Also called: Fiber Pith - Coco Coir
- Coco Peat - Coco Husk Fiber - Coconut Coir - Coconut Fiber - Coco Coir Peat
Excellent for any of the following:
Growing vegetable plants and young
foliage
Substrate for potted plants and tree
seedlings
Hydroponics
Greenhouses
Mushroom production
Soil amendment
Co-substrates for compost
Worm castings
Reptile bedding
Golf course greens
Bonsai mixes
Potting mixes
Propagating
Turf farming
Rose cultivation
Made from a renewable resource
(coconut "coir" or husk fiber).
- Coconut
coir lasts 3 times longer than peat, has superior disease resistance,
nutrient storage and water retention (it holds 8 to 9 times its weight in
water).
- pH range is 5.7—6.8. Acceptable pH & EC.
- Organic and biodegradable, it has been extensively tested
- Used in greenhouse and bedding plant production, on
golf courses, in landscaping and erosion control
- Bales are compressed 1:5 and expand to a fluffy, dark
brown, great-smelling "peat" when warm water is added
- 100% Organic
- Promotes strong root growth and plant vigor.
- Absorbs water readily and re-wets easily, thus reducing
the need for wetting agents.
- Reduces watering frequency without plant stress,
thereby reducing labor costs and minimizing plant loss.
- Increases shelf life of plants.
- Slow breakdown of material means product will not
shrink during your growing cycle.
- High water holding capacity while still maintaining
excellent drainage and aeration.
- Excellent wet ability, superior to peat.
- Ability to retain nutrients against leaching and to
buffer supply.
- Retains physical properties longer and light weight.
- No pests, weeds, or diseases.
- Odorless and pleasant to handle.
- Natural and renewable resource with uniform
composition.
What is Coir?
Coir is the pith element of the coconut
husk (shell). It is the waste product of the husking process where the long
fibers are extracted for use as rope fibers, mattress fibers, cushion fill
material, and as an environmentally safe growing product.
Coconut Coir is 'coir fiber pith' or
'coir dust' produced as a by-product when coconut husks are processed for the
extraction of the long fibers. Coconut Coir is the binding material that comes
from the fiber fraction of the coconut husk. A special grade of coir dust is
washed, screened and graded before being processed into various coconut coir
products for horticultural and agricultural applications.
Coconut Coir is a multi-purpose soil
conditioner and growing medium. It is consistent and uniform in texture. It is
a completely homogenous material composed of millions of capillary
micro-sponges, which absorb and hold up to eight times its own weight in water.
The natural pH of 5.7 to 6.5, plus an unusually high Cation Exchange Capacity -
and 27% of Easily Available Water assures that coir will hold and release
nutrients in solution over extended periods without re-watering.
Best Alternative to Mined Peat Moss
Coconut Coir is a proven natural
alternative to mined peat moss, as it helps slow down peat extraction from
environmentally sensitive swamps worldwide. Used as a growing medium/potting
medium Coconut Coir outperforms most of the popular brands of Peat and Sphagnum
Peat.
Healthy root growth is easy with
Coconut Coir 100% natural organic coir. Derived from the husk of the coconut,
it is an excellent growing medium for both commercial and home gardening
applications. The Hydroponics and Horticulture Industries have observed that plants grown with the aid of coir develop
larger roots, stems and blooms. This is because unlike ordinary soil, which
is usually compacted, Coconut Coir provides more
breathing space and aeration for plant roots, resulting in better growth
Coconut Coir can retain moisture up
to nine times its own volume while maintaining excellent air filled porosity,
providing vital oxygen to the roots and soil. It is fibrous and sponge-like
structure is ideal for any soil condition, whether breaking up the heaviest of
clay soils or retaining moisture in sandy soils. It is by far the most
efficient and economical way to rehabilitate degraded soils without the risk of
contamination. Coconut Coir has a naturally high lignin content, which
encourages favorable microorganisms around the root zone. Having a slow
degradation rate, it conditions the soil and promotes the development of an
optimum pH level. Coconut Coir has been universally accepted as an excellent
plant growth substrate as well as a soil additive
Coconut Coir is the future of
growing mediums and will last three times as long as Peat Moss and Sphagnum
Moss. Coconut Coir is hydrophilic and will re-wet easily without the use of
chemical wetting agents and is capable of holding and releasing nutrients
Applications of Coconut Coir
Amazingly, it did not find a home
for commercial growing until the 1980's in Holland. Dutch lily and rose growers
discovered how good it promoted and supported root growth. When used in
hydroponics growing, it was found to be superior to peat moss. Coconut Coir was
better aerated and still held more water. Unlike peat moss and bark composts,
Coconut Coir did not break down or compact. Containers that had been filled
with Coir four years previous were found to be at the same level and
consistency.
Dutch rose growers in the U.S. and
Canada were next to find that this was the answer for their new hydroponics
support media. Due to the foreign competition, a new method had been adopted to
produce roses that were as large as those being imported from Ecuador and
Colombia. At first clay pebbles were used, then following suggestions and
observations from Europe, Coconut Coir was introduced. Trials using 100%
Coconut Coir soon showed that this was the ideal media for the hydroponics
growing method.
Why use coir as a growing medium?
Coir is superior to peat moss in
both chemical nutrient value and in physical properties. Commercial growers in
Europe and the Middle East have established positive agronomic benefits of Coir
use. Now, commercial growers in North America have begun to see increases in
gains from using Coir.
In addition, unlike peat moss, the
process of obtaining Coir does not destroy natural ecosystems, thereby making
Coir a natural, renewable resource, and an environmentally friendly alternative
to peat moss.
Coconut Coir growing mediums are
dehydrated and compressed into a compact form for easy handling. With the
addition of water, Coir expands to an easy to work with growing medium. The
addition of water increases the volume 3 to 9 times, depending on the packaging
of products. This process results in a 100% organic, biodegradable growing
medium, making it a natural and safe growth medium of choice for growers.
How Do I Expand My Coir?
Coir only needs water to expand. Simply add the specified
amount of water to your Coir and let it stand to begin the expansion process.
Breaking apart the material with a shovel or stick will help to speed up the
process. If too much water is added, simply drain the excess water after the
Coir is expanded. For faster expansion use warm water.
To expand one block add 50-60 ounces
of water and wait 10 minutes, then lightly stir.
