Cannabis is a plant that can be grown indoors without the need of soil by suing coco coir as a growing medium. In fact, growers say they are able to grow cannabis faster with higher yields with coco coir instead of soil. Coco coir is made of fibrous husks obtained from coconut and it is available in the market in the form of blocks. Some growers use a mix of coco coir and soil where coco coir helps in loosening the soil. Cannabis can also be grown by mixing coco coir with perlite. Many growers love this medium because it helps in better water drainage and also keeps the medium breathable. One of the best part of using coco coir as a growing medium is that it can be used again and again by simply cleaning. This is simply not possible with other growing mediums like peat moss or even soil.

If one sees the benefits of coco coir as a growing medium, he becomes convinced that it is the best medium to grow cannabis at home indoors.  However, it is important to know the differences between coco coir and other mediums to be able to harvest a good yield of cannabis. One of the drawbacks of coco coir is that it is chemically inert and does not contain any nutrients at all. This means that a cannabis grower has to add nutrients from outside to make a thick harvest possible.  In fact, it is necessary to add nutrients every time a cannabis plant is watered during its growth and flowering stage. You also need to keep an eye on the pH levels of the water as well as electrical conductivity levels to make sure that your plant remains healthy all the time. By knowing the conductivity level of the nutrient solution, you get an idea of the amount of salts and minerals in the aqueous solution. This information allows you to have better control over the nutrients and thus better results from your cannabis growing endeavor.

You know how alkaline or acidic the solution is by knowing its pH levels. On a scale of 0 to 14, 0 indicates acidic solution while 14 indicates a very alkaline solution. 7, the midpoint of this scale indicates that your solution is neither alkaline nor acidic but neutral in nature. When you are growing your cannabis in coco coir, you have to keep in mind that the pH level of the nutrient solution has to be between 5.5 and 6.3. Even within this range, pH level has to be maintained at certain levels depending upon the growth stage of the plant. When the plant is growing and is in its growth stage, pH level needs to be between 5.5 and 5.8. It is during the flowering stage that the pH level is slightly higher, between 6.0 and 6.3.

When using coco coir as a medium for growing cannabis, the choice of nutrient is also very important. It has to be compatible with coco coir and its mix of essential nutrients should be in accordance with the needs of the strain of cannabis that you are trying to grow. Make sure you choose a fertilizer with minerals that are suited to hydroponics growing system. Here are some of the best coco coir hydroponics fertilizers for cannabis growers.

TOP 5 NUTRIENTS

Advanced Nutrients 8560-14AB pH Perfect Sensi Bloom Coco Part A+B

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This is a two part fertilizer that has been especially formulated for growing cannabis plant in coco coir. This formula makes use of a patented pH perfect technology that makes sure that the pH levels of the nutrient solution remains adjusted according to the needs of the plant throughout the growing and flowering phases. Two minerals namely Ca and Mg have some affinity towards coco coir. This affinity can reduce absorption of these two minerals for your cannabis plant. To counter this problem, this fertilizer contains wet Betty, a surfactant that reduces the surface tension of the nutrient solution. This allows the cannabis plant to absorb both Ca and Mg in required quantities to remain healthy all the time. Perfect Sensi Bloom Coco Part A+B is a much loved fertilizer among cannabis growers as it makes the plan grow faster with a richer harvest.

Advanced Nutrients 5070-14 Big Bud Coco

Advanced Nutrients Big Bud Liquid Fertilizer, 1-Liter
  • Larger, heavier, denser flowers
  • Flowers with more essential oils, aromatics, terpenoids, phenols and other potency factors
  • Measurable, significant increases in overall harvest weight and market value

Advanced Nutrients 5070-14 Big Bud Coco is the best fertilizer for you if it is your desire to have large number of thick buds during the flowering phase of your cannabis plant. You can use it not just in hydroponics system but also in systems where liquid flows continuously for example, drip irrigation, flood and drain, aeroponics, deep water culture, and NFT. This system is full of chelated minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron for their better absorption into your cannabis plant. Poor absorption of these important minerals causes withering of leaves and poor yield from cannabis plants. Cannabis growers say that they get bigger and thicker buds in their cannabis plants when they use this fertilizer.

