Peat Moss vs. Coco coir as a Substrate/ Growing Medium
Is coconut coir better than peat moss?
Is peat moss cheaper than coco coir?
Can I mix coco coir and peat moss?
Growing Different Plants on Coco Coir
Growing Different Plants on Peat Moss
Peat Moss vs. Coco coir on Environmental Issues
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Gardening can be tricky at first. The dilemma can start with choosing a suitable growing medium or a substrate. Then goes the various gardening issues like soil mixing, watering, spacing, and so on. But if you're patient enough to master a good set of instructions, you can improve your gardening skill.
Is coco coir same as peat?
No. While peat moss and coco coir are the most used products in potting soil and seed starting mixes, people use them interchangeably as a growing medium; there are huge differences between them. Coco coir originates from the fibers of coconuts, while peat moss comes from the vast sphagnum moss bogs. A great example of where you can get peat is the peatland in Canada and the wetlands of the earth's northern hemisphere! Check the table below to know more about their difference.
|
Peat Moss |
Coco Coir |
|
|
Raw material: |
Peat bogs |
Coconut Fibers |
|
Drainage and aeration: |
It’s more absorbent and holds more water. |
It has better drainage and aeration properties. |
|
Cation Exchange capacity: |
It can not retain enough nutrients for the plants because it has a low CEC rate. |
It can keep and release nutrients with the right amount for the crop because of its high rate of CEC due to the amount of allocated ions to the molecular structure. |
|
Texture: |
Fibrous material with a crumbly texture |
It’s coarse and fibrous. |
|
Color: |
Dark brown |
It’s brown or reddish-brown. |
|
pH levels: |
3.0–4.0 |
5.8 – 6.8 |
Peat Moss vs. Coco coir as a Substrate/ Growing Medium
To put it simply, the growing medium is any substrate or a potting soil that plants use for growth or root development. And either coco coir or peat moss can be a suitable substrate for the mushroom to grow and to fruit or for plants to grow roots.
However, since coco coir comes from coconut fiber, it has an excellent insulating ability and resistance to mold and moisture. On the other hand, peat moss is a decomposed organic material from peat bogs. Therefore, peat moss is difficult to wet but it absorbs water like a sponge once wet. As a result, growers tend to be more careful when using peat moss as a substrate as it tends to create an unhealthy condition for plant roots.
Is coconut coir better than peat moss?
Most growers think coconut coir is more reasonable to use than peat moss. They love that coco coir is a readily renewable resource, thus more sustainable than peat moss. It also has pH-neutral, and this is a significant factor that indirectly affects plant growth. A pH of 5.0-6.5 doesn't interfere with adding nutrients, making most nutrients available for plant roots' absorption.
Aside from that, growers enjoy the ability of coco coir to improve the soil's water retention but don't clog the roots of the plants. Lastly, coco coir has a low impact on the environment. Peat moss, on the other hand, once harvested, affects the habitat of some animals and takes a long time to regrow.
Is peat moss cheaper than coco coir?
Yes, but...coco coir is more worth it and cost-effective. While it might be true that peat moss tends to cost less in most cases, you can get more value for your money with coco coir.
Because peat moss absorbs water like a sponge, making the soil not dry out too immediately, your soil can get moldy easily, especially if the water is too high. There would be no reason that you could reuse it in this state!
Unlike coco coir, it's sturdy enough for you to reuse it two or three times. It's mold resistant because water moves through them easily, and they dry fast.
Can I mix coco coir and peat moss?
Coco and peat moss can work together, but water and acidity levels will be different. Coir and sphagnum peat both take up a lot of water, but coir takes responsibility for improving the water drainage and aeration of the entire soil mix. Moreover, with the coir's neutral pH, adding it to the peat moss can reduce its acidity. Finally, when you mix coco coir and peat moss, you wouldn't need to add limestone, which farmers generally add to peat.
Mixing Coco Coir with Soil
Remove the coco coir from the bag and gently place the coco coir brick at the center of a large container or bucket. After that, cover with water. Make sure that you submerge all the sides in the water.
