If you want to mix it up and try something more coco-coir specific, there are two options for you to try. Coco coir can still be an excellent product to grow plants in, and if used correctly, your plants will develop strong roots that will maximise the number of nutrients the plant can uptake from other sources. In the past, when coconuts were harvested for their delicious meat and juice, the coconut husk was considered a waste product. Many first-time growers will opt for the cheaper compressed bricks, which is totally OK if properly rehydrated and prepared before use in the garden. The only difference is instead of watering with only water, you would water your coconut coir garden with nutrient-enriched water.

Salt can be detrimental to plant growth and can block plants from uptaking calcium, magnesium and iron. 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. Because none of these factors are directly in your control, you have to pick suppliers that follow the best practices for coco coir production.

However, as the coconuts are grown close to the sea and usually soaked in seawater as part of the manufacturing process, coco coir may have a high salt content. All of the material from the husk to the inner shell of the coconut was a discarded product…until people realized it had many applications in gardening and home products. Its natural ability to maintain moisture and nutrients while providing air pockets creates a perfect environment for the worms. 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. 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.

These bales are then chopped and processed into various formats, from chips, to “croutons” to classic ground 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. Coconut fibers do break down rather quickly, though, meaning the air pockets they create will also decrease over time.Based on my experience, I believe coco coir best suits younger plants when the roots require some space to grow into. Coir is known by many different names, including coco, coco coir, cocopeat, coco peat, coir fibre, coconut husks and coconut fibre. I’ve used coco coir several times in my garden and in pots and it can also be used in hydroponic setups.

It’s so small and absorbent that if you were to use coco peat as your only growing medium, you might drown out the roots of your plants. To save your back and reduce plastic, you can mix perlite, vermiculite and organic fertiliser to create your own. 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. Almost all of the coconut coir used for hydroponics is brown coir, as it’s processed even more after initial harvesting.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.