How to get better flavor growing in coco?

[Stroke1]

I am curious, What size pots and lights are you using? I used to use soil but switched 3 grows ago to coco and doubt i will go back.

I'm using 3 gallon smart pots and 2 3500k autocobs from cobshop.net. I decided to only run 2 plants to see what happens. In the future I will probably buy a larger tent and run 4 plants with 4 cobs. I also have a viparspectra 450 that I bought for my first grow running. I figure that it can't hurt. I call it my noob light. Gotta start somewhere lol.

 

[JohnEMad]

Fairly normal for this issue. Hydro runs are for weight, soil runs are for personal. (Sorry, an old rule) keeping the feed a little lower will help, but.. that's about it. No way to get the flavor and smell that decomposed wine grape hulls... (or many other things) add to a soil. Those low earthy notes with a slight grapey undertone...good stuff

Coco is great, I love it, and use it a lot. But realize there are tradeoffs to different styles, both have advantages and disadvantages.
Up till just recently, I needed to see 600 to 800 grams dry out of a 4x4, to help cover a friend's medicine. Only way to hit that is coco and push. Now I'm on a personal run in soil, so there is something special for the holiday's, and expect I'll see something like 450 to 650 dry grams in the same space.

Have you considered using a coco/soil/perlite mix to get the best of both or at least closing the gaps? I am considering that for a couple reasons. The one you mentioned about quality vs quantity but also to have something that can buffer and keep the nutrient need from watering lower and more organic. Less chance of erratic swings to ph and ppm.

 

[Beerhunter CDN]

I'm using 3 gallon smart pots and 2 3500k autocobs from cobshop.net. I decided to only run 2 plants to see what happens. In the future I will probably buy a larger tent and run 4 plants with 4 cobs. I also have a viparspectra 450 that I bought for my first grow running. I figure that it can't hurt. I call it my noob light. Gotta start somewhere lol.

I’ve got 4 3500K Autocobs and a 600W HPS in a 4x8 tent. I had the 4 cobs in a 4x4 tent before that. They are great lights. I have grown in coco and perlite from the start with decent success. I have thought of trying an organic soil run to find out the difference in flavour but not just yet. You have a good setup and one that will get you a pound + from a 4x4 tent. Good luck to you, I’ll be over checking out your grow.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I grow hydro and have now for the last five years. These are the things that improved the favor: starting with UVA light. This made the single best improvement in the terpene profile of any of the other things that also worked. I run 2 - AgroMax UVA Plus 10,000K 48" florescent lamps from the second week of flower through harvest. If you do not live in the USA you cannot get these bulbs The idea though is UVA light.

Next is Mykos, Humic Acid and Kelp. The Mykos is used at transplant for me but mixing some in the hole before you plant works also if the unthinkable happens and you are forced to flush. Use some in the last rinse. Use the Humic Acid 5:2 Kelp with every feeding.

It has been a long time since I grew in real soil so I cannot reliably make a comparison statement. I know that all of my friends like my weed!

 

[Arthur]

Have you considered using a coco/soil/perlite mix to get the best of both or at least closing the gaps? I am considering that for a couple reasons. The one you mentioned about quality vs quantity but also to have something that can buffer and keep the nutrient need from watering lower and more organic. Less chance of erratic swings to ph and ppm.

Soil and coco... there are reasons there are soil growers and coco growers. They rarely play well. There is no best of both worlds. Once mixed, you are no longer able to treat as hydroponic, nor a true soil, you get some kind of redheaded step child that demands attention and then breaks your heart by not going to college.

There are a few growers that pull it off, but if you look thru the infirmary here alone, you'll see plenty of problems. And few people that can actually lend a hand with issues.

Think I've about tried most methods at least once. Some you don't need to try, watching others is enough.

 

[Arthur]

Thanks for your input. I have never done well growing in soil. I feel like my abilities will be better suited for coco. It seems much easier when you get it going. It may be my best bet until I get a handle on what I'm doing. I've never harvested more than about 40 grams per plant (dry). I'm really focusing on environment this time and documenting everything.

That's the way to do it. Learn to grow healthy plants, then progress. Soil isn't that hard, but see my soil and your soil are gonna be completely different.

We spend big cash on equipment, nutrients and seeds, but ask new growers about medium, and a lot of times it came from a hole by the parking lot.
Medium should have the same care and expense given to it. Otherwise it will become the weak link in the grow.

And..with coco, it's really convenient to water till your hearts disire.

 

[Waira]

... I'd add Si to this, lots of reasons, but it also helps with other nute elements metabolism, much like some of the micronute's do... Plus, coco is devoid of it totally... keeping plenty of K and SO4 available for last part of bloom, these are vital for proteins/enzymes and terp's,.... ease off the heavy P doses last stage of bloom,.... kelp or a dedicated micronute supplement to keep supplies up on those as well...
Flushing, still hotly debated, but I'm seeing more and more new articles/tests that pretty much debunk it, with little exception.... The length of the period is a big factor there it seems, as is how heavy the feeds have been, troubles with EC in coco, that sort of thing,.... Organic grows don't need it at all. Check out the Myth Buster section here on this, some good stuff to consider there! Point is to have clean, non-chemmy tasting bud-
Some good folks turned me onto a good coco info site worth a read --- here
All this said, I'd still talk you over to the soil side! .... caveat being if you can get truly good soil... Are you in the USA? If so, look into King's Mix (Royal Gold), this company is typically a coco specialty but they made this true soil recently. It's very good, quite light, almost like coco (it has some in it of course), holds pH well, dries fast.... Soil is simply more tolerant and flexible, less labor too....

 

[blue]

Hey AFN,

I'm having a dilemma. I am running my first Coco grow. I'm doing drain to waste, feeding from a reservoir. I've heard that growing in Coco can create bud that lacks flavor and smell. I'm looking at additives, but none of what I'm finding can be added into my reservoir because of potential bacteria growth

Also, my plants are set to receive watering to run off 6 times per day so I don't know if top feeding with something like terpinator will work.

Any ideas???

All good info help in here!

Just my 2 cents as i used to grow a lot using coco, I found that during the last 2 weeks phase of watering (with no nutes), if i PH'd the water down to the correct level, every weed would taste the same (what i describe as the metalic PH down taste).

Problem was solved by not PH the water at all during the cleansing (14 day) phase.

Hope this helps!

 

[Nosias]

I'm using 3 gallon smart pots and 2 3500k autocobs from cobshop.net. I decided to only run 2 plants to see what happens. In the future I will probably buy a larger tent and run 4 plants with 4 cobs. I also have a viparspectra 450 that I bought for my first grow running. I figure that it can't hurt. I call it my noob light. Gotta start somewhere lol.

These Viparspectra lights will be a great supplemental flowering light. Kick it with the cobs and color them with the viparspectra. They will love the additional watts.

 

[Nosias]

Growing

I've been straggling on starting my first marijuana plant I have no idea that planting would be this complicated, a lot of things to consider. I'm trying to grow this. I decided to grow my own just for personal use and it's been very effective on treating my chronic back pain.

Welcome to your new site for learning and asking questions and sharing your trials and successes. One thing to remember; it is a weed and it will grow if we do not kill them. My tent has a number of tombstones. Have fun and don't panic.