One hour can be enough for the coir to expand up to seven times its volume. Drain the water to remove the excess salt from the coco coir and add garden soil until you reach a 50/50 coco-soil mix.
Can you grow plants in coco coir alone? Adding compost to the coco coir soil mix is optional, primarily if you already used nutrient-rich soil. However, gardeners use coco coir independently when they want to sprout seeds and propagate plants. Some also opt for coco coir alone when they provide support to the root structures within rockwool cubes home depot of hydroponically grown plants.
Mixing Peat Moss with Soil
To create a good soil mix, combine soil, compost, and peat moss in equal proportions. Remember that peat moss should not overpower the other ingredients since it has low nutrient content and high water retaining capability.
Peat moss also works best when you add it with compost. Compost is responsible for enriching the soil while encouraging the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi.
Can you grow plants in peat moss alone? The answer is no. Gardeners know and use peat moss as an excellent soil amendment and constituent. They commonly mix soil and compost to make a better-growing media for plants because peat moss tends to become soggy and can lead to fungal problems, such as root rot
Growing Different Plants on Coco Coir
Yes, you can choose coco coir as a substrate for your plants, microgreens, or mushrooms! Growers prefer coco coir as a substrate or growing medium to grow exotic plants such as ferns, bromeliads, anthurium, and orchids.
Why? There are lots of reasons:
First, coco coir is a substrate that you can easily find in your area. Generally, coco coir is one of the most readily available at garden centers.
Second, coco coir is an all-natural, environmentally friendly material you can repeatedly use in your garden. Farmers produce coco coir from the fibrous husk of the coconut.
Third, coco coir is naturally highly resistant to bacteria, pests, and mold because there is no presence of decaying organic matter for pests and insects to feed on. That is the inert nature of coco coir! However, when you reuse coco coir, don't forget to sterilize it to eradicate any harmful microorganisms that have developed and could affect new seedlings' survival.
Read more about coco coir: What Is Coco Coir and How To Use Coco Coir Bricks
Growing Different Plants on Peat Moss
Peat moss is the go-to of gardeners when it comes to their need for soil amendment or ingredients in potting soil. They use it, especially for acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas, camellias, and daffodils.
But, aside from having a high acid pH, it also has elevated water retention capacity and poor drainage properties. Therefore remember the following hacks when you use peat moss for your plants.
First, add compost or limestone to your peat moss or plants that like more alkaline soil because it acts as a buffer so your soil mix can operate efficiently. Most vegetables where you need a more alkaline soil are legumes, soybeans, squash, asparagus, cantaloupe, cauliflower, onions, parsnips, and rhubarb.
Second, because peat moss has all these (high acidity, water saturation), it forms a suitable habitat for microorganisms damaging to plants. That's why you need to sterilize it first before use. To do that, you can pre-soak the peat moss in distilled water until it's completely saturated. Then, microwave on full power until the water boils for two minutes.
Peat Moss vs. Coco coir on Environmental Issues
Growers are moving entirely away from peat moss and use only coconut coir now. Imagine how much they use for a bed-size plot. They usually add 2-3 inches of peat moss every year. That is environmentally bankrupt and damaging!
Coco coir is the best choice if you need a more organic and renewable resource. Peat moss takes several millennia to form. Its growth rate is 0.75-4.75 inches (2-12 cm) per year. That leaves no habitat for plants like sundews, butterwort, and bog rosemary.
The only pro for peat moss is that it remains cheaper than coco coir. However, coco coir is worth more than its price. You can reuse it two or three times. Aside from that, it has a lot more benefits than peat moss.
Conclusion:
You may have once thought that choosing a suitable growing medium for your plants is a complex process. But obviously, coco coir reduces more complications and problems than other substrates!
It solves a lot of failed areas in growing crops, cannabis, mushrooms, microgreens, vegetables, and flowers. With coco coir, you're at ease with a suitable substrate with excellent water retention, good aeration, and resistance to mold and bacteria.
Most of all, using a coco-coir substrate is cost-effective and doesn't harm the environment. Check our latest coco coir products and start growing healthy plants now!
