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What is cocopeat?
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Cocopeat, also known as coir pith, coir fiber pith, coir dust, or simply coir, is a coconut husk product. The word "coir" comes from the malayalam word kayaru, which means rope. In India coir fibers are used for various purposes including rope making. Cocopeat is the byproduct of the coir fiber industry of Southern India. In the past twenty years cocopeat has proven its worth as an excellent growing medium for fruits, vegetables, seedlings, flowers,etc. Cocopeat obtained from the coir fiber industry is washed, heat-treated, screened and graded before being processed into cocopeat products of various granularity and denseness. It is widely used in horticulture, agriculture, floriculture, nursery and landscaping. It is also used as an industrial absorbent.
Advantages of cocopeat:
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- Category: What is cocpeat
- cocopeat has a similar cation-exchange capacity (CEC) to sphagnum peat, holds water well, re-wets well from dry and holds around 1000 times more air than soil. This encourages good rooting. The result is substantially superior plant growth.
- cocopeat is hydrophilic unlike spagnum moss and can quickly reabsorb water even when completely dry.
- cocopeat is porous and cannot be overwatered easily.
- A single kilogram of cocopeat will expand to 15 liters of moist cocopeat.
- Trichoderma is a naturally occurring fungi in cocopeat. It works in symbiosis with plant roots to protect them from pathogenic fungi such as pythium which causes ‘root rot’ decease. It is not present in sterilized cocopeat. It is also destroyed by hydrogen peroxide.
- Cocopeat is particularly stable and retains its physical properties for several years/seasons whereas peat rots away resulting in considerable cost savings for the grower.
- The top layer dries out quickly thus providing a natural protective layer which prevents pathogens from getting to the roots.
- Being a plant product it is by nature biodegradable.
Common uses of cocopeat:
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- Category: What is cocpeat
- As a growing medium for agriculture, floriculture, horticulture, nurseries and greenhouses.
- Mixed with sand, compost and fertilizer to make good quality potting soil. Cocopeat generally has acidity in the range of pH - 5.5 to 6.5. It is a little on the acidic side for some plants, but most popular plants can tolerate this pH range. Lime can be added to bring down the acidity.
- In the construction & maintenance of green spaces(landscaping industry).
- As a substrate for growing mushrooms. Mushrooms thrive in cocopeat as cocopeat has high cellulose and lignin content.
- As a soil conditioner.
- For plant propogation.
- For mulching gardens.
- For potting orchids.
- As a substitute for peat, as it is free of bacteria and most fungal spores, and is sustainably produced without the environmental damage caused by peat mining.
- As an industrial absorbent.
- For animal bedding - Its high absorption property keeps the stable dry, odourless and hygenic. Being 100% natural and organic it does not pose a health hazard for the animals. Also, once the cocopeat is saturated it can be used as an organic fertilizer.
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