CANNA Coco A & B

Canna CoGr Vega A & B Set 2X1 Liter
  • CoGr Vega A NPK Formula: 3-0-0
  • CoGr Vega B NPK Formula: 2-2-4
  • Canna CoGr Vega is specially designed to meet the plants needs in the growth phase of cultivation on coco
  • immediately available to the plants, thus saving energy and enabling the plant to be completely tuned in to growing and blooming

Canna coco are specially formulated fertilizers for cannabis plants grown in with coco coir as the medium. They are a result of years of hard work and analysis of cannabis plant leaves, the drainage system of their roots, and potting mixes. In fact, it goes to the credit of Canna that it is the first company to come up with a fertilizer for cannabis grown in coco coir. This fertilizer contains a unique blend of nutrients that boost the growth and flowering of the cannabis plant in coco coir. These nutrients are contained in two parts called A and B. Not only these parts contain different NPK ratio but they also contain quantities of calcium and phosphorus necessary to boost the growth and flowering of the cannabis plant. NPK in A is 4-0-1 while it is 0-4-2 in B. Both part A and B are water soluble and you should first mix nutrients of part A with water and later on part B. Once both have been mixed, the solution contains fulvic acid, salts, and chelates of important minerals that get absorbed into the cannabis plant easily.

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Blue Planet Nutrients Farmer’s Pride Organic Blend High Yield System

This is another system of fertilizers that is designed to aid fast growth and flowering of cannabis plant in coco coir. This system is organic in nature as its base ingredient is made of a unique blend of bone meal, alfalfa meal, and guano. This blend is turned into compost with nitrogen in high quantities. The system supplies calcium and nitrogen in required quantities to the cannabis plant through its growth and flowering stages.  Farmer’s Pride Organic Blend High Yield System is full of many organic amino acids and other nutrients. The system is fortified with Bat Guano form Indonesia to make it rich in phosphorus. It boasts of abundant quantities of potassium that comes from mined potash.  However, as this fertilizer system is organic in nature, its large particles can clog your jet or pump when giving the fertilizer solution to your cannabis plants.

Botanicare CNS17 Coco Grow Supplement for Plants

This supplement for coco coir cannabis is made by Botanicare, a company renowned for many professional grade nutrients. CNS 17 has a perfect ratio of NPK to take of health and growth of cannabis plant during all stages of its development. It is a very inexpensive supplement that is famous among cannabis growers because of its ability to increase the yield. The NPK ratio in this supplement is 3-1-2 which is considered as optimal for cannabis grown in a coco coir substrate system. In addition, CNS system also contains many other essential nutrients that play a crucial role in the growth and rich yield of a cannabis plant. Chelates have also been added to this supplement to make sure that trace elements like magnesium, iron, and zinc are easily absorbed by your cannabis plant. While the company intends this supplement to be used as standalone fertilizer, you can also use it in conjunction with other nutrients if you so desire.

How is coco coir different from soil in growing cannabis?

Coco coir is made from husks of coconuts and it makes for a wonderful medium for growing cannabis. This is because coco coir not only supports development of a root system but also thick vegetative growth. You can soak the fibres of coco coir before using it as a medium for growing cannabis plant. This is because soaking increases the tensile strength of coco coir by more than 30%. Whether you pre soak coco coir or not, always make sure that it has been properly buffed by the retailer using calcium.

Interestingly, you can grow cannabis plant in soil, coco coir, or a mix of coco coir and soil. The reason why cannabis grows well in coco coir is because it has a great water retention capacity. This means that you can remain free from any worry of your plant going thirsty. Also, because coco coir is breathable, it makes sure that the substrate remains aerated and your cannabis plant develops a strong root system. The best part of using coco coir for growing cannabis plant is the fact that is renewable. This means you can use the same coco coir to grow more plants in future after just cleaning it. This is good for you not only monetarily but also good for the environment.

Most growers who have used coco coir as a medium have only prise for this material. They say that growing cannabis in coco coir is very easy and it also gives desired results in terms of larger number of thicker buds. However, coco coir does not contain any nutrients like soil. This means you have to choose the right fertilizer containing just the right mix of essential nutrients to grow healthy cannabis plants. If you are going to grow cannabis in coco coir for the first time, it may be difficult for you to choose the right fertilizer on your own. This is where our guide containing 5 best coco coir fertilizers for growing cannabis plant comes handy for you.

If one compares coco coir with soil, he finds that soil naturally contains micro nutrients. It also contains micro organisms that help in absorption of many minerals by the plant. There are many firs time cannabis growers who feel that growing cannabis with soil as medium is easier for them because they do not have to worry about the right balance of nutrients to be added from time to time to their plant. Also, soil definitely has much greater water retention capacity than coco coir which means that your plant will not die of thirst if you forget to water it for some days if it is growing in soil.

