The coir is one of the types of substrate used had never, until I became interested in the urban garden .
As I said before, coconut fiber is a substrate that is obtained from the waste generated by coconut, and is widely used by professionals and enthusiasts of gardening and the ecological garden, since its extraction does not cause any environmental impact . It is light and ecological, and a coconut tree can produce a lot of fruits, which is where this substrate comes from.
For a long time, coconut fiber was used to make brushes, filters for pipes, filling of car seats, ropes, mattress filling, and other products. But what is coconut fiber for ? What are their characteristics? How to use it? Here we tell you.
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What are the characteristics of coconut fiber?
It is perfect for seedlings, terrariums, horticultural plants, palm trees and all kinds of plants, except carnivorous. This substrate comes from the fruit of Cocos nucifera and the characteristics of coconut fiber are the following:
It has a pH between 5.5 and 6.2, so it is suitable for any type of crop. It also has the ability to retain nutrients and release them progressively, in addition to avoiding inconvenience caused by an excess subscriber. On the other hand, its fibers act as if it were a sponge, so it retains water, so you should not worry about constantly watering.
Coconut fiber improves root development and maintains the appropriate balance between aeration capacity and water retention, avoiding any problems caused by excess moisture. On the other hand it improves the fertility and structure of the soil, as well as the photosynthetic function by increasing the chlorophyll.
It is also rich in nutrients assimilable by plants and has a high proportion of vitamins A and C and trace elements such as vanadium and molybdenum that favors the activity of nitrogen fixing bacteria. It also includes manganese, nickel, copper, sodium, titanium and lead.
This substrate can be presented in three types of granulometry: fine, coarse and chip (with larger pieces). In gardening, thin is usually used.
How to use coconut fiber?
This substrate is ideal if you want to have perfect plants. However, it is important that you know that you cannot use alone, since it does not have all the nutrients. For this reason, it is important that you mix it with organic fertilizers such as earthworm humus. The ideal mixture is 60% coconut fiber substrate and 40% organic fertilizer .
Where do I get coconut fiber?
You can buy coconut fiber at any garden center or specialized in these types of substrates. You can also buy it at an online store where you can find it in various formats, or, encourage yourself to prepare it yourself at home. This option is valid for those who have access to a coconut palm. Watch this video to see how it is done:
Although you probably use the resources you have on hand, you cannot deny that some products such as coconut fiber deserve to be bought, because it reduces spending on other types of resources such as fungicides , water, and so on.
