If you’re new to gardening life, then you might come across the DIY coconut fiber for plants. Known as one of the most versatile plants, every part of the coconut can be used for a lot of things. Even the skin of the fruit can serve as one of the most popular elements in gardening. Not only it is natural, but it also has a lot of benefits. Here’s what using coconut fiber for your garden can give you.
1. Peat Moss Alternative
Peat moss is one of the most famous elements in gardening. It can be used for potting mix and garden soil. You might also find it on hydroponic growing media. However, it is synthetic and made from decomposed organic materials. In that case, you could use coconut fiber as a more eco-friendly alternative.
It is also known to have better features than peat moss. Even though they both absorb water at a similar volume, coconut fiber tends to release it more slowly than peat moss. On the other hand, peat moss is very acidic and therefore needs careful pre-treatment before being used in your plants. Coconut fiber also contains sodium, chloride, and potassium salts which makes this material require less potassium fertilizer.
2. Easy to Find
Coconut fiber for plants is very easy to find. It usually comes as a by-product of any coconut processing industry. You could use coconut fiber for both indoor and outdoor plants. They are made from coconut shell chips. It is great for plant absorbency, water retention, and also drainage system for potting soil.
3. Last Long
Since it is hard to break, it will last longer than its competition, peat moss. It could keep water and aeration for your plants. Therefore, this material is very low maintenance. It could also provide great support for the potting soil structure. Not to mention the texture that feels fluffy and has no strong odor that could annoy you if you use it for indoor plants.
Using Coconut Fiber Tips
There are some tips that you might want to apply before using coconut fiber for your plants. The first one is to soak it with diluted fertilizer. Coconut fibers lack nutrients, and therefore you need to give calcium and magnesium supplements to give it additional value and to supply nutrients for your plants.
The next tip is to mix it with perlite or expanded clay balls. This is because coconut fiber in peat form could be water-retentive. You need to combine it with other hydrophobic materials to keep your plants from waterlogging and rot. Last, make sure you already wash the coconut fiber to free it from excessive amounts of salt.
That is all about coconut fiber for plants. It is highly beneficial and versatile. It’s also a great potting soil if you are looking for something eco-friendly. It’s also easy to find so you can be creative with this material in your garden. Make sure you give the right pre-treatment before applying it to your plants.
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