Let's not forget how great those 5 gallon grow bags with coconut coir do. This Chinese Cabbage that I picked today was one of 3 in one 5 gallon grow bag !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BocaBob
Any Coco Grower Questions?
Bob: Beautiful.
joy
Bob, what do you do with Chinese Cabbage? What's that variety?
Steam, drench with butter, salt and pepper, yum. Got to look up the variety. Will return
So, just like regular cabbage. Ok. Got it! LMK on that variety.
Nobody KNOWSSSSSSSS the Coir I've seen.......nobody knows how much.........
Well I am one tired puppy. I filled about 70 five gallon grow bags with coir today and planted 30 tomatoes. I drank coir (in my coffee), smoked coir (on the filter of my cigarette) and inhaled coir I think. Just got out of the shower and scrubbed coir outta my ears, LOL! And I was in sheer bliss. I hydrated 13 blocks today, had 2 wheelbarrows going at all times, LOL! I know I overdid it, but boy did it feel good to get out in that 80 degree heat and play! I will be working outdoors again all day tomorrow trying to finish up with the veggies.
Playing outdoors, u mean. Even when you're tired and aching, isn't it fun? You got a lot done girl.
Steamed with butter, salt and peppa, just the way I like my fresh veggies. And tomorrow folks, is St Patty's day, time to dig out the cabbage Bob. I know you got em. LOL
joy
Karen.......I admire you coir values. That goes pretty good with the stackeritus syndrome you are developing.
LOL, Jay, I am sore to the Coir tonite, hehe
Karen take 2 coir relief pills with large cocktail and go straight to bed..Drs orders..LOL
Stay posted for my new experiment folks. I bought some of Bob's lay flat bags for my lettuce and tomatoes. The coir did not soften as quickly as I would have it to; so, after waiting for a day, I broke the chunks of coir up into pieces and took it out of the bag through little holes I had placed in it, and placed it into my 18 gallon tote and added water to it to dissolve it in there, the coir in the lay flat bags is a little different than the coir in the 5 gallon bags, anyways, I decided to experiment here, when soaking the coir, I decided why not add 3/4 cup of dolomite lime and some espom salt to the mix and it was absorbed by the coir and then again replaced into the lay flat bags, we shall now wait and see what happens, as I planted my tomatoes, 3 to a lay flat bag in two of them to compare to the others. If this works, we might be able to dispense with adding the dolomite lime to the HEBs and EBs by adding it to the coir itself right? LOL
joy
Tplant cuts open his lay flat bags all the time and adds fertilizer and dolomite and then tapes them back up.
Darkmoondreamer: He never told me about it, but, I decided to mix the dolomite lime and epsom salts right into the coir and the water, it dissolves right into it. I might even try that on the coir I'm using in a few of the HEBs and EBs to see how it works in comparison to what we have been doing by adding the dolomite lime and to the top of the EB.
joy
Strange! I've never had problems re-hydrating the bags. Just keep filling with water till the bag is soft and puffy and then cut three slits in the bottom of the bag for excess drainage. I do slice the top afterwards to fertilize and then duct tape when top is dry. Never have to remove the coir?
TPlant: I called Bob on this as I filled all the bags (10 of them), with water from my hose as instructed and 3 of the bags would not absorb the water, at first I thought maybe there had been a problem where either the manufacturer or someone had stored it in an inappropriate place, or the coir was old, no that was not it, the coir in the lay flat bags is different than the coir in the 5 gallon bags.
My solution was to break the coir into chunks and pull it out of the lay flat bag and then proceed to carry it all over to the 18 gallon tote to allow it to soak and possibly soften up some, it was hard as a rock and not softening at all. Believe me, I waited for a really long time for it to soften. After letting it soak for a day and squishing it, it started to soften up, at that time, I added the lime and the epsom salt to it. A lot of work I know, but, I think it will work out really well.
Did you notice a difference in texture between the coir in the lay flat bags and the coir in the 5 gallon bags? There is a difference. Bob told me that the lay flat bags has a mixture that is different. I don't know the reason for it; but he said he was going to explain it also; as he didn't want anyone else to run into it the way I did; as it is it turned out okay. I do prefer the 5 gallon bags to the layflat ones though.
joy
Never had that problem? ??
TPlant: Obviously, I did have the problem and because you didn't doesn't negate the fact that someone else might have the problem later on, the coir in the lay flat bag is different than the coir in the blocks and the coir in the 5 gallon bags. I bought 10 blocks of coir, 7 of the 5 gallon bags and 10 of the lay flat bags, so, I think I would be able to tell the difference by now you think?
