media Coco fiber/coir as a seed starting mix

[InsectMan]

 
The seed itself should contain all the nutrition needed to make the plant grow it's first true leaves, but i have never waited that far to see if it is true or not before adding some form of fertilizer.
 
 
I found this in the internet:
 
Any liquid fertilizer, as long as it is well-balanced with nutrients, will work fine IF you dilute it to at least half strength. No stronger. Common recommendation is feeding with 1/4-1/2 strength fert no more than 1x a week.
 
So like the above text says, use some well balanced liquid fertilizer to water the plants in the coco coir before translanting them to the final soilmix just to make sure they will make it.

So once I get the fertilizer, I should water them with it once a week (or just once in general as they won't be in the coir for long)?
 

About 5 days, once the primary leaves are grown I wold start adding nutrients. In theory u can keep it going indefinitely but in practice, I'm not sure.

I normally let it sprout there and transfer it to potting soil within 5 days, the added nutrients should give u some more time in the choir

Gotcha, thanks!
 

Allot of people use just cococore, then transfer it in regular soil, the roots would extend the coco by then, I think their was an old thread about this a while ago.

 
I'll look into it, thanks!
 

1/2 or even 1/4 strength. there isn't really a study that says exactly what level everything should be at. it depends on your nutrients blend / composition so is hard to give a standard answer. generally the 1/2 strength will be just fine though.
Treat it like hydroponic medium. use nutrient solution every watering.

I'm planning to get this fertilizer: https://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Gro-DYFOL008-Foliage-Pro-11/dp/B003SUT6VS
Will do, thanks!

 

[Chilidude]

Use the diluted fertilizer water in every watering session, when using the coco as a growing material. Of course let the coco dry some between every watering, because it will soak up water real good and may keep the coco wet many days.
 
When you finally transplant the coco plants in the promix stuff. The promix should contain some fertilizer pre-mixed, so after week or two you can start giving then some fertilizer once a week and two times a week after they start flowering.

 

[solid7]

I think it is a better idea to start the seeds in a small rockwool cubes and then move then to the coco coir to grow, after they have grown some roots.

Nonsense.

Coco is a perfect seed starting medium. I use 2" air pots (for hydro) and bottom water. I start all of my seeds at room temperature with this method, and it works perfectly.

I'm planning to get this fertilizer: https://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Gro-DYFOL008-Foliage-Pro-11/dp/B003SUT6VS
Will do, thanks!

If you're going to be using coco, this is one of the finest non-organic fertilizers for the money, IMO:

https://www.amazon.com/Botanicare-CNS17-3-1-2-Formula-1-Gallon/dp/B00IGFJXHC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474541312&sr=8-1&keywords=cns17+grow

Use the diluted fertilizer water in every watering session, when using the coco as a growing material. Of course let the coco dry some between every watering, because it will soak up water real good and may keep the coco wet many days.

There is no need to let coco dry any, at all. It doesn't even need perlite added, it will absorb exactly what it needs. However, care should be taken to bottom water. If you water it from the top, you will invite damping off. If you must water from the top, keep your seeds uncovered, and put them in a large-ish hole in the media. (like a 1/8-1/4" hole, uncovered - such that the sprouted seed has air around the base)

The #1 advantage of coco is it's air/water holding ability. (holding the two in almost the perfect balance)

 

[solid7]

1/2 or even 1/4 strength. there isn't really a study that says exactly what level everything should be at. it depends on your nutrients blend / composition so is hard to give a standard answer. generally the 1/2 strength will be just fine though.
Treat it like hydroponic medium. use nutrient solution every watering.

To be safe, something like 1/8 strength is preferable in coco. I would only go stronger with organic nutrients.

In fact, often, until I see true leaves, I'll use a half a cap of maxicrop or some other liquid kelp/seaweed extract, to a quart of water. Combine that with a nice LED grow light in the red/blue spectrum, to keep the starts compact.

This bulb works really great for seedlings:

https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-light-Hydropoics-Greenhouse-Organic/dp/B00GNWK2XO/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1474541797&sr=8-5&keywords=tao+tronics+led