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Coconut Coir and its Applications in Gardening
What is Coconut Coir and How is Coco Coir Made?
The coconut husks that were left after the production of other coconut consumable products were once considered waste products- they have to be thrown away. Since the discovery of coco coir product as an exceptional growing medium product, they stopped being disposed of and started entering coco coir producing factories. Consisting of coco peat, coco fiber and coco chips that processed from the coconut empty husk, mixed in ratios to create coco coir.
See more:
- Coconut Mulch: Benefits, Usage, and Drawbacks
- Peat Moss vs Coco Coir: Which Growing Medium Worths Opting To?
- Aloe Vera Soil Mix: Choosing the Right Soil for Healthy Plants
- Coco Coir Hydroponics: The Complete Guide
Product Coco Coir
✓ Economical and versatile for different uses
✓ Suitable for both commercial and individual growers
Pros and Cons of Coconut Coir for Plant Growth
Coco coir is a versatile substrate that has lots of upsides to consider and several drawbacks that should be mindful of. Here is a quick run down:
Pros:
- Ecological Friendly: By the nature of being produced by processing a waste product, coco coir is eco-friendly. They are also sustainable and biodegradable.
- Flexible: on field, indoor, potted, or bag, coco coir can be used in a lot of growing scenarios.
- Alternative: by their nature, coco coir products are also cheap resolutions to places that are in need of soil provision and can’t afford peat moss.
- Good Nature: depending on the mixed ratio, coco coir can absorb a lot of water, hold a big chunk of them, and drain at a good pace, all while providing good aeration. They also are resistant to pests and disease.
- Soil Improving: coco coir mixed with coarse soil will provide the soil with their characteristics, while breaking down overtime to provide the soil with some of its nutrients.
- Easy to Use: coco coir is pH neutral, and moss of the processed coco coir does not contain any nutrient, which makes it easy to control the soil’s condition for delicate crops.
- Long Breakdown Time: coco coir breaks down cycle span from 4-7 years as they also return the nutrient back to the soil while improving their structure, so they are recommended to be reused into another growing season instead of throwing them away.
Cons:
- Salt Problems: some product that wasn’t treated correctly which can result in high salt content and EC which can kill plants.
- No Base Nutrient: It does contain some nutrients, but the amount is not much and is just suitable for the early growth stage of plants. If there are crops that are grown without being provided with sufficient fertilizer, they will not grow healthily.
How Coconut Coir Works and its Benefits for Plants
Understanding the Mechanisms of Coconut Coir in Plant Growth
Coco coir can be used as a standalone substrate in fields, hydroponic or aeroponic systems, or as mentioned, being mixed with other types of growing medium. When purchased, coco coir can either come in compressed brick or loose (uncompresses) form. Loose are ready to use, while bricks are easier to transport a large number of, they also need to be prepared by soaking in water for sometimes before being available to use.
With that, coco coir can be used for:
- Seeding Nurture: Coco coir is an excellent growing substrate for nurseries due to its ease of use and the aforementioned features. Get the mixture of coco coir into the nursery tray while monitoring the water and fertilizer carefully.
- Hydroponic Incorporation: Coconut fiber is an ideal growing medium for hydroponic gardening- can absorb a substantial amount of liquid and hold them for a while, but also drain very fast, preventing roots rot. Good for plants with high requirements of moisture, or in combination with nutrient solution to create a sterile, moisture retentive growing medium.
- Soil Amendment: By mixing with coarse soil, coco coir can improve the soil structure, water retention, and nutrient absorption. The same thing can be applied for garden soil, which also helps increase their drainability and loosen the soil, preventing compaction and suffocation of plant roots.
- Compost Mix: Adding coco fiber into the compost bin as one part of the compost mix to improve moisture retention and aeration. It can be mixed with soil and other compost mix components to create a well-draining and nutrient-rich growing medium.
- Organic Fertilizer Component: Coconut fiber can be added to compost mix to provide a carbon-rich component that balances out nitrogen-rich green materials. It can also improve aeration and moisture retention in the compost pile.
- Mulching: By spreading a layer of coco coir above the plant’s roots, coco coir will act as a mulch layer that helps retain moisture while preventing weed growth that would be competing nutrients with the plant. This mulching layer can break down and slowly decompose overtime and release its nutrients into the soil.
Nutritional Advantages and Role of Coconut Coir in Enhancing Plant Health
As mentioned, coco coir does not contain as much nutrient as some substrate like natural soil or peat moss, but it also something can be taking advantage of, catering an ideal environment for plants:
- Calcium: a secondary nutrient that helps plants develop healthy cell structures
- Nitrogen (N): a primary nutrient that is found in chlorophyll molecules, enabling plants to convert light to energy efficiently
- Magnesium: a secondary nutrient that activates crucial enzyme systems that build and rebuild your plant’s structure
- Phosphorous (P): a primary nutrient found in every living plant cell that works in energy capture and transfer, the breakdown of sugars and starches, and nutrient movement
- Sulfur: a secondary nutrient vital to protein production and chlorophyll formation.