I am one who will make the best out of any given situation. Which in this case was really all I could do. My solution worked. Bob said he would explain to everyone that there is a difference in the coir in the lay flat bags and the 5 gallon bags so that this problem would not happen to someone else unknowingly as it did to me.
joy
No doubt in my mind that you had a problem. Glad I didn't. They puffed up perfectly. I had to stop using them though cause as fruitful as they were they were to low for my back but please don't let that discourage anyone as I had delicious lettuce and beans. I will use the five gallon bags for my "surprise" calla lillies when they arrive.
Just curious, Paw. How far did your secret Santa gift go in this year's garden?
Just in four EBs as I had to stop because of construction and they were for my eggplants which produced magnificently even though they ARE HEAT LOVERS and we had a cold winter? Still have a bunch of stuff rarerin to go but must wait for the construction here to be completed as I was told not to encroach on the additional ground until the inspector approves everything and then I can go but I'll be setting out some peppers this week in my old space now that they have completed the landscaping. Can't wait as I'll be planting my orange tree and mango tree by my deck area along with my papaya, fig trees and Plumeria which is a beautiful tree. I will show pictures soon in my "Construction 09 thread."
Wow. Sounds like you're still gettin Christmas in March!
Okay, here is a really really basic question.
I have a block, 11 lbs (5 kg) of coir and am about ready to start using it. To hydrate it, I just put in in a container and add a bunch of water and wait and then strain out what i need?
I have a 20 gallon plastic garbage can (new) to use for this purpose. About how much water is this going to take? about 15 gallons? I am sort of h oping not to end up with too soupy a mixture the first time so hope someone has a tip or two.... Thanks!
Can I add the water slowly and monitor the progress, or does this need to soak a while, or what?
I did ask Bob, by the way and he said he puts his in a wheelbarrow, but since I don't have one, this seemed next best option.......
Kyla
If you add water slowly, my new method of hydrating the block, you scrape or push aside the hydrated part and keep adding water slowly to the dry coir you can end up with the right (drained ) consistency without having soup. I do it in a wheel barrel, but a garbage can will do just fine.
You dont wont to make it soupy and you dont need to have to strain it. I remember instructions as saying that block would absorb 7 gallons but start out with about 5 gallons. Let it set for about 30 minutes and stir it around some with your hands (or a stick or stob if you are persnickety). If it needs more water, just add a little at a time and stir untill it reaches a fluffy moist consistency.............NOT SOUPY!! You just create extra work for yourself if you make it soupy. Beware that playing in the coir can be addictive. There have been some reports of some people sneaking out to play in the coir barrel in the middle of the night. Some make mud pies.........some just like the sensuous feel of it and sit and squeeze it and squeeze it for hours. That is how the name "Coco-Nuts" was coined.
Thank you, that is exactly what I wanted to know.
I am already addicted to playing in dirt so this will be very familiar I am sure. ;-)
Hey ya'll in south Florida, are you getting pelted with rain yet? Its been one thunderstorm since yesterday, expected to rain and storm all weekend here with the chance of tornadoes, that should perk my plants up really well hey?
joy
Sorry, sunny and 80
That was yesterday! Today it looks a lot like rain and it is very windy and sprinkly just now.. Thanks Joy!!!
TPlant and Bob: Well duffus here delayed planting and now wished I hadn't of, lost my cukes again and my new bell peppers. Was on the nebulizer yesterday, have a touch of the flu and I think the pulling of weeds is getting the better of me. We have had non stop rain here and will for the entire weekend, man oh man, can you imagine how well my veggies would have been doing in this? (groan). I'm not complaining about the rain by a long shot I love it, my flowers will take off and so should my veggies; but, I can't plant a thing out there right now. They say April showers bring May flowers so I consider it April and Spring is officially here for me I think.
TPlant, tell me more about this dynamite fertilizer you use? Is that it's name and how much and how often do you use it? I decided to do things the old fashioned way with Bob's 5 gallon and lay flat bags, my sister does in ground gardening, (something I would never have guts to try yet - LOL - but she has a green thumb too). I decided to share with her this year and also am sharing Bob's fertilizer with her, she uses an old fashioned watering can, so, since they are reasonably cheap, think I will use that method with Bob's fertilizer and lay flat and 5 gallon bags.
I did see some grass looking stuff coming up out of my carrot HEB, and some little strawberries in the EB and GP, and got flowers on some of my hanging cukes. My toms are getting bigger too. Will take pics when I can get out there in between rain drops. LOL
joy
Okay, so jumping back in here with total newbie stuff..... Got that done, the first block hydrated. I will say, a tote or something wider would have been better than the garbage can cause I ended up with soup in the bottom of it and chunks of unhydrated stuff on top. And couldn't really stir it around well because of the shape of the container.
