Preparing and Buffering Coco Coir
This article is meant to be your comprehensive guide to Preparing and Buffering Coco Coir. Offering valuable insights to ensure the optimal preparation and buffering of coco coir as a growth medium for your plants. Regardless of whether you decide to go for pre-buffered coco coir products or opt for the cost-effective and easily shippable dehydrated coco coir bricks, we’ll walk you through each step to guarantee a successful buffering process.
For those seeking a budget-friendly and convenient option, dehydrated coco coir bricks can be a fantastic choice. However, it’s crucial to understand the importance of buffering coco coir, and we provide meticulous, step-by-step instructions to assist you throughout this essential procedure. Additionally, we offer specific recommendations for achieving the ideal coco-to-perlite ratios, tailored to accommodate different container sizes.
By diligently following the instructions we provide and adhering to our expert guidelines, you can be confident that your coco coir will undergo thorough preparation and buffering. This meticulous process will result in the creation of an exceptional growing medium, ensuring the best possible environment for your plants to thrive.
In this Tutorial:
- Why You Need to Buffer Coco Coir
- Recommended Coco Coir Products
- Preparing Coco Coir for Cannabis
- Step-by-Step: How to Prepare and Buffer Brick Coco Coir
- Mixing Coco with Perlite (Including recipes)
- Verify Electrical Coductivity (EC) Prior to Adding Plants
Why You Need to Buffer Coco Coir
Coco coir is endowed with unique cation exchange sites that play a pivotal role in regulating nutrient uptake. These sites have an inherent tendency to retain sodium (Na) and potassium (K) cations, albeit rather loosely. However, in the presence of calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg), a remarkable transformation occurs as these exchange sites relinquish their hold on Na and K cations and form robust bonds with Ca and Mg ions. This pivotal phenomenon is commonly referred to as “cation exchange.”
Achieving effective buffering of coco coir is key, and it requires submerging the coir in a solution enriched with calcium and magnesium prior to planting. Through this meticulous process of soaking coco coir in a water solution fortified with calcium and magnesium, the cation exchange sites undergo a profound transformation. They release their grip on Na and K cations and, instead, establish formidable bonds with Ca and Mg ions. Once this transformation has occurred, the coco coir is deemed “buffered.” These newly formed bonds exhibit remarkable strength, thereby substantially minimizing the likelihood of further cation exchange taking place.
The practical implication of this buffering process is profound. It ensures that any nutrients introduced into the water for the plant’s nourishment are readily accessible to the plant in precisely the ratios intended. This level of control over nutrient availability fosters optimal growth and development, making coco coir a valuable substrate choice for horticultural endeavors.
Cultivating in Unbuffered Coco Coir
Buffering coco coir is a critical but often underestimated aspect of plant cultivation. Many growers overlook the importance of buffering and attempt to use unbuffered coco coir, which can have detrimental effects on nutrient uptake and plant health. In unbuffered coco coir, there are naturally occurring cation exchange sites within the medium that interact with nutrient solutions.
These exchange sites have a propensity to strip vital calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) cations from the nutrient solution and replace them with sodium (Na) and potassium (K) cations. This exchange leads to an imbalanced Nutrient Element Ratio (NER), making it difficult for plants to access the essential Ca and Mg ions they require for proper growth and development.
The absence of buffering is a common underlying cause of calcium deficiencies frequently observed in growers who use coco coir as their growing medium. Some manufacturers of pre-prepared coco products take advantage of this issue, claiming that only their proprietary products are suitable for successful cultivation. However, the process of properly buffering coco coir is straightforward and well within the capabilities of growers themselves.
This tutorial provides comprehensive, step-by-step instructions and essential information, empowering growers to transform even the most budget-friendly dehydrated coco brick into a premium-grade growth medium. By understanding and implementing proper buffering techniques, cultivators can ensure that their plants receive the necessary nutrients in the correct ratios, promoting healthy and vigorous growth.
Recommended Coco Coir Products
When it comes to buying coco coir, you’ll find there are various alternatives to consider. One choice is to buy an economical dehydrated coco coir brick, while another is to invest in a pre-buffered, ready-to-use product, albeit at a higher cost. Pre-buffered coco coir products simplify the process as they eliminate the need for rinsing and buffering. Your only task is to rehydrate the coco coir and blend it with perlite. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that these pre-buffered products can come with a substantial price tag for both purchase and shipping.
