Coconut coir fiber is recognized as one of the most effective growing mediums for hydroponics in addition to being a more sustainable medium than soil.
Online PR News – 24-October-2010 –The Natural Way to Grow
Botanicare’s® Cocogro™ uses coir fiber that is a natural byproduct of decomposing coconuts grown and harvested in Sri Lanka. The harvested coir is aged, naturally, outside for 2‐3 years, exposing it to tropical monsoons and sunlight. The finished product is a lightweight, disease free, and salt free super growing medium.
Physical Properties
Coir fiber, when fully saturated with water, may look like a lot like soil; however, there is very little nutrient content in coir‐ making it perfect for hydroponic applications. Coir fiber’s natural pH is approximately 6.7 and it contains inherent potassium to benefit the growth of the plant.
Coir Fiber vs Sphagnum Peat
Sphagnum peat is sometimes confused with coco coir. Sphagnum looks similar, but unlike coco it has many unfavorable qualities.
Sphagnum - Breaks down rapidly causing pH fluctuations
Coconut Coir - Breaks down slowly and maintains pH
Sphagnum - Hard to re-wet if dry, peat becomes hydrophobic
Coconut Coir - Easy to re-wet, coir expands and is hydrophilic
Sphagnum - Breaks down rapidly and is difficult to reuse
Cocnut Coir - Breaks down slowly, can be used as garden mulch
Sphagnum - Mined from wetland bogs, depleting in sources
Coconut Coir - Renewable, natural energy used to processing
Quality
Good quality coir used as a grow substrate should consist of mixed particle sizes as small as .01 mm to longer fibrous strands. This provides the root zone with very high aeration and up to 75% water retention capacity. A compact brick of coco coir like Botanicare’s Boss™ will expand up to 8 times its size when saturated, which means
fewer dollars for more substrate.
Watering
Coir fiber is widely used in both recirculating and drain to waste systems. Blends of coir fiber and course materials such as perlite or pumice stone, like Botanicare’s ReadyGro™ Aeration formula, can improve aeration and increase feeding cycles. In other words; coir fiber alone only requires your plant to be watered 1‐2 times a day: however, a 1 part coco to 2 parts perlite mix will allow 4‐6 watering cycles per day . Increasing the ratio of prelate to coir fiber allows for increased aeration in environments that are cooler and damper while decreasing the ratio provides better moisture retention when the environment is hot and dry. Coco coir when expanded is loose and airy. It is commonly sold as a condensed brick that needs to be expanded and placed in well draining containers. It is recommended, if using your own pots, to add a small layer (1‐2”) of hydroton pellets or rinsed rock to keep the coco from rinsing through. Cocogro™ Ready‐to‐grow bags eliminate the need for pots and additional drainage enabling you to grow right in the bag.
Notes on Feeding Plants in Coir:
-Select nutrients rated for coconut coir like Botanicare’s® CNS17™ as they are balanced with elevated levels of Nitrogen and Calcium to accommodate the naturally occurring Potassium.
-Maintain your system’s pH at approximately 6.0 to encourage maximum nutrient uptake.
-If salt build up occurs due to hard water or excess nutrients, a simple salt leaching solution will draw excess salts from your root zone safely and effectively.
-When using friendly biological inoculants like Botanicare’s ZHO™ with coconut coir, the colonization occurs on and around the root zone but does not readily colonize the actual coir fiber due to its
inherent resistance to fungus.
-Coconut coir can be reused! Instead of disposing your used coir, recycle it by using it as top mulch for your outdoor garden to retain moisture and lower temperatures around your root zone.
Coconut coir’s versatility, relatively low cost and low environmental impact make it an intelligent choice for hydroponic applications.
To learn more about Botanicare and the gardening products offered, please visit http://www.botanicare.net
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