Coir pellets for seed planting are fungus free. Coir readily absorbs and holds water, yet doesn’t become supersaturated and soggy. In gardening, it is a popular additive to both garden soil and soil mixes. Rehydrate your coir blocks, referring to … Line the hanging basket with the coir liner, and then fill it with dirt and plants. Coir will expand once the water has soaked into it, and this will make it easier to spread out where you want it. It tends to build up salt levels over time, so try to find coir labeled as “low-salt.” Also, if substituting coir for another amendment, be aware of the differences if produces. Coir has some nice advantages as a soil amendment. Before last year, I had a little experience with coco coir, but it wasn’t a product I was using heavily in my garden. In gardening you can use coconut coir to make excellent potting mix and to improve the soil quality in your garden. I mean REALLY, REALLY, REALLY well. This means you will need to add hydroponic nutrients and control the pH when using coco coir. Basically, coconut coir is a type of mulch that's environmentally friendly, as opposed to other commercial mulches. Coir dust is the by-product of this process. Coconut coir is frequently used in composting toilets as well. In addition, your shrubs and other outdoor plants will benefit from the additional nutrients that are released from your coconut coir ground cover. Much of the coconut coir used for growing and garden purposes is the waste product (pith) from generating fiber for use in mats and other long fiber products. Learn more in this article. It may take some time for the brick to soften up and the fibers to expand. Last summer, though, I completely removed all the weeds and overgrowth in the beds directly in front of my home and purchased a few perennials to plant that I knew were drought tolerant. Coconut coir, or coco peat, is a waste product of the coconut fiber industry. Add 1 part compost to fertilize if desired. And, in my experience, seeds grow really well in it! Coir fibers are generated when the coconut husk is ground. In addition, coco peat supports strong root growth and is often used to start seeds and grow hydroponically. Yet dragging bags of starting soil into the house is messy. When you start off with coconut coir as a grow medium, you will not need to amend with lime to produce these results. Here's a link to a YouTube video on the whole process (~15-min long). Use warm water and slowly pour it over your brick. This important point, however, only scratches the surface when it comes to coir mulch benefits. Coconut coir is used in place of peat moss in soil mixtures. Coco products do a great job of retaining moisture and surpassing the growth of weeds. Step 2. By: Laura Miller Starting your own plants from seed is a great way to save money when gardening. Coco coir, in its various forms, is increasingly used by gardeners as an addition to soil, or as its own growing medium.