What is cocopeat?
what is cocopeat?
In this article from HexaGrowBag, we will discuss about cocopeat.
Cocopeat is a type of potting soil made from coconut fiber. If you have ever paid attention to coconut fruit, you will notice that it consists of three parts.
(Outer Shell) Primary hard shell
(Fiber) A fibrous layer
(Coconut Shell) Secondary hard shell containing the coconut food and coconut water inside this secondary shell
From ancient times the coconut fiber was used to make yarn and textiles. It is interesting to know that carpets made of coconut fibers are very expensive and are considered as luxury goods. The main fibers of the coconut are joined together by secondary fibers that are much finer. In the process of separating the main fibers, the secondary fibers are separated, which were discarded for a long time. For this reason, it is called by-product by-product. In the early twentieth century, the efficiency of this by-product in agriculture was discovered and it was named coco peat. Cocopeat must be properly processed to be used in agriculture. Today, several factories have been established in India and Sri Lanka to process cocopeat, and the quality of their products varies according to the quality of processing.
In the following article, we will summarize the facts about cocopeat , then we will go into more details.
Facts about cocopeat that you should know
It is prepared from the coating of coconut fruit core –
How it is processed has a strong impact on the final quality of the product –
India and Sri Lanka are the main producers of this product due to their dense coconut orchards.
Cocopeat does not contain minerals and nutrients by itself and has been considered only because of its hydration and porosity in the soil. Therefore, when using cocopeat, it should be enriched with substances such as calcium and other minerals, and it is better to use it in combination with perlite, peat moss and soil.
Cocopeat is neutral in terms of acidity or alkalinity –
Cocopeat is cheaper than peat moss –
. It will not decompose for up to 10 years, but over time it loses its water-absorbing properties –
How exactly is cocopeat produced?
After the coconut fruits are picked, its edible kernels are first separated by special machines and offered to the market for sale. The remaining husk is transported to cocopeat production centers. To separate the fibers, the shells need to be soaked in water for 3 to 6 months
This stage requires a very large space. It is not cost-effective to build large pools to soak the shells, so this is usually done in natural ponds or on the beach. Unfortunately, at this stage, a large amount of salt enters the shells, which in the next steps try to remove the salt by washing. After soaking the shells, they dry them in the sun for 6 months to a year. This whole process reduces the adhesion of the fibers and makes them detachable.
In the next step, the shells enter the machine to extract two products. Coarse fibers for textile use and fine fibers for agricultural use. In the past, only coarse fibers were considered a valuable commodity, and shredded fibers were discarded until their use in agriculture became common as cocopeat. Inside the machine, the main fibers are separated for textile use, while the secondary fibers and additional shell materials called cocopeat are stored in the machine’s tank. The resulting cocopeat is washed and pressed into a dense cube, circle or plate and then packed by a press.
Impact of the production process on the final quality of cocopeat
Now that you are familiar with the production process of cocopeat, you can understand the effect of different stages on the quality of the final product.
If the coconut shells are soaked in seawater, a large amount of salt will enter the cocopeat, which requires rinsing to reduce EC. If the washing is not done properly, the final product will not be suitable for growing many plants. Soaking in ponds is preferable to pond water because it is sweeter than the sea. In Sri Lanka, shells are usually soaked in ponds and the final products are of a higher quality.
The stage of drying under the sun is also very important. If not enough time is allocated to this stage, the final grain product will be larger. Coco peat with finer components will have a higher quality than coco peat with coarse particles.
Cocopeat components
In general, cocopeat consists of three parts
Peat: It is called fine-grained grains that are present in coco peat.
Fibers: Small strands of cocopeat are called fibers or coir.
Chips: A dense mass consisting of peat and fibers that are stuck together is called chips.
Types of cocopeat in the market in terms of quality
The coconuts on the market are made up of different percentages of peat, fiber and chips.
Fine: Fine texture consists of 85% peat and 15% fibers with a maximum size of four centimeters
Medium: Medium texture contains 80 to 85% of peat and also 15 to 20% of fibers with a maximum size of fifteen centimeters.
Coconuts: Coconuts contain 30% peat and 30 to 60% chips and the rest of the fibers with variable dimensions.
Two countries that have a suitable environment for growing coconut trees are India and Sri Lanka. Therefore, these countries produce and export cocopeat to other countries
Indian coco peats: These coco peets are usually kept in salt water so it is salty. It also decompresses less quickly when exposed to water
Sri Lankan coco peats: This coco peat is stored in ordinary water so it has no salinity and when released in the face of water, it decompresses sooner.
how to use
To use cocopeat, put it in a container and pour a lot of water on it. Due to its high absorption power compared to water, cocopeat absorbs all these waters and decompresses them. It is then mixed with soil, peat moss, perlite and nutrients and sown. You can watch the video below to see how to soak and prepare cocopeat
history of cocopeat
The history of using coco peat dates back to the 1990s. But because it did not contain nutrients, its use became obsolete. At present, cocopeat is widely used in hydroponic cultivation in the agricultural industry, especially in greenhouses. From ancient times, the coconut fiber part was used to produce yarn and textiles.
Advantages of using cocopeat
Cocopeat is free of any disease if it is produced using the right methods
The water storage in it is excellent and causes hydration to the roots
It is suitable for mixing with compacted soils and increases the respiration of plant roots
It can be reused in special circumstances
It is a renewable resource and does not harm the environment. Taken from nature and returned to nature after decomposition