WESSEX COCOPEAT®
-WHAT IT IS, AND WHY WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU SHOULD USE IT
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WHY USE ONLY WESSEX COCOPEAT® FROM SRI LANKA? GROWER APPLICATIONS OF COCOPEAT® COCOPEAT® - TYPICAL ANALYSIS |
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WESSEX COCOPEAT® (coir pith) is the by-product of the coconut fibre extraction process. Millions of tons of pith and short fibre exist in Sri Lanka and are available for controlled processing into horticultural grade growing media.
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Growing Coconuts and transporting them by river |
WHY USE ONLY WESSEX COCOPEAT® FROM SRI LANKA?
Sri Lanka grows coconuts mainly for the brown coir fibre which is used to make mattresses and rugs. In Sri Lanka it is the ripe brown coconut that is harvested and then placed in fresh water lagoons where they are soaked (retted) for 2-3 months to leach out resins and toxins. Most other countries use the green unripened husk which are not suitable for horticulture as they have a higher concentration of natural salts.
The waste coir is left in heaps for a minimum of 2-3 years to allow the natural ageing process to take place. During this time there are two monsoon seasons per year which definitely help leach out any salts that might be present. (Newly harvested coir is not suitable for horticulture because it has not gone through the natural ageing process therefore high levels of salts, resins and toxins may be present.)
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The split fruit drying in the sun |
Retting to release toxins |
The fibres for mattresses and rugs |
GROWER APPLICATIONS OF COCOPEAT®
It is recommended that a minimum of 30% can be used in media to realise the benefits. Plants can be grown in straight coir. Crops that have a long greenhouse bench life, where air porosity and shrinkage are key, are ideal targets.
CHARACTERISTICS OF COCOPEAT®
pH - 5-9 - 6.5
Water Holding Capacity: 9 times its dry weight in water. Its sponge-like structure has the ability to absorb large quantities of water very quickly, but it will not become waterlogged as excess water drains away
AFP - WESSEX COCOPEAT® has the ability to retain high quantities of oxygen without the need to add any other costly material (such as perlite or wetting agents etc.) Wessex Cocopeat® normally has 96% pore space and this allows the water to drain easily through, whilst preventing waterlogging, but at the same time holding maximum amounts of water (78%) in the ‘sponges’ which remain available, at low tensions, to the plants when/as required.
Shrinkage: Due to its high lignin and cellulose structure, it does not shrink.
Longevity. Wessex Cocopeat® has a naturally high lignin content (approx 45%) which inhibits bacterial and fungal breakdown and thus allows Wessex Cocopeat® to biodegrade much more slowly than peat moss. In fact it will stay full in the pot/container in excess of 5 years, making it ideal for plants such as roses that have to stay in the same container for a long time. Due to its high lignin structure it also does not shrink away from the sides of the pot.
Capping: Due to Wessex Cocopeat’s® structure, the sponges remain open and will absorb water very rapidly. It is easily wettable and will not shrink, crack or crust.
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC): WESSEX COCOPEAT® has a high CEC ratio, where nutrient ions are bound in the molecular structure and are not leached away but are held for release to the plant as required.
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REASONS FOR USING COCOPEAT®
Longevity - It biodegrades very slowly and is ideal for container grown plants & roses etc.
Easily Wettable - no need for wetting agent. Will not shrink, crack or crust.
Holds Water Longer - and will not waterlog. Good for baskets and small containers. The top ¼" will remain dry, preventing fungi growth - thus preventing fungus gnat
Considerably faster root establishment and growth (ideal for propagating) and faster crop yields.
Ideal pH range.
COCOPEAT® - TYPICAL ANALYSIS
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