What is Cocopeat?

Cocopeat is a multi purpose growing medium made out of coconut husk. The fibrous coconut husk is pre washed, machine dried, sieved and made free from sand and other contaminations such as animal and plant residue.

Cocopeat is a very good alternative to traditional peat moss and Rock wool. Its air filled porosity and high water holding capacity makes it, an ideal growing medium for the plant crops. It is 100% organic and eco friendly, free from soil borne pathogen and weed. It has a pH of 5.7 – 6.5 ,EC level <1 mS/cm is ideal for plant growth.

How Cocopeat is extracted

All our products are based on the same thing: coconut husks. By using a variety of processing methods, we produce three materials: coco peat, coco chips and coco fibre.

Once the husks have been received in our production plants they are stored centrally for at least six weeks, after which further processing can begin. The husks are beaten or decorticated to remove the fibres, which leaves us with coco peat. The coco peat is transported to our storage bunkers immediately after the fibres have been removed.

There it is stored and so begins the ageing process in which the coco peat is stabilised. This process takes at least four months. Once it is over, we sieve the coco peat to remove the last remaining fibres. The coco peat is then dried and taken to the pressing shop, where it is compressed into 5kg blocks and briquettes. After this, the products are shipped in sea containers.

Cleaning & Purifying

After sieving, we can subject the coco peat to further treatment, e.g. the coco peat can be washed. Elements which are freely soluble in water, such as potassium, sodium and chloride, are removed. The salt content is reduced to an EC < 1.0 mS/cm [1:1.5 water extraction method].

In addition to this, we can also buffer the coco peat. During this process, calcium [2+] is introduced in order to remove monovalent positive ions such as potassium [1+] from the coconut complex. In this way, we remove not only elements which are soluble in water but also elements which are bound to the coconut complex. Washing and buffering is done in our own coconut fields.

The final Process

The fibre that we remove from the husk is excellent for use in growing media. Coco fibres improve the capillary action of the growing medium. For this reason, they have to satisfy a number of strict requirements, e.g. in terms of length, thickness and EC. We remove the fibres by decorticating, beating or defibring the husk.

We then select them on the basis of thickness, as fibres which are too thin decompose at too fast a rate and therefore lose their effect too quickly. The remaining fibres are graded according to quality, cut to size, washed, dried and compressed.

Benefits Of Cocopeat

Cocopeat is a natural fibre made out of coconut husks. The extraction of the coconut fibre from husks gives us this by-product. Cocopeat is a 100% natural growing medium.

This cocopeat dried in the natural sun, are processed to produce different items namely block, briquettes, cocopeat disc and so on.. This makes an excellent growing medium for hydrophonics, or container plant growing. Clean coir has natural rooting hormones and anti-fungal properties.

• Loosens the potting mixture by increasing porosity.
• Helps in keeping soil loose for better air transport and improving rooting of plants
• Helps in improving water holding capacity ( Coco peat has 8x water holding capacity than soil )
• On decomposing it adds carbon to soil ( carbon sequestration)
• Provides great environment for growth of microorganisms.
• Easy uprooting of nursery plants helps in better drainage of soil and avoiding water logging.
  Overall, majorly Coco peat is used for increasing water holding capacity and as a potting mixture.

• Cocopeat is light, easy to handle and can even be reused for up to 4 years.
• Cocopeat is perfect soil conditioner, and it can retain moisture up to eight times of its volume. It is entirely organic.
• Coco peat is free of bacterial and fungal spores, so you will not introduce diseases into the garden or greenhouse.
• Easy to hydrate. It decreases water and nutrient usage. Ideal for growing specialty products such as mushrooms and microgreens.
• Coco peat has a pH of between 5.6 and 6.8. Many plants and microbes prefer mildly acidic soil. This pH allows plant roots to easily absorb nutrients.
• Coir improves the overall quality of soil. With repeated applications or in the correct mix rates, soil will become more friable and loose.
• It is resistant to mold and mildew. products are sterilized during production. Its low salt content limits salt buildup/burning.
• Cocopeat disintegrates slowly. It only begins to break down when it is ten years old, thus providing long-term benefits.
• Cocopeat is available at affordable price for a quality product with an environmentally sustainable future.

Coco husk chips

Chips are extremely suitable as an additive in potting soils. They make for a well aerated mixture, while at the same time holding moisture. Chips also undergo careful treatment before they can be used. They are cut first, and then either washed or buffered. After that they are dried and compressed.