But I poured in two more gallons of water -- took a total of nine -- and then figured I could let it sort of osmosis itself to an even moistness, LOL! Anyway, there is plenty I can scoop out and use as is, so.
I will be sowing seed directly in this, I think, though I may also try mixing it with some compost or the like.... haven't decided yet, but for some things I will use it straight. And later on use some liquid fertilizer in there......
That sound right to you experienced coir-boys and gals? ;-)
thanks for the help!
Kyla
Sounds good !!
Kyla, This year is my first working with coir. I have hydrated 17 bales and what works best for me is a 33 gal drum that has the diameter of a 55 gal drum, but is shorter. The height is just right for me to sit on my knees and lean over into the drum and knead the coir. A 5kg bale just fits flat in the drum. I add 7.5 gal of water and let it soak overnight. The next day the bale breaks up nicely. I have also used the same process except only to soak for about 30 min to an hour. This method however requires a little more work breaking the bale apart than the overnight soaking. I also work with a small window screen to strain the end juice and the soupy coir at the bottom...you know the part that you have to squeeze with both hands.
I did use four 55 gal drums and the 33 gal drum to soak 9 bales at one time. Because of the depth of the 55 gal drums they were less comfortable to work in than the shorter 33 gal drum.
There is no reason you can't mix the coir with other growing mediums and get excellent results or use the coir straight and get excellent results. The call is yours.
Once you learn how the coir with plants in it handles water, it's easy to keep your plants feed and watered so they grow optimally.
Jerry
This message was edited Mar 28, 2009 7:43 PM
Thank you. I figured I would just have to do it and see. I had to get some kind of container to start with and ended up with the plastic garbage can which is not ideal but will be okay....... mainly cause I was too lazy to go to another store that day! LOL!
OK, I'm also new to coir and still confused on fertilizer issues.
I just received a mini-stacker & coir (from BocaBob - thanks!) which I mainly want to use for cuttings and/or seed starting (for now). I can understand the fertilizer issues for plant growing, but what's the rule of thumb on fertilizer for propogation? Same or weaker solution?
(Forgive my stupidity: I'm an old time MI dirt-farmer transplanted to FL. Since switching to containers, I've just used good ole MG potting mix with fertilizer.)
Oh...and ya'll ain't kidding about coir being ADDICTIVE! I can't work with gloves, yet hate soil under my fingernails. Couldn't keep my hands out of that hydrating coir, though! LOL
Thanks!
Here's my 2 cents. Plant your seeds in straight coir with no fertilizer. One week after germination start feeding a very weak solution of water soluble fertilizer when you water your seedlings
Just a random thought about hydrating coir. And also peat mixtures. The verti-gro company that sent me my first block of coir recommended using warm water to hydrate the coir. It does seem to be faster...but of course is not necessary. To hydrate a full bag of peat, snip the top off the bag and fill the bag with water (warm water works faster here also). Pass by and add a little more water untill it gets to the consistency you wont it.
I am probably spending a little more money for coir but I like to buy the 5 gallon grow bags instead of the big blocks. It is so easy to flip the top of the bag open and add water untill the coir is hydrated and excess water drains away. Sitting the bag in a little cheap plastic wash pan in some kind of container makes things go even faster. My wheel barrow holds water and I have used it to hydrate 4 bags at a time. I usually keep a bag or two hydrated and when I need coir, I have at least5 gallons ready to go. I havent had any problems with sour smells or such either. If it dries out sitting around in the bag, just squirt water in it again and it hydrates faster the second time around.
I'm finally back in production and was able to start today as we got the official OK! First thing I had to do was remove my Jungle Growth container mix and replace it with coco coir. The JG weighed a ton (actually 60 lbs) compared to my coir containers which seemed half that weight. What impressed me most about the coir was they were the same age but the coir held its form as if it were set yesterday. This is a closeup in my hand. Real close cause I wanted you to see for yourself.
Here it is in my EB. All I did was take the cover off and move the much lighter EB with the coir over to my chair. I just fluffed the top slightly so you can see how clean it stayed. I am now sorry I did not take a pic of the mix I used to use but I used it to top dress my lawn but there really is no comparison as far as I'm concerned.
This is what I like working with it besides the fact of it doing a fantastic job of growing plants but keeping my hands so clean. I may be a man but I still like clean soft skin instead of my hands chapping and cracking. That used to hurt!
