1. Rinse to remove excess salt
1.1. Why do you need to remove the excess salts from coco coir?
1.2. Can you wash coconut coir with just tap water?
1.3. How do you rinse your coco coir properly?
1.4. How to know if you successfully get the salt out of coco coir?
2. Hydrate your coconut coir
2.1. How much water do you need to add to coco coir brick?
2.2. How long do you need to soak coco coir brick?
2.3. What happens if you don't hydrate your coco coir brick well?
3. Follow recommended amount
3.1. What happens if you add too much coconut coir to the soil?
3.2. What happens if you do not add enough coconut coir to the soil?
4. Fertilize but not too much
4.1. What are the common nutritional needs of plants?
4.2. How often should you use fertilizer?
4.3. Why should you not over fertilize your plants?
5. Water sparingly and only when necessary
5.1. How often do you water plants in coco soil?
5.2. Should you let your coco soil dry out?
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Coconut coir is from the fiber found between the husk and the outer shell of coconuts. And they are now being rampantly sold as a growing medium.
While other gardeners enjoy the benefits of coco soil, some are stuck growing inferior plants. Read the following top secrets of these gardeners when using coconut coir so you too can enjoy your plant's best results.
1. Rinse to remove excess salt
Coconuts are grown mainly on the coast. Thus, they are naturally saturated with sodium chloride, making them high in sodium.
Why do you need to remove the excess salts from coco coir?
It's crucial to wash out this component as it may interfere with the plant's nutrient uptake. Excess salts can even impair the plant's ability to absorb moisture. Therefore, you need to rinse the coconut coir with water to remove the water-soluble elements like excess salt.
Can you wash coconut coir with just tap water?
According to some growers, the answer is yes for the first time or two. But, more recommends using distilled water. As you know, this type of water doesn't contain any contaminants and minerals like salts.
How do you rinse your coco coir properly?
Fill it with coco coir and enough distilled water to completely submerge it in a large bowl. Form your hands like a claw and gently swirl the coir around to rinse. Pour off the water as often as needed until the water runs nearly clear, at least three times.
How to know if you successfully get the salt out of coco coir?
It should have an Electrical Conductivity of below 1mS/cm. You can use an E.C. meter to measure this unit.
2. Hydrate your coconut coir
Most packed coconut coir products are dry and compressed. Unlike other growing mediums, your coco coir bricks are hard, dry, and not ready to use for soil amendments. Therefore, you must dampen them properly before adding them to your soil mix.
How much water do you need to add to coco coir brick?
Because you can buy bricks in different weights, remember this: you'll need 4/5 gallons of water for every 5-kilo coco coir brick. This ratio is enough to hydrate the coir.
How long do you need to soak coco coir brick?
To loosen and soften the fibers, you must soak the coco coir. Others suggest that 10 to 12 minutes is enough for the coco coir to absorb the water. But others argue that you must let it sit in warm water for 12 hours to achieve the best result.
Keep in mind coco coir fibers expand 5 to 7 times in volume when soaked in water. Thus, you shouldn't rush and be patient to achieve coco coir's maximum increase in size.
What happens if you don't hydrate your coco coir brick well?
If you don't moisten it adequately, you'll have a compact soil mix that can damage plants because the coir will be too dry to perform well.
3. Follow recommended amount
The common question of budding gardeners is, how much coir do I add to the soil? Add a single fraction of coconut coir for every three soil fractions. Please follow the recommended amount for the following reasons:
What happens if you add too much coconut coir to the soil?
First, your coco soil mix can become acidic and leach potassium from the soil. Too much of this makes the other nutrients (like magnesium) unavailable for your plants.
Second, the coco soil will become dense, and the water will not be able to penetrate it.
Third, too much coir can lead to an increase in salt levels, which can damage plants. Salts absorb and bind tightly with water, preventing roots from drinking water.
What happens if you do not add enough coconut coir to the soil?
You will not have an excellent growing medium. It will feel like you're growing your plants with just soil alone. The characteristics of soil overpower the benefits of coconut coir.
Remember that garden soil is compact by nature. So when you place it in a container, the air pockets collapse, resulting in poor aeration. Also, garden soil naturally pulls away from the inside of the container when it dries, making it difficult to properly water plants.
Read also: Grow cannabis with coco coir?
4. Fertilize but not too much
Not because you're using coconut coir means you don't have to fertilize your plants. Coconut coir's primary function is to deliver nutrients to plants. So without fertilizers, there will be no nutrient delivery and uptake.
What are the common nutritional needs of plants?
The primary nutrients for your plants are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and potassium. And those that you usually need in moderate amounts are secondary nutrients. These are calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
How often should you use fertilizer?
You should feed your plants with fertilizer during their peak growth. Veteran growers said fertilization is most effective when the plants are leafing out, flowering, or putting on new development after leaving the dormant winter stage.
Why should you not over fertilize your plants?
Although you need to fertilize regularly, avoid adding too much fertilizer. The plant will be unable to use all the nutrients, and some will leach out of the soil altering the soil's salt concentration. Overfertilization can also lead to sudden plant growth, making water and nutrient absorption inadequate for the plants.
5. Water sparingly and only when necessary
Don't overwater plants because coco coir absorbs, holds too much water, and drowns your plants' roots. Coco coir can drink water up to 10 times its weight. In this case, the roots of your plants will never get dehydrated, so there's nothing for you to worry about.
How often do you water plants in coco soil?
A general principle is to wait every four to five days before watering your plant again. It would be best if you also purchase a pot with drainage holes or a detachable saucer. This technique provides a sound drainage system and good aeration to promote healthy plant growth.
Should you let your coco soil dry out?
No. Don't let your coco dry out completely. To assess if you need to water your coco soil, touch it with your fingers. If no moisture is evident, this indicates that it's too dry. And when you water the plants, stop when you see water coming from the bottom.
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Rinse, hydrate, add just enough coco coir, fertilize and water your coco soil properly to achieve the best result. Whether you're growing directly in the soil, greenhouse, or containers --- understanding how the coconut coir works, the needed pH, water, and nutrients all play a significant role in achieving a healthy crop or plant.
If you think you're ready to take your organic gardening to a next level, it's time to say YES for coco coir. Check our product page and see how it goes!
