We all remember the coconut tree for the coconut and tender coconuts and even though did you know that the outside layer of husk that surrounds the shell of the coconut contains fibers that are removed from the shells to make ropes, carpets, doormats, brushes, mattresses and the chalky dust that stays after preparing the above for coco peat we could use in different ways that we can discuss in this article as well as how it is manufactured step by step?
Horticultural coir is a peat-like substance this is utilized in farming and gardening. The pith located between the fibers is used to make it. The coir pith is washed, heat-treated, sieved take away large particles and graded before being used. It is often condensed into blocks or bricks that need to be soaked before use. Coir bags or bales may also be found. They can be difficult to come by, but as coir grows more popular, it should become easier to come by and more economical.
What is compressed coco coir?
Coconut fiber produces coco coir, which is a byproduct. It was first utilized in gardening in the 19th century in the West, but it went out of favor since the low-quality coco present at the moment degraded when used for short-term cultivation. It was reinvented as an organic, ecologically responsible substrate around the end of the twentieth century when new production methods allowed for the creation of a harder product.
Basic Types Of Coco Coir
Pith, fiber and chips are the three fundamental forms of processed coco coir. Using a combination of the various categories has its advantages.
Coco pith: often known as peat, has a rich, brown color comparable to peat moss. Because of the high density of this product, it holds a lot of water; as a result, you might not want to use merely coco peat because it could drown your plants' roots.
Coco fibers: are stringy bundles that allow oxygen to pass through the rhizome of a plant readily. The fiber is not highly absorbent on its own and will break down over time, reducing the amount of air that reaches the roots of your plants. It is, nevertheless, durable enough to be reused.
Coco chips: are little coir pieces that blend the best of peat and fiber qualities. Coco chips are good at retaining water, but they also allow for air gaps.
Properties of coco coir
- Cocopeat is lightweight, easy to work with and may be reused for up to four years.
- Cocopeat is resistant to bacterial and fungal growth due to its physical and biochemical features.
- Cocopeat takes a long time to decompose. It doesn't start to break down until it's ten years old, so it's a long-term investment.
- It has a neutral to slightly acidic pH of 5.2 to 6.8. It's ideal for mixing with alkaline garden soil because of this.
- It has good oxygenation capabilities, which are important for root growth.
- Cocopeat has the ability to hold and provide nutrients to plants for a long time. It has strong oxygenation properties, which are critical for root development. Cocopeat can be blended with a variety of different materials, including soil and manure, or used on its own.
- Cocopeat has a consistent, uniform texture and is easy to work with. It does not produce mud, unlike soil.
- Coconut husk is a great product with such a sustainable future that can be purchased at a reasonable price.
- Cocopeat is a great soil enhancer since it can retain up to 8 times its weight in water. It's entirely normal.
Advantage of coco coir
- Because coir breaks down at a slower rate than other substances, it lasts longer in the soil.
- It's free of broadleaf weeds & infertile.
- Its soil pH is less acidic, ranging around 5.8 and 6.8. (The pH of meat ranges from 3.5 to 4.5.)
- Coir promotes air porosity and water retention in soils, even when they are wet.
- When it dries out, it is easier to re-wet, allowing plants to recover from dry conditions faster and requiring less irrigation.
- In investigations, coir was found to have some protection against Pythium as well as other root diseases.
Disadvantage of coco coir
- Coir has a tendency to compact, which anyone who has handled a coir brick would know.
- There is a risk of salt buildup since it retains water.
- It contains very little calcium, similar to peat, but because the pH of coir is already neutral, you don't need to add lime.
- It's also lacking in other nutrients, though it's high in potassium and a few micronutrients.
- The cost of coir is higher than that of peat.
How to prepare compress coco coir step by step
- Remove the coconut Husk: Use a pair of tongs or a coconut shell removal tool to separate the coconut coir layer from its shell.
- Separate the Husk: When placing the bucket in the mixing or blender, cut it into tiny chunks.
- Mix well: Use a blender or mixer to turn the coconut fiber into a powder form.
- Make It powder: Keep mixing until you see a smooth, fine powder.
- Remove pieces of fiber: For a fine texture, remove pieces of coconut fiber without dust or coir or Remove by hand or sieve. You can either combine it in the soil or save it as a block for later usage.
-
Pour a little water: You will get a fine coconut coir powder add a little water to get a thick slurry.
- Mix it well: Use a mixer to stir the water and coconut powder to mix well. coco pith is left on a spotless, weed-free cement floor. During this period, the rainy rain washes removes excess salty from either the coco pith, bringing the pH level of the coco pith back to normal. To achieve the correct pH and Electric Transmittance, the coco pith is rinsed with fresh water.
-
Drying: Wet coir pith is dried in the sun in a cement yard as well as in a controlled environment using a hot air drier equipment. Weeds, bacteria and other foreign particles are not present throughout the drying process in the clean yard. When the moisture level in the coir pitch is reached.
- Pressing: Pour the solution into the desired container (depending on the desired shape) and compact it. Manufactured bricks are squeezed by machines, but you can do it yourself with your hands or other equipment. According on the customer needs and requirements, we'll combine the right combination of coco coir pith, fibers and chips for the project, then compact this into coco coir pith 5 kg blocks, coco coir pith 650 gm briquettes / bricks, coco coir grow sacks, or coco coir husk chips.
- Testing: Compressed bricks are randomly tested for humidity and impurity under strict quality control criteria. The compressed block is inspected for weight correction before being sent to be packed.
- Packaging: The completed product is packed according to the client's specifications and it is double-checked on a regular basis to ensure that it meets those specifications. Depending on the requirements, coco peat blocks are packed in pallets or as floor loading.
Where to use coco coir?
- Cocopeat works well as a sowing substrate. It's being used to grow veggie and occasionally plants in seedling pots.
- Cocopeat is an excellent rooting medium. Root cuttings are immersed in coconut fiber for parts related.
- Cocopeat is perfect for soilless gardening and hydroponic cultivation.
- Cocopeat is a key component of potting media such as pot-o-mix and organic veggie-mix.
- Indoor plants, cacti and succulents, dish gardens, terrariums and hanging baskets can all benefit from a potting mixture that includes cocopeat.
Coco Coir Tips
Here are some tips on the coco peat production and Latest coco coir guide in The Coco Depot that might suit your concern. We hope you have found this article helpful! If so, consider checking out coco coir products which might be quite interesting as a grower myself.