- Potassium (K): a primary nutrient that aids in the movement of nutrient-rich fluid in plant tissues
Each plant of course would need a different amount of nutrient, different types of nutrient, some even require different dosages in different growth stages, so do your research carefully to yield the best result using coco coir for your plants. But that is almost compulsory to do for everything that you have never done yet, and with coco coir, it makes it much easier to monitor nutrients that need to be fed to them.
Tips for Using Coconut Fiber for Plants
Key Considerations for Successful Utilization of Coconut Coir
First thing first, consider your choices and conditions. Ask yourself questions like “What are you going to use it for?”, “What plant are you going to grow?”, etc. The moment you know what you want, and are prepared for it, everything should go smoothly or at the very least, faster than it would have taken.
Secondly is to ensure that the coco coir product being used is up to quality standards, as most of their upsides come when the coir is at its average and above standard. This can be done by testing the sample, doing regular measurements on the substrate, finding good information about the provider of the product, etc.
Lastly, because of its variety, coco coir can be used in lots of different fields, each with different methods and standards. So there is no “default” best way to approach the use of it, advanced research is recommended.
Techniques for Incorporating Coconut Coir as a Seed Starter
Using coconut coir as a seed starter is similar to using peat-based soil mixes. However, there are some important considerations to keep in mind. First, it’s important to measure regularly and adjust fertilizer and water accordingly. Monitoring EC levels is also important, and if there is salt present, be sure to wash the coir carefully to reduce it.
When using coconut coir, it’s essential not to press it down. Its spongy texture is its strong point, giving seeds the best chance to grow. Pressing it down can be detrimental to the seeds’ growth.
When using coconut coir for indoor growing, it’s best to water from the bottom using a drip tray. This method helps prevent soil compaction and keeps seeds in their intended position.
Overall, using coconut coir as a seed starter can be an effective and environmentally-friendly approach. Just be sure to follow these techniques to maximize your chances of success.
Enhancing Planters, Basket Liners, and Soil with Coconut Coir
By the ability to retain a big chunk of their given water, the amount of liquid that would drip out of planters or basket liners will likely decrease. Mixing coco coir and soil for these (usually indoor) plants, it provides an almost seamlessly indifferent medium to their natural one. With coco coir as an easy and cheap supplement, planting in such containers is made easier.
Using coconut coir in gardening for Hydroponics
Coconut coir serves multiple purposes as a versatile growing medium. It is suitable for seedlings, mature plants, rooting mats, growing baskets, and rooting cuttings. Regardless of the form of coco coir you choose, make sure to fully wet it before planting and closely monitor its moisture throughout the growth cycle. For starting seedlings or rooting cuttings, consider adding perlite to the coconut coir mix to improve air circulation around the roots.
Hydroponics growing is growing plants using water-based nutrient solution instead of traditional soil. Coco coir is fitted here as its sterile and inert, so any nutrient solution provided will be free of taints and the nutrient proportion will be less likely to be miss-mixed by any available nutrient. It is also a good choice because of coco coir’s ability to hold a lot of water while still providing oxygen to the plant planted in them- their drainage is usually not enough, so as an amendment, perlite, vermiculite or peat moss can be added.
In a worm bin, coco coir can be used for their bedding- this signified those coir that have been used in other growing projects. By combining it with compost, it will create a high in moisture and spongy environment that worms adore. Worms produce castings that make great fertilizers.
Choosing and Selecting Coconut Coir Products
Types of Coco Coir: Coco Pith, Coco Fiber, and Coco Chips
Coco Pith or Coco Peat: has a similar look to peat moss, but differs in color- it is a rich brown color. Powdery, dense, so they hold water well. Increasing the rate of them in coco coir mix will increase its liquid retainability.
Coco Fibe are stringy bundles that allow oxygen to easily penetrate a plant’s root system. By itself, the fiber is not very absorbent and will break down over time, which decreases how much air gets to the roots of your plants. With the present of these fibers, the coco coir mix will have its aeration increased. And the breakdown time of it is enough for several uses.
Coco Chips are small chunks of coir that combine the best properties of the peat and fiber. Coco chips retain water well, but also allow for air pockets, too.
If you are an experienced grower, you can develop your own ratio from these, but that is the option when you really know what you are doing, and what you need. In most cases, purchasing products from trusted providers is advisable.
Evaluating Quality and Selecting the Best Coconut Coir for Your Garden
A good coco coir maker will:
- Avoid situations that are conducive to pathogen growth
- Have a dedicated system to control how the coconut coir ages
- Rinse and wash the coir to flush out salts properly
- Create the right blend of pith, fibers, and chips
- Package and store their product correctly
That is a lot to look out for. But you do not have to dig them up by yourself: the shopkeeper usually gets a hold of this information, or at least knows where to get them. Keeping up all factors usually those with higher quality and should be trusted.
Nutrient Requirements and Supplements for Coconut Coir
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (NPK), and Iron are in short what is needed for most cases of coir usage. If you did your research or already know what you are doing, then correct the ratios yourself, but if you don’t, premixed supplements are also a choice for those who lack time to prepare.
