How to Use Coco Coir

There is a very popular grow medium in hydroponics called coco coir. If you've been reading some of the posts on our site, you've probably heard of it already. But you might not have actual experience with it.

Coco coir is an extremely common choice for different types of products that are used in hydroponics, due to its drainage qualities, its organic sourcing, and it's durable texture. You can get big packs of it shipped from retailers and use it in different ways to cultivate hydroponic plants.

Here are some steps for using coco coir in a hydroponics environment.

Choosing a Type of Coco Coir

First, look at the texture of different types of coco coir. Some of these arrive in long strands which can coil around in a plant pot. Others come in bags of chopped coco coir husk which can be coarse or fine depending on the product. Some have rough cut fibers that can also come in a bag form. Some of these textures might be called croutons.

Hydrate Coco Coir

One of the key steps for preparing this material for grow spaces is to get it wet in water to let it expand. Take the large bricks or other coco coir materials and soak them in an abundance of warm or hot water. Some growers will peel the coco coir apart while it's absorbing the water, others will wait for it to dry out.

Flush Out Water and Contaminants

After you've thoroughly soak the coco coir, press on it or work with it to flush the water out. Look for chunks of salt or other contaminants and make sure to get a lot of this extra stuff out of the mix.

Set pH Value

Most hydroponic plants thrive in an ideal range of about 5 to 6 -- to achieve this, you can add specific organic compounds like guanos or teas to adjust the pH to what's right for you. You can also adjust the pH of the nutrient water as you go.

Cut Coco Coir to Size

You're going to need to situate the coco coir into the individual plants pots, or pour croutons or other mixes into the plant pot.

These are some of the basic steps for dealing with coco coir in a hydroponics setup. Getting the right grow medium is just one part of introducing plants to the garden where they can be raised without soil. For more, check out Dealzer as we continue to educate growers on how to make the most of the equipment and gear that they bought.