The extensive application of coconut coir or peat by-products in the propagation of crops has been increasingly used by the agronomists since decades. These coco coir products are 100% organic with vital attributes of breathability and high water-retaining capabilities. Riococo, one of the foremost producers and suppliers of coco coir materials offers coconut coir growing media as an effective growth platform that can be productively used in soil-based vertical, rooftop, and urban farming, as well as water-based tray agricultural techniques. 

How the By-Products of Coconut serve As an Optimal Growing Medium for Plants?

The fibrous by-product of coconut is the coir substrate or peat, which possesses several beneficial attributes, and is the most effective eco-friendly growing media for flowers and crops. Amongst the different serviceability factors governing the use of coir products are the following:

Biodegradable, Lightweight, and Porous 

The coco coir or peat are usually light in weight as they are fibrous in their attributes, and extracted from the hard coconut shell through the husking and repeated retting process. For the first six months, the coir fibre is saturated in freshwater constantly, and thereafter in saline water for an additional eight months. This repeated super-washing technique of usually five times, ensures to enhance the water-absorbency ability of coir substrate to immense levels, wherein it can retain up to 10 times of water of its weight.

The lightweight fibrous coir material can be easily transported to any place and can be effectively used to sustain the proportionate air and water balance, and relative allocation of nutrients and organic fertilisation components to the root system. Due, to their lightweight, these coir substrates or peat can be effectively used as liners, blocks, and soil mixes in hanging planters or crop growing bags. With its enhanced permeability, the coir substrate can offer the essential 30% oxygen needs to the roots, helping them to propagate at a higher rate. 

Controls Overwatering and Temperature

The 100% organic coir by-product comprises countless micro-pores, so they can effectively drain out the surplus water from the soil and roots, thereby avoiding the case of overwatering and root decays. They can also modulate the temperature of surrounding soil and roots when they are blended in soil mix by the cultivators. During summers, they keep the soil humid and cool, whereas in winters they prevent the soil from drying up by the slow release of water. 

Germ Destroying Properties with Low pH and Salt-Ions

These coco coir substrates and peat, the by-products of coconut possess beneficial anti-fungal and anti-bacterial qualities, which aids them to be used as organic pesticides for any plant types. Besides, the cellulose fibre substance in coir products has a high percentage of lignin, an organic polymer that increases the rigidity of the plant cell walls or support tissues, and produces useful bacteria for the root system.

Again, the coir substrate or peat maintains a balanced level of pH, which is 6.5 to 7, and thus can be directly applied to the plants as soil mix, without adding additional lime. Moreover, the coir substance is low in salt-ions, and never possesses any toxic chemicals like boron and chlorine; thereby direct application to the soil and roots is practicable. 

What factors should be considered in Adopting Coir Products as a Growing Medium?

Water Quality

For sustaining the neutral pH level of the coir-based growing medium, the water source should be regularly inspected by agriculturists. The desired water quality should be maintained at a balanced level, neither acidic nor base. Such adjustments are necessary to prevent any increase in pH level, or else the root system can find lesser micronutrients from the coir fillings.

Stability in Nutritional Level

As the coconut husks have a higher organic level of minerals like sodium, potassium, and chloride, the coir-base by-products also possess the same characteristics and thus prove as a growing medium to augment the EC or electrical conductivity in plants. In simple words, it influences the plants’ ability to absorb water for sustaining the adequate nutrient balance to the root systems. Hence, measures should be taken to ensure that optimal levels of nutrients are allocated to the roots for enhanced plant growth.

Final Verdict

Taking into account such benefits and appropriate growth factors of coir substrates or peat, it would be sensible for the cultivators to adopt such sustainable coconut coir growing media only from Riococo, as they the market leader in supplying such eco-friendly agricultural by-products that enhances plant growth effectively.