How To Use Coconut Coir: 13 Expert Tips

Coconut coir has a lot of uses in your garden, from working as a mulch to being a growing medium for hydroponics. You can find it in almost every plant nursery or online. 

It’s made from repurposed coconut husks that have been soaked in water and dried in the sun for over a year. Producers separate the tiny fibers in the husks, rinse them, and press them for packaging. 

There are several amazing uses for coconut coir. Keep reading to get 13 expert tips on how to use coconut coir to improve your garden this year. 

Urban Worm Coco Coir

Urban Worm Coco Coir is a proven, eco-friendly worm bedding and soil amendment made from coconut husks. 2 of our 1.4-lb coco coir bricks is the perfect amount of bedding to start the Urban Worm Bag.

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Know Where it Comes From

As mentioned above, coconut coir is processed fiber from the husks of coconuts. Globally, over 62 million tons of coconuts are used annually. Most of this is for producing oil and food products like coconut milk and coconut water.

Processing its dense fibers takes a long time. Once producers have their coconuts, they soak them in water for a long time and break them down in a disintegrator. The fibrous material is then put through a mechanical screener and further broken down through several processes. Traditionally, this is all done by hand, using wooden mallets. 

Once it’s processed, the producers separate it into coconut fibers, peat, and chips. They usually shape it into bricks and ship them overseas. Most of the 1.26 million tons produced globally come from Indonesia, the Philippines, and India. 

Look for 100% Natural and Organic

Some products you find online and in nurseries may contain chemicals used in processing. Although this keeps the price down, it’s not good for the environment or your garden. 

Look for 100% natural products like this one. Natural products like these won’t leach chemicals into your garden. They’re made sustainably and leave less of an impact on the environment. 

Choose producers that use more sustainable production methods. Because the product is shipped long distances, it will never be 100% environmentally friendly. However, some companies do their best to limit their environmental impact. 

Rehydrate and Rinse It 

Most coir arrives in the store or online market as a dry compact brick. This is because it’s easier to ship that way as opposed to loose material in bags. 

Before you use it, it’s important to rehydrate it and give it a good rinse. Place the brick in a large bucket filled with warm water. After 30 minutes, it will expand to over 5 times the size of the dry brick. 

After it expands, give it another long rinse with fresh water. Coir is usually processed with salt water and sometimes chemicals. Rinse it well to remove these substances before using it in your garden. 

Use It As A Soil Amendment

One of the best uses for this natural product is as a soil amendment. It works like peat moss in your potting mix but is pH-neutral and produced more sustainably. 

Coconut coir makes garden soil more porous and well-drained. It absorbs up to 10 times its mass in water. This keeps your soil from getting waterlogged and retains moisture for longer. 

Plant roots have an easier time growing in soil amended with coir because of their porosity and water retention. It decomposes slower than peat and other soil amendments. 

Another benefit is its potential natural antifungal and proven insecticide properties. It contains lignin, which helps fight off harmful fungi and pests. This will help your plants stay free from disease. 

It Makes a Great Hydroponic Growing Medium

Coco coir is one of the best hydroponic growing mediums. Many products are 100% natural and organic. They are chemical-free and pH-neutral, which makes them like blank canvases for controlling pH and nutrient composition. 

Most of it comes in brick or cone form. It absorbs moisture and contains natural lignins, which may help keep harmful fungi from growing. It maintains a helpful air-to-water ratio which your hydroponic seedlings will love. 

Rinse them several times with fresh water before using them. This will remove any salt buildup. Because it’s naturally inert, use a coir-specific nutrient supplement. 

Use It In Your Seed Starting Mixes

Coir makes an excellent ingredient in seed-starting mixes. It absorbs water and helps the soil’s porosity. This helps the delicate roots of your seedlings grow and find water easily. 

Try mixing 1 part coconut coir with 1 part compost and 1 part perlite. This easy mix works great for getting your seeds to germinate indoors. It improves aeration and keeps the soil’s pH neutral. 

Find a product that’s 100% natural. To make sure there’s no leftover salt from its processing, soak it several times with fresh water. This should leach the salt out and make it safer to use in your mix.  

Support Your Climbers on Coco Poles

Coco poles are long poles made of coir. They work magically by providing support for climbing plants such as English Ivy, monstera, and pothos. 

These natural poles absorb moisture to their tops. Plants with aerial roots can tap into the moisture as they climb. This encourages them to grow vigorously towards their light source. The poles also naturally ward off pests and harmful fungi. 

Use them to replace sphagnum moss poles and wooden poles for houseplants and outdoor climbers. They’ll last a long time and when they eventually break down, you can reuse the material in your garden. 

Try Using Coconut Coir Pots

Coir pots can be excellent plantable alternatives to paper or cloth containers. This reusable material takes a long time to break down and makes the perfect natural container. 

Once your plants are mature, plant them directly in your garden. There’s no need to take them out of their containers. The container will naturally become part of your soil’s composition. Remove the bottom of the pot to promote easier root growth.

Try to find 100% natural and chemical-free containers. Consider soaking your pots before planting to get rid of excess salt.  

Line the Inside of Your Containers

Lining the inside of containers and pots with coco fiber is a great way to maintain balanced moisture. Instead of draining away, the material absorbs excess water, keeping the root zone moist for longer. 

This is especially helpful in dry, sunny areas with high rates of evaporation. Any size of pot and species of plant will do. 

It will act like a natural barrier between the soil and the container. When it’s time to repot your plant, simply plant the coir and root ball in new soil and a larger container. You can add more coir or reuse the used material again if it’s still holding its form. 

Use It To Line Hanging Baskets

Try lining your hanging baskets with this natural product. It will absorb excess water, which helps the soil stay moist for longer. It will also prevent excess water from leaking on the floor. 

Line your baskets with a layer or two of material. Try using a product that’s dense with fibers instead of coco peat or chips. They’ll keep their shape and mold to the inside of your basket. 

They’ll last for several seasons before eventually breaking down. Once that happens, simply toss them in your compost or garden soil. 

It Makes Wonderful Mulch

Try using coconut coir as a mulch for your houseplants or garden. It absorbs water better than most mulch alternatives and keeps the root zone moist and cool. It helps keep the ground stable and prevents nutrient leaching during heavy rainfall. 

This natural mulch protects the soil and promotes a healthy biome underneath. You’ll encourage a flourishing biome of helpful critters, such as earthworms, which improve your soil’s health. 

Another reason to use it as mulch is its ability to ward off pests and harmful fungi. It contains naturally high amounts of lignin. This natural compound may help deter pests and may also work as a natural fungicide. 

Use It As a Soil Stabilizer

Coir works magically as a soil stabilizer to prevent erosion. If you garden on a hillside, it can help trap moisture and prevent leaching. 

If there’s heavy rainfall, it will absorb excess water and keep the soil in place. It creates air pockets that improve drainage. The pockets trap particles and hold them in place before they erode. 

It Makes a Greats Medium for Succulents

Succulents don’t need a lot of water to survive and it’s easy to over-water them. Coco coir naturally absorbs excess water and if you’re careful, this can be beneficial for your succulents. 

Combine coco coir with well-drained and coarse substances like sand and gravel, and add a little compost for nutrients. The strong fibers will trap moisture and help prevent root rot and other diseases. Make sure your medium is less than one-third coir so it provides enough drainage. 

Because of its moisture-retaining powers, you won’t have to water your succulents as much. Use a spray bottle or mister to gentry water your succulents once you notice the soil is completely dry.