Hi Walt Grower,

My understanding is that the coconut fiber we have here in the United States often comes from places like Sri Lanka.

Coconut coir frequently has problems with containing high level of salts. Let's say you chopped a coconut into chips or fibers, you would probably need to soak it, maybe even more than once, in fresh water in order to remove enough of the salts to make it usable for plants.

It's worth giving it a try. Who knows, you may grow into a coconut fiber exporter and provide jobs for people in the DR and a biodegradable growing medium for gardeners around the world!

Brian

Maybe you can also use something that you use to clean reservoirs to remove the salt buildup. Rinse. Repeat. I use coco coir a lot. So far, I love it. I use general hydroponics brand. I have read that age of the coco coir matters, too. Don't remember why. My understanding is that aged a few years is best. So, if someone has a pile of coconut husk that has been sitting for awhile, that would be the place to start.

older husk has in lots of fibers but the tanins (drown colour) has to be soked out for about 6 weeks. younger husk has in less tanins but little fiber if you chop up the young husk to about 2in square it will dry a little smaller. say 1 inch

The salt comes form sokeing the husk in sea water. for processing.

Coconut fiber, known in hydroponics as "coco coir" or just "coco" is a very popular medium.

Since the processing of it generally involves a lot of soaking in seawater it is necessary to flush the salts out of it before using it to grow your plants. However, it is very, very good as a hydroponic medium so if you can get it really cheap it's worth the effort.

thanks to all that answermy question will let you know how it turns out thanks walt

Anytime, I'm always glad to help.

I think you'll like working with coir, it's good stuff.

since coco fiber is biodegradable i have reused it but the sterilization on my grill takes a long time could it be done in a microwave instead not in house, learned that mistake a long time ago jim

I HAVE SO GREAT LOOKING TOMATO PLANTS COMING UP COCO ONLY I LOVE IT THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR COMMENT AND SUGGESTION WALT_GROWER

Good to hear walt!

Coco's some good stuff. I just have one suggestion... use the Preview to double-check your capslock. I'm sure it was a simple mistake but there's folks that get pretty annoyed by it.

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Processed Coconut Fiber such as "Coco Fiber" has all the attribute of an organic medium. It regulates moisture with a perfect balance. It can be used by itself or mixed with soil. Great for hydrponics and potting. Many green enthusiats are adding Coconut Fiber to their compost.

Here is a link that might be useful: Coconut Fiber

Actually there is a difference between fiber and perhaps what you guys call coir and I call husk. When one is talking about fiber, it's the fiber only, and not the complete husk (treated, shoped, as some kind of dust or however it comes). Pure respectively extracted fiber does not have any or little material that can decompose over time and when exposed to water.

I am lucky and can pick up coco husk at some local market for free. It needs to to be soaked and rinsed several times, right. One can verify the content of remaining salt by checking the vaste water with a EC-meter, to ensure the salt content is eliminated. I often rinse the ready mix a last time when already in the buckets and set in the hydro. Just run it with water for a day or two.

Though, this material decomposes over time and may raise the PH of the nutrient considerably, the more the decomposition progresses. In other words it doesn't really decompose for a month or 6 weeks, but after that its starts to do so. If you plan to grow "long term" plants, better consider this fact. And do not recycle or reuse it when it has started to decompose. Instead mix it with compost or with soil (for garden or pots) Don't forget that it's kinda soaked with nutrients if not rinsed - which may be a plus.

Some parts of the husk have more fibres and withstand decomposition better. It happens to me to only shop off this (kinda pointed and visibly more fiberous) parts only. The lower, thinner and more fibrous parts can also be cut with a strong pair of scissors, in case you want to have smaller bits (for planting seedlings for instance).

I use to grow tomatoes in a system that is basically drip and recycle based. I use medium sized buckets which I fill with a special mix of about: 70% rice hulls, 20% of my shopped coco husk, and 10% of rough (sieved) sand. Extra and more rough coco is placed at the bottom of the buckets (pots) to prevent rice hulls and sand to drop out. I am using less coco now, because by doing so, I can recycle the mix at least one time, without having to consider the decomposition, which may influence (or even spoil) my nutrients. I also use less, since I have noticed that it is more prone to accumulation of salts, and more difficult to rinse than other media.

The use of this kind of coco husk also depends on what philosophy and mindset you run your hydoponic culture. Some people tend to work kinda sterile, others are not that meticulous or "clean". Imagine that you run a aquaponic system - in such case you would not mind using coconut husk and its slow decomposition doesn't matter at all.

To know about other aspects of coconut husk and fiber, also read this topic @ gardenweb (treats partially about use of coco husk) and it's possible advantages and disadvantages: ->

Here is a link that might be useful: Click Here

I found some peat pot like pellets that use coco fiber instead of peat. Has anyone used them with hydroton for starting plants in an aeroponic system? Rockwool was just way to expensive to start with. These are from Planters Pride and are made from "Fiber Grow"

Coco fiber has about the same consistency as potting soil, real small particles. I like coco chips myself, it is made from the same material (coconut husks) but the particle size is much more like the size of grow rocks. I think the coco chips give better aeration to the root systems (there's more space between the particles than with fiber/coir). They also don't wash through the holes in the baskets. If it washes through the baskets it will tend to clog up your system. Though you can line the baskets with cheese cloth to keep the coco fiber in the baskets. Coco fiber/chips hold moisture better than grow rocks will also.

I have used coco chips with grow rocks (hydroton), and it worked just fine. But the coco chips are not reusable and the grow rocks are, it was a pain to separate them when it came time to reuse the grow rocks. But other than that had no problems.

I have used the planters pride pellets. They work great.

Thinking about growing tomato in a greenhouse over winter. Saw where growers were using coconut fiber instead of soil. trying to get all the details before I jump both feet into this project. can anyone help? or does anyone know about this...thanks Mike

How does coco coir do when bottom-watered? I plan on using it alone in 3 inch pots for starts before moving outside to the raised beds.

Mike
Coco coir is a growing medium used in hydroponic applications, it has no nutrients in it. The nutrients are supplied by the nutrient solution in a hydroponic system. It provides plant support and water retention to hydroponically grown plants, but needs the nutrients to be added to the water (thus the nutrient solution) for the plants to grow.

halfway
I have never used it in a flood and drain system myself, however I don't see any problems with doing so. The coco coir holds a lot of moisture in comparison, I would say just don't over water them. And the water level wont need to be high because the coco coir will wick up the moisture fast.

Although if to much of the roots are growing through the baskets before transplanting, you may wind up with root damage taking them out of the baskets. Unless they are biodegradability and you are planting them in the ground with the baskets.