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Today I want to talk about how to use coco coir bricks. I will explain the benefits of using coco coir bricks and how to rehydrate them.
How To Use Coco Coir Bricks
Canna Coco Coir Is The Best
I have tried many different brands of coconut coir over the years. But Canna has consistently been the best.
They introduced coco coir to the world and Dutch farmers ran with it and proved it to be an outstanding growth medium.
The texture is consistent and it is prebuffered. It is ready to use right out of the bag or from a brick.
Some coco is high in salt and is used for animal bedding primarily. It needs all the salt leached out before you can grow anything in it.
Using Coco Coir Bricks
To use coco coir bricks they need to be rehydrated.
Canna Coco Bricks come 2 in a package of 2 bricks and each brick makes about 5 gallons of finished coco coir. If you need less the bricks can be broken in half.
For a single brick, I break it in half which speeds up rehydration time. I place them in a 14-gallon Rubbermaid tote and add about 3 gallons of water. I add about 3 ml per gallon of CaliMagic to the water.
Then I let it set until all the water is used up usually in about 15-30 minutes.
At this point, it should be ready to use although I go through it with my hands to make sure it is fully rehydrated.
Why Use Coco Bricks?
I prefer coco bricks. They are much easier to move and store. But there is another reason.
Coco coir is soaked and leached outdoors and fungus gnats can lay their eggs on it.
But the bricks are dried and compressed and eggs can’t survive this while loose coco may still contain eggs.
I know fungus gnats can be a pest even though fairly harmless and I don’t get any using the bricks.
Canna Coco Is What I Use And Recommend
All coco coir is not created equally. Some cheaper brands contain high levels of salt making them unsuitable for growing plants.
Canna coco is prebuffered and very low in salts.
It also has consistently high quality and I have tried other brands but it still remains the best quality coco coir on the market.
It is available as coco bricks or loose and ready-to-use.
Coco has unique properties and requires a fertilizer made for coco for best results. Canna started the coco revolution and Coco A & B is still the best.
The Coco Coir Advantage: Boosting Plant Health and Happiness
Using coco coir for your plants comes with a host of advantages that can help your indoor garden thrive.
Its superb water retention and drainage capabilities ensure that your plants receive the right amount of moisture without the risk of overwatering.
The excellent aeration provided by coco coir promotes strong root growth, ultimately leading to healthier, more vigorous plants.
Plus, its natural resistance to pests and diseases means you’ll be creating a safer environment for your green friends.
Coco Coir in Context: Limitations and Considerations
While coco coir is a fantastic growing medium, there are a few things to keep in mind before making the switch.
One potential limitation is that coco coir can sometimes contain high levels of salt, which could harm your plants.
To avoid this issue, it’s important to thoroughly rinse and buffer your coco coir before use. If you use Canna Coco it is prebuffered and you can skip this step.
Additionally, coco coir doesn’t provide essential nutrients for plant growth, so you’ll need to supplement with a balanced fertilizer to ensure your plants receive the necessary nutrients.
Proper fertilization requires the use of a cal/mag nutrient. I use CaliMagic and found it to be the best.
This improves fertility by forcing out excess potassium and adding calcium and magnesium in its place.
More Tips to Get the Most out of Coconut Coir
Coco coir is actually considered an inert grow medium which makes it suitable for use in hydroponic systems.
Don’t use it like soil. It should always remain moist but not wet for best results.
Don’t feed and then water like soil. Coco coir should be fed every time it is watered.
Don’t use plain water. There should always be nutrients in the water.
I am using a lot of coco coir in my indoor gardens. Read about my kitchen garden
