How is coconut coir made to coco coir bricks?
What are the benefits of coco coir?
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We all know that coconut, and all drupes, have three layers. These are the outer layer, the fleshy middle layer, and the hard, woody layer surrounding the seed. The fleshy middle layer or the meat graces various dishes such as cooked grains, smoothies, and oatmeal. The milk, on the other hand, transforms into oil, cream, milk powder, etc. But there are a lot more benefits to get from it like coco coir bricks!
Coconut coir is the fibrous material that surrounds the coconut shell. You can found this between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. And did you know that it makes up about 20% of the weight of a coconut?
How is coconut coir made?
After a farmer extracts the coconut flesh and meat for food or flour, there are two ways to get the coconut coir:
- The coconut husks go through coconut fiber mills. It's a machine that separates the coir from the husk.
- The coconut shells are cut in half and then retted. In the retting process, the coconut shells are buried in wet soil to allow microbial degradation of the softer tissues. The shells are then beaten and washed to separate the coir fibers readily.
After coir fiber is separated successfully, it leaves behind a byproduct that looks like a spongy material. This is the coconut coir brick, or the coco peat, that initially binds the coconut fiber in the husk. And now will become the primary raw material for the coco coir-based growing medium.
What are the uses?
Coco coir bricks have been a continuing essential material in gardening. And here's why…
- Potting soil - You can use coconut coir to lighten standard potting mixes for orchids, cacti, and other plants that prefer lighter and airier soil. Mix equal parts coir and soil. Doing this brings a good combination of water retention and natural drainage because the coir will loosen the clay soil texture.
- Seed propagation - Because the fiber can hold about nine times its weight in water, seeds grow well in coconut coir. It also lets air pass through the seed freely. If you want to make your seed starting mix, it is better to use a fine pith coco coir. Coco can hold so much water that you don't need to water your seeds as much as you would with regular soil.
- Hydroponic system - It is a production method where farmers grow plants in a nutrient solution rather than in soil. But today, coco coir brick is quickly becoming the most popular growing medium for use by hydroponic growers. Why? Hydroponic system offers very little media to protect roots, while coco's light, airy nature promotes better root growth.
- In-ground planting - You can use coir to loosen any soil. It helps improve the texture of clay soil and creates better drainage. It also allows the sandy soil to hold onto water longer. However, coconut coir is resistant to root rot and fungus, avoiding overwatering problems in gardening.
What are the benefits of coco coir?
- Get an almost endless supply: Because coco coir is a waste product from the coconut industry, coir supplies can continue. After all, coconut production is abundant worldwide. It's also entirely safe to reuse coco brick. You can reuse the product twice or thrice as it slowly decomposes over time.
- Carry on a low-impact living lifestyle: Coco coir will never sustain any damage to the environment. It's natural and biodegradable. It's not chemically processed so that it can biodegrade slowly.
- Grow healthy crops full of nutrients: Like a blank canvas, you can add your exact requirements to make your creation wonderful. Plants, like paintings, demand different strokes of care at various stages. Each growing phase needs specific nutrients, and coco coir makes it easy for you to do this. Coco coir has a very neutral pH range of 5.2–6.8, so it can easily accommodate nutrient solutions compared to other growing mediums.
- Prevent root rot issues: Growers quickly become familiar with coir because of its water retention and excellent drainage properties. It improves the porosity in soils, even when wet, thereby preventing water logging of plant roots.
- Keep your plants in good stead: Coir promotes beneficial bacteria growth through compounds called lignins. Thriving of beneficial bacteria helps minimize harmful bacteria. Moreover, growers believe that coir is naturally anti-fungal, preventing soil-borne diseases to plants.
Where to buy coco coir?
Coir comes in many different names like coco brick, coconut coir mulch, peat moss and others.
It's sold under many different names because it's a versatile resource for backyard gardeners and professional landscapers alike.
When searching for a place to buy coconut coir brick, the ideal solution is to find a reseller who can tell you not only where their coir was sourced. Did this happen near a source of salt water?
You may also want to ask how the coir was handled before reaching the store. The following are helpful quality checklists:
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Did they soak the coconut husk in freshwater or saltwater? |
Before shipping, there should be a low to minimal level of salt retained in the coir. |
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Did they wash the residual salt out of the fibers? |
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Did they leave it in the sun, or did they use a mechanical method to dry the coir? |
Choose a product that is naturally sundried. |
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Did the coir sit for a period of six months to a year? |
Aging the coir for six months to a year before shipping helps lower salt retention. |
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Did they coat the coir with chemicals to prevent contamination, or did they treat it with steam? |
Steaming the coir is a better way of reducing problem pathogens. |
Conclusion
Using coconut coir brick as a growing medium in hydroponic or soil-based systems has many benefits. It’s an excellent choice because it is eco-friendly and sustainable. You can use it to grow your plants successfully indoors or outdoors, offering nutrients for the plants, which means less work for you!
So…where to buy coconut coir brick? Check out our products!
