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Made from the waste by product of the coconut industry coco coir pith - or coco peat as it's sometimes misleadingly known - is a fantastic multipurpose growing media made from coconut husks. These brands are known for their quality across their entire product range. Both CANNA and FoxFarmtightly monitor the production of the coconut coir they use in their products, so you can be sure that it’s been properly aged, dried, and flushed of salts. There isn’t a good, comprehensive guide to coconut coir out there… until now. In this guide, you’ll get just about everything you need to know about coco coir: what it is, its pros and cons, and the best brands to use. All our seeds and products have been tested here by us however if we still cant help you get growing we will offer a free replacement.
The coconut palm tree, referred to in some cultures as “The all giving tree,” has been in cultivation for millennia. Almost all of the coconut coir used for hydroponics is brown coir, as it’s processed even more after initial harvesting. How is Coco Coir Made? If that sounds like a lot to look out for…IT IS! Fortunately, you don’t have to do any of that. All you have to do is make sure that it was done, either by asking your local garden shop about the supplier’s practices or by reading below, where I’ve answered most of these questions for each type of coconut coir product I review. TheBest Coco Coir For Your Garden Good quality manufacturers should thoroughly flush the coco coir. If gardeners wish to use it as a growing medium, it should also be treated with a calcium, magnesium and iron solution, so the salts don’t create nutrient deficiencies in the plants, this process is called buffering.
Key features
Retains moisture and provides a good environment: Coco coir is one of the most effective growing media for water retention out there. It can absorb up to 10x its weight in water, meaning the roots of your plants will never get dehydrated. There’s also a lot of growing media for roots to work through, promoting healthy root development. The process of turning coconut husks into coir is long and involves soaking the material in either fresh or saltwater for months to loosen it from the coconut shell. After correcting the coir with some additives, the plants went from strength to strength and have significantly outgrown the petunias I grew in regular compost. Everything in between the shell and the outer coating of the coconut seed is considered coco coir. There are two types of fibers that make up coir — brown and white. Brown coir comes from mature, ripe coconuts and is a lot stronger but less flexible. White fibers come from pre-ripe coconuts and are far more flexible but much less strong.
Because coconut coir is an inert growing media, you will need to supplement your plants with additional nutrition. Remember — this is still hydroponic growing if you are only using coconut coir. Mixes can be expensive: Garden suppliers know that coco coir can be annoying to work with sometimes, so they’ve started to offer coconut coir mixes. This saves a lot of time but is pretty expensive — and making your own mix isn’t too difficult. Types of Coco CoirThen, they’re removed from the water bath and dried for over a year. After the drying process, which is quite extensive, the coir is organized into bales.These bales are then chopped and processed into various formats, from chips, to “croutons” to classic ground coconut coir. For plants sensitive to iron, magnesium and calcium deficiencies, I recommend Canna Coir, it’s more expensive than some other brands but is a professional grade product that’s also popular with commercial cannabis growers. Can be less complex than “traditional hydroponics”: If growing hydroponically is new, coconut coir is a good first step. You can practice the basics of hydroponic gardening without having to buy or build a hydroponic system and perform all of its required maintenance. Downsides to Coco Coir Good transition from soil gardening: Growing in coco coir feels like growing in soil because the two media look so similar. You can have a completely hydroponic garden that looks almost the same as a soil garden. The only difference is instead of watering with only water, you would water your coconut coir garden with nutrient-enriched water.
I have started growing micro greens and was looking for a better supply of coir which I expect to use for planting seeds as well. Coir is well known for its water-retaining properties; it can hold moisture well without the material becoming clogged, it also remains very well aerated, even after heavy watering. That means the roots of your plants have access to moisture but are unlikely to rot due to overwatering. After the coir is separated from the coconuts, it’s stored in piles for a few years. This puts it at risk for pathogens due to the natural pH of coco coir. Most producers that experience this will chemically sterilize the coir so it’s ready for use in your garden. This also has its risks — it can prematurely break down the fibers and peat. Coco coir is a by-product of the coconut industry and is made from the husk, which traditionally was discarded as a waste product of little value.
B’Cuzz Coco50L bags are another good option if you can’t find CANNA or Fox Farm products in your area. They have a partnership with aSri Lankan coir producer, meaning they also have full control over the production process. It’s another great coir option. May need additional supplementation: You may find your plants short on calcium and magnesium when using coconut coir, so supplementing with “Cal-Mag” may be necessary. Other fertilizers will be necessary as well since coir has low NPK levels. Good quality manufacturers then wash the coir to remove any salt, treat it to kill off any bacteria so it’s as inert as possible with a neutral pH. Coco coir is an increasingly popular type of hydroponic growing medium— and for a good reason. There are a whole host of benefits to growing with coconut coir that you can and should take advantage of if you’re new to hydroponics.
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