On the flip side, dehydrated coco coir bricks present a more budget-friendly option. Yet, they do necessitate some effort on your part to ensure proper buffering, as explained in the following instructions. Regardless of the option you select, the end product’s quality remains consistent. Buying a prepared product is akin to outsourcing the rinsing and buffering process.
Pre-Buffered Coco Products
Two pre-buffered coco product choices, which we have hands-on experience with and confidently recommend, are available.
Canna Organic Substrate and Roots Organics Coco Palms
Both the Canna and Roots Organics products are pre-rinsed and pre-buffered. They come in bags with fibers that are dehydrated, but not compressed. The Canna Organic Substrate contains 50 liters which enough coco for four 5-gallon pots. The Roots Organics Coco Palms contains 42 liters which is more than enough for three 5-gallon pots.
To prepare these products for use, you need to simply rehydrate them and mix with perlite. You may use tap or bottled/filtered water to rehydrate. Once rehydrated you need to mix with perlite and verify EC as described below, but you can skip the rinsing and buffering process.
Dehydrated Brick Coco Products
Numerous dehydrated coco bricks are available for purchase online. It’s essential to emphasize that regardless of the brand or packaging claims, all compressed coco bricks should undergo rinsing and buffering before use. By following the instructions detailed below, you can transform any coco brick into a high-quality growing medium suitable for cultivating cannabis. However, it’s worth noting that certain brands may offer a superior product from the outset, resulting in a greater quantity of quality coco fibers after rinsing and buffering.
For those in search of a recommendation, I suggest considering Plantonix Organic Coco Bliss. This product offers outstanding value for your money, and once properly rinsed and buffered, it transforms into a top-tier coco product. Each ten-pound brick supplies more than sufficient coco coir to fill six 5-gallon containers, making it a dependable choice for your cultivation requirements.
Perlite to Mix with Coco
Regardless of the type of coco that you start with, perlite is critical to help with drainage. Almost any perlite will do, but this 18 quart bag from Hoffman Horticultural is lightweight and natural. It has a good mix of particle sizes, which help to improve drainage and aeration.
Preparing Coco Coir for Cannabis Cultivation
Coco coir stands out as an exceptional growing medium for cannabis for several compelling reasons: it boasts impressive water retention and drainage capabilities, provides ample room for root growth, and, when appropriately buffered, it won’t interfere with plant nutrition. These characteristics of coco coir facilitate the high frequency feeding approach we advocate. (See “Cannabis Feeding Fundamental”).
However, if you acquire a coco coir brick and neglect the essential rinsing and buffering steps, you won’t be utilizing an optimal medium for growth. Unrinsed coco coir is laden with “coco peat,” comprising tiny dust-sized particles. Unlike the larger coco fibers, coco peat doesn’t maintain air, potentially leading to root problems when used in coco coir with a significant presence of coco peat.
Buffering is an even more significant concern! Before becoming a superior growth medium, coco coir must undergo buffering with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg).
How to Prepare and Buffer Brick Coco Coir
Rehydrate and Rinse
Buffer Coco to Satisfy the Cation Exchange Sites
To begin with a dried coco brick, the initial step involves soaking it in tap water for rehydration. Coco readily absorbs water, making the rehydration process quick. Afterward, the resulting mixture should be passed through a screen to separate out the finest coco particles, referred to as “coco peat,” as they tend to retain excessive moisture. Your goal at this stage is ending up with larger coco fibers. Use a 18/8” mesh screen or a perforated strainer which is perfect for rinsing coco.
Once you’ve thoroughly rinsed the coco, it’s essential to buffer it before utilization. I strongly recommend a double buffering process to ensure complete satisfaction of the cation exchange sites with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). Following this buffering procedure, cation exchange will no longer disrupt your plant growth, enabling the plants to directly assimilate nutrients, including Ca and Mg, from the nutrient solution.
To Perform a Double Buffering Process for Coco:
- Prepare the Buffering Solution:
- You can use tap water for the buffering solution.
- Add a minimum of 7.5 ml per gallon of General Hydroponics CaliMagic.
- Ensure the electrical conductivity (EC) of the buffering solution falls within the range of 1200-2000.
- Maintain a pH level in the buffering solution greater than 6.2.
- Prepare the Coco:
- Place the coco inside a fabric pot.
- Position the fabric pot within a 5-gallon bucket.
- Soak the Coco:
- Completely submerge the coco in the buffering solution for a duration of 8 hours or more.
- Drain the Coco:
- Lift the fabric pot, allowing excess solution to drain, and empty the bucket.
