Coco Peat
Coco Peat
Coco peat is a natural fibre made out of coconut husks. The extraction of the coconut fibre from husks gives us this by-product called coco peat. It is a natural by-product of coconut and is used mainly for animal bedding and as a growing medium. These products are natural, easily decomposable and have high water retaining capacity.
COCO PEAT CAN BE USED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
Potting mixes
Green houses
Hydroponics growing media
Nursery & garden center professionals
Seedling nurseries.
COCO PEAT AS A GROWING MEDIUM
Coco peat is washed with natural water and dried under sun to remove unwanted acids. This makes an excellent growing medium for hydroponics or container plant growing. It can be used to improve the potting soils or can be used as a 100% soil less growing medium. Clean coco peat has natural rooting hormones and anti-fungal properties. They are also used for different purposes from preventing soil erosion to enriching soil fertility.
HOW TO GROW A PLANT IN COCO PEAT
A Break apart packaged bricks of coco peat into a large bucket with your hands, using as many bricks as needed.
A Add warm water to the broken apart coco peat for each brick you have used. Leave the coco peat to absorb the water for two hours, or longer, depending on your brand of coco peat.
A Mix the material with your hands, a garden trowel or cultivator to fluff the moist coco peat. As you mix, make sure each portion of peat has been moistened. Add more ater and fluff again as needed.
A Fill a planter to within 2 inches from the top with the moistened and fluffed coco peat. Transplant potted seedlings into the coco peat as you would with potting soil according to the depth needed for your plant. Place the planter in the appropriate sun area for your plant.
A Water the plant and moisten the coco peat two to three times a week in moderate to cool weather, and three to four times a week during hot months when temperatures are frequently above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
BENEFITS
Coco peat increases the porosity of the potting mix. This helps to keep the soil loose and airy helping in better root growth. Better root growth results in better plant growth and higher yield.
Coco peat increases the water holding capacity of the potting mix even as it increases the porosity of the soil. This ensures that the plant does not suffer from overwatering or under watering.
High porosity, high water holding capacity and high cation exchange capacity together mean that the quantity of coco peat required per plant can be very less
Coco peat has excellent properties that make it a very forgiving hydroponic (soilless) medium. Being an organic medium it has high Cation Exchange Capacity allowing nutrients to be absorbed and released to the plants according to their need.
Unlike peat, coco peat is easy to rewet. Dry coco peat is very hydrophilic and quickly absorbs water making it easy to use.
Unlike inorganic medium such as perlite, vermiculite or rockwool, coco peat can be compressed to one fifth or less of its volume reducing transportation, storage and handling costs.
Coco peat is a renewable media
Coco peat contains natural trichoderma which acts as a Bio agent against harmful pathogens. It provides a great environment for beneficial fungi and bacteria to grow.
Coco peat can be pressed into a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all growing applications.
Coco peat mixed with coconut husk chips provides all the advantages of coco peat while increasing the drainage of the mix./p>