Advice on using Coir instead of Peat

[Colin_M]

I often use Peat Jiffy pots (the type that arrive in flat discs and you soak them to form a plug). This year I thought I would try a version based on coir instead.

Don't know what its growing properties will be like, but the compressed plugs certainly take more soaking to re-hydrate. The material also felt a little more coarse.

Do any of you have any experience of using coir? Care to share any tips or advice?

[Nature's Babe]

I looked up product support and they say use warm water for faster expansion.

[pongeroon]

Hello Colin M, I've used coir for years as some friends of mine developed a coir product which I think is excellent. They sold the business after some years, and it is still successful and I still use it.

I find it to be as good as peat in terms of plant growth, and what I especially like about it is the fact that if it dries out, it re-wets easily without turning into an impervious lump. And its nice to handle, no lumpy bits.

Rather like my Fine Young Man.

[Elle's Garden]

And its nice to handle, no lumpy bits.

Rather like my Fine Young Man.

[Colin_M]

Thanks everyone, that's encouraging (haven't fully explored its tactile qualities yet Pongeroon, but I'll take your word for it!).

Yes, I generally re-hydrate these (whether peat or coir) using warm water. The coir ones took a bot longer, but got there in the end. I'm just waiting for the first seedlings to emerge.

[ken]

Yes - I've been a big fan of using coir for many years. I think the two potential problems people associate with coir are that (a) it doesn't have any nutrients in it and (b) the water regime is different to peat. Re (a) it is easy enough to give seedlings a liquid feed when required and re (b) you just need to keep an eye on the pots. Y0u can tell by the look of the surface or the weight of the pots when they are getting dry. Having said all that, I generally mix coir about 50:50 with John Innes, which I find a bit heavy on its own.