- Repeat Soaking:
- Submerge the coco once again, ensuring it is fully covered by fresh buffering solution for another 8 hours.
- Final Drain:
- Drain the coco thoroughly after the second soaking.
Now, your coco is ready to be mixed with perlite.
Mixing Coco with Perlite
Perlite significantly enhances water drainage and aeration within coco medium. When incorporating perlite according to the ratios provided in the chart below, it becomes quite challenging (though not entirely impossible) to overwater. Moreover, it enhances water movement throughout the medium, facilitating the removal of excess salts during flushing. Coco without perlite lacks the same level of drainage capacity. However, in smaller containers, where drainage is inherently better, you have the flexibility to reduce the perlite percentage, thereby increasing available root space. When adopting a transplant approach, it’s advisable to mix perlite in the proportions necessary for the final containers.
Coco Perlite Recipes:
| Container Size | Quantity of Media | Perlite % | Perlite Volume | Coco Dry Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-gallon | 2 gallons | 0-20% | 0-1 quart | 450g |
| 3-gallon | 3 gallons | 30% | 2 quarts | 550g |
| 5-gallon | 4 gallons | 40% | 4 quarts | 650g |
| 7-gallon | 5.5 gallons | 50% | 6 quarts | 800g |
| 10-gallon | 8 gallons | 50% | 9 quarts | 1250g |
Once buffered and mixed with perlite, coco is an unbeatable grow medium for cannabis!
Confirm Electrical Conductivity (EC) Before Planting
Prior to introducing seedlings or plants into your coco/perlite blend, it’s essential to verify that the electrical conductivity (EC) of the growing medium is suitable for their current growth stage. Given that the buffering solution employed during the preparation process can lead to a higher EC, it becomes imperative to rinse the coco with pure water to eliminate any surplus salts before planting. Seedlings, in particular, are highly sensitive to elevated EC levels that may persist in the coco even after buffering.
To execute the rinsing procedure, fill the container with the coco/perlite mix and gradually add water until you start to observe run-off. Measure the EC of the initial run-off water to determine whether it falls within the appropriate range for seedlings (below 400 or 0.4 EC) or vegetative plants (below 1000 or 1.0 EC). If the EC reading is high, continue pouring plain water through the container until the run-off measurements align with the desired range. After successfully reducing the EC through rinsing, it is recommended to fertigate the coco with water containing fertilizers at the appropriate EC before introducing the plants.
If you are unfamiliar with EC or unsure why or how to measure it. Be sure to read our article, “Understanding Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Osmosis”. Managing EC is easy with a proper meter. I personally use a BlueLabs Truncheon Pole to measure my EC but there is cheaper brands if you don’t want to make the investment in the BlueLabs meter, The HoneForest EC Meter is a less expensive option. Measuring EC allows you to manage your coco grow like a pro!
Growing in Coco Coir
Once you have prepared and buffered your coco, you are set to begin. To take full advantage of the miraculous growing properties of coco coir be sure to read our articles and tutorials on Growing in Coco!
Related Articles
- Cannabis Feeding Fundamentals
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Growing Cannabis From Seed
- Fertilizers, Micro-Nutrients, and pH
- Cannabis Fertilizers & Supplements
- How to Mix Nutrient Solutions
Set-up Your Grow
Growing Cannabis
- Cannabis Seeds
- Fertilizers & Supplements
- Propagation Supplies
- Plant Training & Care
- Harvest & Processing
Want to Receive our weekly Newsletter full of Grow Tips, News and Exclusive Content? Subscribe Below!
About Our Product Recommendations
Here at 420 Grow Help, our primary goal is to assist growers in achieving the utmost success with their cannabis crops by providing accurate scientific information and sharing proven cultivation techniques. The products we recommend are the very ones we have personally chosen to purchase and use ourselves. We maintain a strict policy of not accepting sponsorships or advertising, and we only endorse products that meet our own high standards. For detailed product recommendations, please refer to our Product and Equipment Guide.
Please note that when you make a purchase through the links we provide, we may receive a referral fee. This is the primary source of revenue that supports and sustains 420 Grow Help. By clicking through our links and making purchases, you are directly contributing to our ongoing work. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Disclaimer:
The information presented on 420GrowHelp.com should not be regarded as financial, legal, or medical advice. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with and abide by the local laws and regulations pertaining to the cultivation, possession, and use of cannabis. Decisions regarding cannabis cultivation should be made in consultation with a lawyer or qualified legal advisor, while decisions regarding cannabis use should be made in consultation with a doctor or medical professional.
