What is coconut coir and why should I use it?

Coconut coir (pronounced 'koir) is the natural fibers that are extracted from the husks of the common coconut. Coir is then used  to make all kinds of products such as doormats, ropes and even mattresses. These products are becoming increasingly more popular as we learn more about the benefits of using coconut coir in all kinds of applications.

There are many reasons why coir is becoming increasingly more popular with the gardening crowd. Perhaps most importantly is the sustainability of using coir as opposed to various other growing mediums such as peat moss. Peat moss for instance requires harvesting of the plant from the peat/bog, though this is a natural plant, it is slow growing and can take years to replenish, making it a limited resource.

Coconut coir on the other hand, is almost infinitely sustainable, coming from one of the most abundant natural resources, the coconut. In fact, if not used as coir, this medium can simply be a waste product of manufacturing. A single coconut tree can produce upwards of 100 coconuts depending on soil conditions and climate, making coconut coir an excellent and sustainable choice.

 Another great asset of using coir for this sort of application is that unlike peat moss, coconut coir has a neutral ph. This means that it is much less disruptive to your plants when using this as a climbing medium. If your plant is growing well why mess with its environment?