Growing in cocoa

[Organicfreak]

Hello everyone

I'm new here, beginner gardener. I've been looking into a few things and was trying to understand feeds when growing in cocoa.

I started growing some chillies and tomatoes. At the time they needed transplanting and I only had cocoa n perlite mixed available so I just used that. They didn't grow much due to no food. After a few week I baught some tomato plant feed and some fruit and vegetable feed and fed them that and they started growing nicely.

Due to this I started looking into NPK and which feed is best for which plant. So I get that these feeds provide the plant with NPK but the plants need other stuff such as iron, manganese, calcium etc.. normally these would be in the soil already, or some compost mixed with the soil to replenish it.

So if I had a fresh pot with cocoa and perlite only. I can add NPK with a feed but is that all I would need to add? Where would the rest of the stuff the plant needs come from?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Hello everyone

I'm new here, beginner gardener. I've been looking into a few things and was trying to understand feeds when growing in cocoa.

I started growing some chillies and tomatoes. At the time they needed transplanting and I only had cocoa n perlite mixed available so I just used that. They didn't grow much due to no food. After a few week I baught some tomato plant feed and some fruit and vegetable feed and fed them that and they started growing nicely.

Due to this I started looking into NPK and which feed is best for which plant. So I get that these feeds provide the plant with NPK but the plants need other stuff such as iron, manganese, calcium etc.. normally these would be in the soil already, or some compost mixed with the soil to replenish it.

So if I had a fresh pot with cocoa and perlite only. I can add NPK with a feed but is that all I would need to add? Where would the rest of the stuff the plant needs come from?

Just as formulations of NPK are available so are combinations of chelated iron and other micro nutrients. So one correct answer could be the same place you bought the fertilizer. Ask someone there to point out the product. Here when references "tomato food" it is generally understood that it is a mix containing those other micronutrients. Your label should indicate the percentage of each nutrient in the blended mix. I would expect calcium of 5-8% by weight in your tomato food for example, perhaps less on a blend for other plants.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I am told seaweed products, like liquid seaweed, are a good organic source of micro-nutrients.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I am told seaweed products, like liquid seaweed, are a good organic source of micro-nutrients.

Phyto-hormones is the secret-secret sauce of seaweed.

 

[Organicfreak]

Just as formulations of NPK are available so are combinations of chelated iron and other micro nutrients. So one correct answer could be the same place you bought the fertilizer. Ask someone there to point out the product. Here when references "tomato food" it is generally understood that it is a mix containing those other micronutrients. Your label should indicate the percentage of each nutrient in the blended mix. I would expect calcium of 5-8% by weight in your tomato food for example, perhaps less on a blend for other plants.

So basically if I had a pot of cocoa infront of me. I add the 3 main ingredients(NPK). I would still need to add something else to add the calcium etc? Or would my normal water be sufficient?

Currently I'm adding canna calmag to the tomato feed to add the calcium and magnesium to the cocoa, this would cover NPK , calcium and magnesium, is this sufficient for what the plant needs or does something else need to be added?

 

[DirtMechanic]

I have a few questions actually. Thanks for asking, it helps me learn!

As the hulls break down, they release a natural chemical called theobromine. That chemical creates an acidic soil environment that benefits plants such as hydrangea, rhododendrons and astilbe. Many other garden plants, however, typically require a more neutral soil environment for healthy growth. Do not plant neutral- or alkaline-loving plants among cocoa bean mulch or they will die back. Cocoa bean mulch is toxic if ingested by animals, especially dogs. Its chocolatey aroma often draws animals to eat the mulch. Pets and children need to be kept away from the mulch if any.

So where is this material coming from and at what stage are you getting it along the trail of becoming a lod brike down compost?

 

[DirtMechanic]

Sorry I misspelled and this site uses a oddly short timed cut off for edit allowance. Anyway, that compost seems weird, please explain yoir problem relative to a toxic material?

 

[Chuck]

Sorry I misspelled and this site uses a oddly short timed cut off for edit allowance. Anyway, that compost seems weird, please explain yoir problem relative to a toxic material?

I wonder if the OP isn't talking about coir. I have never heard of using something toxic as a mulch, compost or a growing medium before. I certainly wouldn't.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I had wondered the same. Checking on the web Amazon offer all sorts of grow mediums based on coconut husk that are referred to variously as things like 'coco blocks' or 'coco and coir peat mix'. It would be very easy to 'correct' the spelling.

 

[Chuck]

I had wondered the same. Checking on the web Amazon offer all sorts of grow mediums based on coconut husk that are referred to variously as things like 'coco blocks' or 'coco and coir peat mix'. It would be very easy to 'correct' the spelling.

I did a google search and found out the following (if you can believe google). It stated that the Ph of cocoa hulls is 5.8 and the NPK values are 2.5-1-3. I don't see how one could plant anything in just cracked cocoa bean hulls so I looked up cocoa hull powder. No mention of it being used as a growing medium but it is used as a dietary supplement and is a tad expensive. It is also only slightly toxic to dogs and will give them an upset stomach. It can also kill a dog if it is a glutton and eats a LOT of it. So, I change my above posts. I would use this as a mulch on certain plants in my alkaline soil garden just to lower the Ph slightly.

 

[DirtMechanic]

One spelling is raw and green and one spelling is the cooked version. Cocao- Cocoa

 

[Oliver Buckle]

One spelling is raw and green and one spelling is the cooked version. Cocao- Cocoa

but spelled without the 'a' it seems to refer to coconut products.

 

[DirtMechanic]

but spelled without the 'a' it seems to refer to coconut products.

I thought it was related to chocolate production.

 

[Organicfreak]

I'm sorry I'm lost here lol

 

[Chuck]

I'm sorry I'm lost here lol

We are, or at least I am, unsure of exactly what you are talking about when you say you are growing in cocoa. Do you mean the chocolate cocoa or do you mean the coconut coco coir? We have never heard of growing anything in chocolate bean hulls. We know it is used sometimes for mulch but not for a growing medium. On the other hand coconut coir is well known both as a seed starting medium and as a mulch.