An organic and naturally occurring product produced from mature coconut husks, coir substrate (or coco coir) is mainly used as a growing media or soilless substrate for horticulture applications. Because it is a coarse material obtained from the husk surrounding the coconut seed, coco coir is renewable and environment-friendly. Also, the coir substrate is suitable for improving plant yield and quality. The growing medium is favored by many gardeners around the world, as it is appropriate for growing different kinds of plants in an easy fast way. 

Top 4 reasons to grow plants in coco coir

Other than pure soil, nowadays, you can find numerous other mediums to grow strawberries, like Rock-wool, Perlite, or Bark. However, the best one to grow plants out of all the mediums is the coir substrate. Keep reading this article to know all the reasons for growing strawberries in coco coir:

1.   Soil pH

Unlike other mediums, coconut coir has a neutral pH level which is suitable to grow most of the garden vegetables and flowers. Usually, plants grow best in neutral to slightly alkaline conditions. When you use other mediums to amend a garden bed, an addition of agricultural lime is often necessary in order to combat the higher acidity. However, with coconut coir, limestone isn't necessary unless the soil naturally has a higher pH level. Using coco coir results in both monetary as well as labor savings, since you don't need to purchase further pH amendments nor work them into the soil.

2.   Drainage

The moisture retention capacity of coconut coir is very high, especially in quick-draining soils. Since coir breaks down slowly, it creates air pockets in the soil that allow excess moisture to drain away from plant roots. Meanwhile, in order to prevent drainage from occurring too quickly, the coir itself holds onto some moisture so that the soil doesn't dry out completely. This dual drainage and retention properties of coco coir allow it to improve moisture management in both heavy clay soils and dry, sandy beds.

3.   Soil Quality

The best thing about coco coir is that it comes packed with some nutrients, and therefore it doesn't add to the nutrient quality of the soil. Moreover, heavy feeding plants such as vegetables and some flowers need fertilization or compost amendments, but most herbs develop their best flavor in low-nutrient soils. Since coconut coir adds much-needed organic matter to the garden bed, it helps improve the overall quality of the soil over time. Annual coir amendments can result in loose, friable soil over time, which is the preferred soil quality for most garden plants.

4.   Sustainability

Once harvested, other growing mediums, such as peat moss, take centuries to regrow. On the other hand, coco coir is completely sustainable since it is a natural byproduct of coconut harvests and coconut trees produce new coconuts every year. 

Using the coir in the garden keeps it out of the landfill, where it can take a century or longer to fully break down. This is the reason why it's more sustainable to use coir to improve your garden soil.

Conclusion

The article has just shown you the top 4 reasons why growing strawberries in coco coir is the most perfect way for any grower. If you want to buy high-quality coco coir products at an affordable price, make sure to reach out to RIOCOCO. RIOCOCO is one of the most reliable and trusted suppliers of premium coco coir products to hundreds of clients around the world. To know more about the products, explore the website today