Straight coco vs 70/30 with perlite

I’m doing a 4 3 gallon pot grow in a 4x4 in coco, with drip irrigation and drainage, what would you recommend, straight coco or 70/30 mix?

Straight coco; perlite is unnecessary

You'll find people who swear by both. I like straight coco personally-it works great as long as you use a quality brand. If you're using brick coco that hasn't been washed and sifted as well, then a perlite mix might be better.

It depends upon your environment.
In my last grow, I used straight coco. Worked swell.
Sometimes seedlings won't penetrate if it's slightly too dry. I've had them push themselves out of the coco with just coco.
Here at my new house, too humid. I use a 25-75 mix.
Same results. different environment required a different practice.

With the perlite, you can use a fan to wick away excess moisture faster, if necessary.
Won't hold as much water either.
Find the sweet spot. Try different mixes until you find what works for your method.

Now what would you guys recommend as far as transplanting clones? Straight into the 3 gallon pots, or into solo cups first then the 3 gallons?

I like to pot up once then into fabric pots.

But if in plastic pot up twice.
Also recommend holes in the bottom third of the pot with plastic.

FlowerPower88 said:

Now what would you guys recommend as far as transplanting clones? Straight into the 3 gallon pots, or into solo cups first then the 3 gallons?

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Straight coco for me. For clones in cubes I put mine in 3 inch square starter pots and then into final pots.

Everyone has a different method.

I've done it both ways multiple times. I like perlite (or rice hulls) in my coco.

PJ Diaz said:

I've done it both ways multiple times.

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Not gonna lie this sentence caught me off guard.

I use perlite. Others don’t. I’m going to try my next run without it. My plants get too dry too quick in flower.

I’m going to be using plastic pots on a drainage system, I think I’m going to pot up at least once, especially cause my clones are coming out of an aero cloner, so I would think it would be best to let them grab hold of some medium before the final pots.

Wattzzup said:

I use perlite. Others don’t. I’m going to try my next run without it. My plants get too dry too quick in flower.

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I was always in the perlite camp until I recently ran out when transplanting,
I noticed no difference, other than the 100% coco pot holds more water (as you'd expect), a positive in my setup
One less thing to buy

Wattzzup said:

Not gonna lie this sentence caught me off guard.

I use perlite. Others don’t. I’m going to try my next run without it. My plants get too dry too quick in flower.

Click to expand...

Thankfully Budders isn't around.

Wattzzup said:

Not gonna lie this sentence caught me off guard.

I use perlite. Others don’t. I’m going to try my next run without it. My plants get too dry too quick in flower.

Click to expand...

Billy the Mountain said:

I was always in the perlite camp until I recently ran out when transplanting,
I noticed no difference, other than the 100% coco pot holds more water (as you'd expect), a positive in my setup
One less thing to buy

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Yeah, straight coco does hold more water, and it also holds more nutes. If I were to hand water in coco, I would opt for straight coco, but I prefer multiple automated waterings. The only other time I would opt for straight coco is in fabric pots or possibly smart pots, as those definitely dry out very quick. I use square plastic pots though.

I use perlite for starring seeds/clones neat coco for flowering.

100% coco holds to much water for seedlings/clones they get a better/quicker start with perlite in the mix.

FlowerPower88 said:

Now what would you guys recommend as far as transplanting clones? Straight into the 3 gallon pots, or into solo cups first then the 3 gallons?

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I'd put them into the final pot.

FlowerPower88 said:

Now what would you guys recommend as far as transplanting clones? Straight into the 3 gallon pots, or into solo cups first then the 3 gallons?

Click to expand...

Here's where my practice changes compared to soil grows.
Soil grows I will give a clone a 4 inch pot for a while to stabilize it if I can't start a seed directly into the pot.
In coco and perlite, I let the clone root longer and plant right into the 3 gallon pot.
Even using a myco product with beneficial bacteria, the start has to work harder to thrive initially in coco and perlite. I like to give it a thick root system from the jump.
Seems to have solved a couple problems for me.

So what are your recommendations on frequency of watering freshly transplanted clones, and should every watering have nutes? First watering I used a 350-400 ppm mix.

After initially wetting the coco clones I don't feed/water again until roots show.
Eta...
In a rock wool cubes or root its I use a syringe to keep them damp.