4.2 Soilless Media: The Best of Both Worlds (Coco vs. Peat)

As a beginner grower, I started with a peat moss and perlite blend, using a specific recipe known as "Coots Mix." This low-maintenance setup was ideal for me, as it only required me to water twice a week—once with nutrients and once with plain water—and it produced excellent yields.

The original recipe for Coots Mix is designed to create a living soil that requires nothing but water. It is a one-time mix you prepare before planting.

• Base: 1 bag of high-quality Sphagnum Peat Moss
• Aeration: 1/2 bag of Perlite
• Nutrient Mix: The key to the mix, which contains a variety of organic amendments to feed the plant for its entire life cycle.
  
  • 1 part Blood Meal (Nitrogen source)
  • 1 part Bone Meal (Phosphorus source)
  • 1 part Kelp Meal (Potassium source & micronutrients)
  • 1 part Alfalfa Meal
  • 1 part Gypsum
  • 1 part Dolomite Lime
  • 1 part Azomite (Trace minerals)
  • 1 part Rock Phosphate (Phosphorus source)
  • 1 part Epsom Salt (Magnesium source)

• Microbes: High-quality worm castings to introduce beneficial microbes.

I have to be honest, it took me a decade to stop overwatering, especially in a small tent where I wasn't trying to be in there every day. While a mix with up to 30% perlite is a great idea for a beginner to help with aeration and drainage, you will find that as you become more experienced, a mix with no perlite can be exceptional. But be warned, overwatering becomes even easier without that added drainage.

My at-home setup was a testament to the success of a low-maintenance, but in the high-speed, high-performance environment of a professional facility, we have completely switched to a coco coir-based system. We hand water as many times a day as the plants will allow. This is a completely different style that has taken a lot of practice to master.

Ultimately, both provided excellent yields and quality. Your cultivation method is a personal choice, and you can tailor it to your needs, whether that is a low-maintenance living soil at home or a high-speed coco coir setup. to a Full On water culture cultivation.