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It would not be incorrect to say that soil is not only natural, but also a medium in which plants grow without much care and maintenance. However, you are never sure of the quantities of individual nutrients that are present in the soil that you are using for growing cannabis. Of course, you can buy fertilizers and add nutrients to boost the growth of your cannabis plant but you feel that you do not have full control over the nutrition that you plant needs for maximum growth and flowering.

On the other hand, using coco coir as a medium for growing your cannabis gives you dull control over the nutrition of your plant. Yes, you need to take care of watering and the right mix of nutrients from time to time, but you also have the best control over the nutrients your plant needs for wonderful growth and flowering.

If you are one of those who want to grow cannabis organically, soil may be the best option for you.

The right way to grow cannabis with coco coir as the medium

Knowing that coco coir does not contain any nutrients, it is vitally important for you to provide the right quantities of minerals like calcium and magnesium to your cannabis plant from time to time. Cannabis plant needs these minerals in varying amounts in different stages of its growth and you should ensure that your fertilizer fulfils these requirements all the time. The best way to take good care of your cannabis plant growing in coco coir is to apply fertilizers that are specially designed for cannabis growing in coco coir.

In addition to taking care of the requirement of your plant in terms of Ca and Mg, you also need to make sure that the pH level of the aqueous solution remains in control all through the life of the plant. Test the pH level of the solution before feeding it to the plant and later to ensure that it remains within a range of 5.5 and 6.3.

As far as confusion regarding many nutrients often printed on the bottle of the fertilizer you have purchased, make sure you buy only a fertilizer that has been especially designed for cannabis plant grown in coco coir. Otherwise, you can note down the nutrients necessary for the cannabis plant grown in coco coir from a reliable source and manage their quantities accordingly. During the growth phase of your cannabis plant, N-P-K ratio is very important. In this phase, you need a fertilizer with N-P-K ration that indicates higher amounts of potassium and nitrogen. Cannabis plant needs lower quantities of nitrogen once it enters the flowering phase. However, it continues to demand high quantities of both potassium and phosphorous.

If you are planting cannabis in a pot with coco coir as the growing medium, always make sure that drainage system is good so that your plant is able to get rid of excess water quickly and efficiently. This is also necessary for the uptake of minerals. Excess water can also lead to rotting of the roots of your plant. Substrate required by a cannabis plant growing in coco coir is much less than what it is for the same plant growing in soil. Make sure you give water to your plant in moderate quantities during the initial phase of planting as it helps in development of the healthy root system. But as the size of the plant increases, it requires more nutrients and lesser quantity of water.

Electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution for a cannabis plant growing in coco coir is very important. It informs you about the concentration of salts in the solution. If this concentration goes up, you can assume that your plant is getting more nutrients than it needs.   Excess of fertilizer is as bad for your plant as is the deficiency caused by low quantities of fertilizer. As soon as the electrical conductivity level goes past 2.5, you should add an enzyme supplement that can flush out the salts. You should also triple the amount of water to the plant. Maintain the pH level of the nutrient solution according to the growth stage of the plant. This is a good way to protect your plant from nutrient imbalance. Finally, rinse coco coir every 15 days to keep your plant growing in a clean and healthy substrate.

FAQ about cannabis in coco coir

Q What is the ideal pH level of coco coir?

A If you are growing cannabis in coco coir, you need to maintain the pH level of the nutrient solution between 5.5 and 6.3. If pH level increases beyond this range, cannabis plant starts to experience nutrient deficiency.

Q Can I add soil to coco coir?

A You can grow cannabis plant entirely in coco coir. But if you wish, you can mix soil with coco coir with soil remaining less than 30% in volume. Another option for you is perlite which has been found to be excellent in growth and flowering of cannabis plant.

In the end

There are available different coco coir substrates in the market. You should choose one that is perfect according to the strain of cannabis you are planting. Before using coco coir, soak it in water and rinse it thoroughly to flush out any excess amount of salts that are there. If your coco coir becomes hard after a few days, it is necessary to loosen it. As coco coir has no nutrients for the plant, buy a fertilizer that has been specially created for growing cannabis in coco coir. This will help you in keeping the nutrition of your cannabis under control. Coco coir proves to be a softer medium than soil, allowing the plant to develop thick and strong roots faster. Coco coir contains a fungus called trichoderma that helps in the growth of the root system. It also boosts the immune system of your cannabis plant. You will find that your plant grows thick and fast and your buds are also bigger and larger in numbers.

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