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Everything You Need to Know About Coco Coir

Everything You Need to Know About Coco Coir

It’s not the kind of coco you add to some hot water and drink. It’s the kind you put your plants in for awesome results.

Coco coir is a highly absorbent medium, and one of few mediums that is renewable. It’s also part of Growers’ High Porosity blend.

What makes coco coir so special is how it’s obtained, it’s neutral pH and the many benefits it can provide for your soil (or soilless) blend.

Coco Coir Origins

Coco coir is actually a byproduct of the coconut fiber industry. Between the outer husk and the actual coconut is a layer of fibrous threads. While the outer husk and coconut may be used for textiles and other coconut products, the coco coir is usually set aside.

This leftover byproduct is then compacted into bricks or sold loosely for use in agriculture. Compared to its more controversial counterpart peat, coco coir is completely renewable, and is viewed as the more sustainable medium.

Most coco coir is derived from Asia, particularly India and Southeast Asia. Growers single sources our coco in dehydrated bricks to prevent any contamination or mold. We’ve had the same relationship with our source for over 20 years.

Benefits of Coco Coir

One of the main benefits of coco is its unique water holding properties. Coco has a high water holding capacity, but it is also more aerated than other mediums like peat.

Due to this, you can feed your plants more often, and get bigger plants using coco-based mediums. It’s also a pH neutral medium, which lets growers manage their plants much easier, without having to account for a base-pH that needs to be adjusted. 

Coco is one of the few renewable resources used in the cannabis industry. Peat, and other soils are mined after sitting for millions of years, absorbing the nutrients of decaying life contained within. Once it is mined, it isn’t coming back for millions of more years. Coco on the other hand is a byproduct of the coconut industry, which makes it much more environmentally friendly and even reusable if managed well.

Coco Coir Cons

There aren’t too many negatives to growing in coco, but a common issue with coco is how it is sourced. A large majority of coco coir is sourced from Asia, and chemicals are sometimes used in the packing and storage process. Another issue with this sourcing is that people will get already hydrated coco delivered, instead of dehydrated coco. With higher moisture content when hydrated, you run a bigger risk of encountering problems when your coco arrives.

Luckily, Growers has had the same coco coir source for over 15 years. We get the most premium, dehydrated coco available on the market, which then goes into their High Porosity and 100% Coco Blends.

Coco is a unique medium. It’s light, but holds water, but not too long. In a way, it’s the perfect medium. On its own or in a soil blend, coco is a versatile medium that you should give a try if you haven’t already.

Get a full explanation and deep dive into everything coco in this week’s episode of The Real Dirt Podcast, featuring Darren Erasmus, CEO of Growers Soil in Colorado.

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