of Mind Fruit & Flower AmericanGardenSupply.com
Amazon.com: Dr. Earth 704P Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag, 4-Pound: Patio, Lawn & Garden
Whitney Farms Life Link All-Purpose Plant Food
Amazon.com: dynagro grow: Patio, Lawn & Garden

[bitemybud]

Fox Farm is an Organic blend. So it provides nutrition. If you combine that with Coco Which is a soil-less or hudro style of medium; I believe you would be OK with Canna A + B. However; you would not need to add nutrients until several weeks into veg period. IMO.

I prefer Dutch Master Advanced which is closer to commercial grower solution than most nutrient lines. It can be used with soil or hydro. The only additive you might want to add to DM advanced is "Max". I have had great success with organic soil grows, right next to hydro grows and used Dutch Master Advanced A + B + Max. Good Luck

[genghis]

Thank you both for your advice.