Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find a selection of questions and answers about Enviro Garden Coco, our products and the environment. If you have any other queries, you can contact us directly and we will be happy to assist.

What is coir?

Coir (also known as cocopeat, coir fibre or coconut fibre) is a natural growing media made from the husk of a coconut. The coconuts themselves are used primarily for the food and cosmetics industries, the long fibres from the husks are used to make ropes and brushes, among many other things, and the coir pith and shorter fibres are the bi-products that we use to make our products.

Cocopeat is a great sustainable alternative to other growing media and has excellent absorption properties so it can hold nutrients very well.

After production, the product is compressed into the required size and packaged ready for transport. On arrival at the final site, the grower can simply lay the compressed and dried products out and then rehydrate in-situ, avoiding the process and cost of moving wet cocopeat.

Why use coir over peat?

Coir is a renewable resource unlike peat moss, which has taken centuries to evolve. The extensive use of traditional peat moss in horticulture has resulted in the depletion of natural bogs (swamps), an essential part of our wildlife heritage. Peat moss extraction harms the unique and fragile wetlands ecosystem, as there are many highly adapted plant and animal species that are found only in peat bogs. The destruction of the world’s wetlands is progressing at an alarming rate. We can all play our part in assuring the conservation of peat bogs by using alternative substrates to peat moss such as coir. 

What is buffering?

The process that we call “buffering” involves soaking the washed coir pith in a calcium nitrate solution before flushing again with fresh water. This gives a mix that has the unwanted salts (Na,K, )etc removed, which if left in the substrate can be detrimental to some young plants, especially during  propagation, or for soft fruit production.

One of the main benefits of doing this in production, rather than on farm, is that growers can have peace of mind that all the particles are buffered equally across their growing area. When done on farm via the irrigation system, there can be a risk that small parts of a bag or sector are not buffered the same as the surrounding, resulting in uneven plant growth.

How does buffering impact the production environment?

To have optimum level of Electro Conductivity, Sodium and Potassium  we have RO Plant  to maintain optimum standard.

What is Cocopeat?

Coco Peat (Coir Fibre Pith), also known as coir pith or coir , is a by product after extracting fibres from the husk of a coconut. Coco peat is the binding material that comes from the fibre portion of the coconut husk.

The coco peat is washed, dried, screened and graded before being processed into various Coco peat products for Horticultural, Floriculture and Industrial Absorbent applications. Coco peat is usually shipped in the form of compressed bales, briquettes, Grow Bags, slabs and discs. The compressed coco peat is converted into fluffy coco peat by the addition of water. A single kilogram of coco peat will expand to 15 litres of moist coco peat.

When plants are grown exclusively in coco peat, it is important to add nutrients according to the specific plants’ needs.

What the differences are between washed, unwashed and buffered cocopeat?

Unwashed cocopeat is the natural raw form of the product, which has a higher EC level. Washed cocopeat has been washed using clean, natural spring water to lower the EC level.

Buffered cocopeat (sometimes known as treated) has been treated to reduce the Potassium and Sodium Chloride levels, and to increase the Nitrogen level. It also has a lower EC level.

Does cocopeat have high salt levels?

Many people have an image of coconut palms on beaches, and think that coco peat being washed in seawater lagoons. There is a practise of soaking coconut husk in sea water to process coconut fibre yarn. But that coco peat is not suitable for growing plants. Now with new machines, processing the husk into fibre yarns without soaking in water is possible. This type of coco peat is suitable for growing plants.

Coconut plants which are growing near coastal areas and hard water sources tend to show high EC levels naturally. But plants which grow inlands where low EC water available are much safer and low in Ec.

our factory is located inland, (average elevation of 293 metres (961 feet)) there is far less salt in the ground than regions closer to the coast, meaning that the coco peat we use has a significantly lower level of Sodium Chloride. We only use fresh water to wash our coir. We also take care to treat the coco peat when it is being used to grow plants which require a very low EC level.

How quickly does cocopeat break down?

Because cocopeat is natural, it is completely biodegradable. However, it retains its structure and absorbency for several years after planting, which means that the same coir can and is frequently used for several years. After use, it can be added to the ground as a soil conditioner without any adverse implications for the environment.

Can cocopeat be re-used?

As long as there is no contamination, cocopeat can be re-used for several crop cycles, depending on the plant requirements and the grower’s needs and preferences. We recommend flushing the coir between cycles and may be replenished with additional quantity if required.

Does cocopeat hold nutrients?

Cocopeat has excellent absorbent properties, meaning that it can hold nutrients very well, and release them to the plant over a prolonged period. We supply coir in its natural form with no nutrients added (except the buffered products).