How Economical Is Coco Coir?

[Guest]

After looking into some research into how Coco Coir is actually produced is shocked me

Someone once told me it took so many litres of fresh water to produce coco for growing. This made me wander as I originally thought being a bi product that this would make this product eco friendly.

After reading a few articles about this I thought it may be worth a share here.
After all I love my controversial subjects

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Coir.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/en ... onut-fiber

Also what I didn't know is the compressed coco coir is heat treated to make it viable for growing use which seems very contradictory to me.

What do you think?

[KD]

It's either bin it or put it to use imo. The fact that it literally grows on trees makes it renewable unlike peat from a bog.

Edit: in what way is heat treating compressed bricks a contradiction?

[grow_guided]

Each to there own but I can’t stand the stuff as a growing medium, not even considering the environmental issue I just plain don’t like coco.
Good post

[Guest]

It's either bin it or put it to use imo. The fact that it literally grows on trees makes it renewable unlike peat from a bog.

Edit: in what way is heat treating compressed bricks a contradiction?

Well dave, you're using a lot of energy to produce the coir. This would be more sustainable if it was local, like if you lookand read the read how the locals used to origionally produce this stuff for cloth, fibres for growing too, it was the best thing they could do. Humans used to make the most of lots of waste product in many cases but now this would be produced in a factory which would not be very sustainable and using a lot of energy, power and water to make it fit for purpose.

There are arguments about the peat bogs. This started from Ireland where they have been digging their bogs for the peat, for heat uses to slowly burn in their fires. It is the only thing they had.
I completely agree peat can be damaging to the environment, but what isn't these days.....? I intend my soils now to last for a lifetime.
Apparently there are excessive amounts of peat bogs untouched around the world. There are many alternatives to this though. In the US you can get a product was origionally a waste product but has the same sort of properties as peat. If you wanted to build a living soil there would be nothing stopping you using that alternative.

Things aren't always that short sighted nor black and white are they.

[Guest]

Each to there own but I can’t stand the stuff as a growing medium, not even considering the environmental issue I just plain don’t like coco.
Good post

Yeah each to there own. Never completely rule things out though. It is good to see things from all angles I think.

I would like to try a Salt based grow. I wander now if there is something more locally sourced that I could use instead

Pity there is no coconut tree's near by

[KD]

It's either bin it or put it to use imo. The fact that it literally grows on trees makes it renewable unlike peat from a bog.

Edit: in what way is heat treating compressed bricks a contradiction?

Well dave, you're using a lot of energy to produce the coir. This would be more sustainable if it was local, like if you lookand read the read how the locals used to origionally produce this stuff for cloth, fibres for growing too, it was the best thing they could do. Humans used to make the most of lots of waste product in many cases but now this would be produced in a factory which would not be very sustainable and using a lot of energy, power and water to make it fit for purpose.

There are arguments about the peat bogs. This started from Ireland where they have been digging their bogs for the peat, for heat uses to slowly burn in their fires. It is the only thing they had.
I completely agree peat can be damaging to the environment, but what isn't these days.....? I intend my soils now to last for a lifetime.
Apparently there are excessive amounts of peat bogs untouched around the world. There are many alternatives to this though. In the US you can get a product was origionally a waste product but has the same sort of properties as peat. If you wanted to build a living soil there would be nothing stopping you using that alternative.

Things aren't always that short sighted nor black and white are they.

So now you're implying I'm short sighted? I think it's best we stop talking to each other if you can't have an adult discussion without throwing or implying things about the other person. You don't know me bro

[Guest]

It's either bin it or put it to use imo. The fact that it literally grows on trees makes it renewable unlike peat from a bog.

Edit: in what way is heat treating compressed bricks a contradiction?

Well dave, you're using a lot of energy to produce the coir. This would be more sustainable if it was local, like if you lookand read the read how the locals used to origionally produce this stuff for cloth, fibres for growing too, it was the best thing they could do. Humans used to make the most of lots of waste product in many cases but now this would be produced in a factory which would not be very sustainable and using a lot of energy, power and water to make it fit for purpose.

There are arguments about the peat bogs. This started from Ireland where they have been digging their bogs for the peat, for heat uses to slowly burn in their fires. It is the only thing they had.
I completely agree peat can be damaging to the environment, but what isn't these days.....? I intend my soils now to last for a lifetime.
Apparently there are excessive amounts of peat bogs untouched around the world. There are many alternatives to this though. In the US you can get a product was origionally a waste product but has the same sort of properties as peat. If you wanted to build a living soil there would be nothing stopping you using that alternative.

Things aren't always that short sighted nor black and white are they.

So now you're implying I'm short sighted? I think it's best we stop talking to each other if you can't have an adult discussion without throwing or implying things about the other person. You don't know me bro

Why the attitude then?

Calm your testicles down a little. Do some tea bagging or something

Anyway, it is a different post Dave FFS

[KD]

Well dave, you're using a lot of energy to produce the coir. This would be more sustainable if it was local, like if you lookand read the read how the locals used to origionally produce this stuff for cloth, fibres for growing too, it was the best thing they could do. Humans used to make the most of lots of waste product in many cases but now this would be produced in a factory which would not be very sustainable and using a lot of energy, power and water to make it fit for purpose.

There are arguments about the peat bogs. This started from Ireland where they have been digging their bogs for the peat, for heat uses to slowly burn in their fires. It is the only thing they had.
I completely agree peat can be damaging to the environment, but what isn't these days.....? I intend my soils now to last for a lifetime.
Apparently there are excessive amounts of peat bogs untouched around the world. There are many alternatives to this though. In the US you can get a product was origionally a waste product but has the same sort of properties as peat. If you wanted to build a living soil there would be nothing stopping you using that alternative.

Things aren't always that short sighted nor black and white are they.

So now you're implying I'm short sighted? I think it's best we stop talking to each other if you can't have an adult discussion without throwing or implying things about the other person. You don't know me bro

Why the attitude then?

Calm your testicles down a little. Do some tea bagging or something

Anyway, it is a different post Dave FFS

What attitude? You asked for an opinion and I gave mine. That is allowed right Mr boss man sir?

[Guest]

So now you're implying I'm short sighted? I think it's best we stop talking to each other if you can't have an adult discussion without throwing or implying things about the other person. You don't know me bro

Why the attitude then?

Calm your testicles down a little. Do some tea bagging or something

Anyway, it is a different post Dave FFS

What attitude? You asked for an opinion and I gave mine. That is allowed right Mr boss man sir?

[grow_guided]

Each to there own but I can’t stand the stuff as a growing medium, not even considering the environmental issue I just plain don’t like coco.
Good post

Yeah each to there own. Never completely rule things out though. It is good to see things from all angles I think.

I would like to try a Salt based grow. I wander now if there is something more locally sourced that I could use instead

Pity there is no coconut tree's near by

I totally see the use for it, that’s what brought me to try it out I just get poor results each time and went back to using a Pete based potting mix. I know people swear by it and get great results but I can’t replicate them.