| Revision as of 07:17, 9 December 2016 edit82.135.213.147 (talk)No edit summary← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 16:29, 10 December 2016 edit undoQuercus solaris (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users17,650 edits Merging this to coir because there is no logical plan for how to keep the facets of coverage separate. | ||
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| '''Coco fibre''' (''' It is not peat. Peat is different product than coco fibre'''), also known as '''coir pith'''. '''coir fibre pith''', '''coir dust''', or simply ''']''', is made from ] ]s, which are ] of other industries that use coconuts.<ref name="Mason2003">{{cite book|last=Mason|first=John|title=Sustainable Agriculture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8dg2Fx1uPSoC&pg=PA192|accessdate=14 May 2015|year=2003|publisher=Landlinks Press|isbn=978-0-643-06876-6|pages=192–}}</ref> coco fibre primarily consists of the coir fibre pith or coir dust which is obtained by processing coconut husk and removing the long fibres. The coco fibre which is obtained can hold large quantities of water, just like a sponge. It is used as a replacement for traditional peat in soil mixtures, or, as a soil-less substrate for plant cultivation.<ref name="Mason2003"/> | |||
| Coir waste from coir fiber industries is washed, heat-treated, screened and graded before being processed into coco peat products of various granularity and denseness, which are then used for horticultural and agricultural applications and as industrial absorbent. | |||
| Usually shipped in the form of compressed bales, briquettes, slabs or discs, the end user usually expands and aerates the compressed coco peat by the addition of water. A single kilogram of coco peat will expand to 15 litres of moist coco peat. | |||
| ==Uses== | |||
| ===Botanical=== | |||
| Coco fibre is used as a ]. Due to low levels of nutrients in its composition, coco fibre is usually not the sole component in the medium used to grow plants. When plants are grown exclusively in coco peat, it is important to add nutrients according to the specific plants' needs. Coco peat from ], ] and ] contains several macro- and micro-plant nutrients, including substantial quantities of ]. This extra potassium can interfere with magnesium availability. Adding extra Magnesium through the addition of ]s can correct this issue. | |||
| Some Coco fibre is not fully decomposed when it arrives and will use up available nitrogen as it does so (known as drawdown), competing with the plant if there is not enough. Poorly sourced coco fibre can have excess salts in it and needs washing (check electrical conductivity of run-off water, flush if high). It holds water well and holds around 1000 times more air than soil. Adding slow release fertilizers or organic fertilizers are highly advised when growing with coco fibre. | |||
| Common uses of coco fibre include: | |||
| * As a substitute for peat, because it is free of bacteria and most fungal spores, and is ] without the environmental damage caused by peat mining. | |||
| * Mixed with sand, compost and fertilizer to make good quality ]. Coco peat generally has an acidity in the range of pH - 5.5 to 6.5. It is a little on the acidic side for some plants, but many popular plants can tolerate this pH range. | |||
| * As substrate for growing ], which thrive on the cellulose. Coco peat has high ] and ] content. | |||
| Coco fibre can be re-used up to three times with little loss of yield. Coco fibre from diseased plants should not be re-used. | |||
| ===Others=== | |||
| Being a good absorbent, dry coco peat can be used as an oil absorbent on slippery floors. Coco peat is also used as a bedding in animal farms and pet houses to absorb animal waste so the farm is kept clean and dry. | |||
| Coco fibre is hydrophilic unlike sphagnum moss and can quickly reabsorb water even when completely dry. Coco peat is porous and cannot be overwatered easily. | |||
| ==Biosecurity risks== | |||
| Coco fibre can harbour ]s that pose a threat to the ] of countries into which it is imported. Coco peat has been imported into ] since about 1989 with a marked increase since 2004. By 2009 a total of 25 new weed species have been found in imported coco peat. The regulations relating to importing coco peat into New Zealand have been amended to improve the biosecurity measures.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/imports/plants/coco-peat|title=Coco peat/Coir fibre|date=17 March 2009|publisher=MAF Biosecurity New Zealand|accessdate=30 October 2010}}</ref> | |||
| '']'' is a naturally occurring fungus in coco peat; it works in symbiosis with plant roots to protect them from pathogenic fungi such as '']''. It is not present in sterilized coco peat. ''Trichoderma'' is also destroyed by ].{{cn|date=May 2015}} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| *{{cite web|url=http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/imports/plants/coco-peat/new-to-nz-weed-guide.pdf|title=A Guide to Weeds Found in Imported Coco Peat|date=September 2008|publisher=MAF Biosecurity New Zealand}} | |||
| {{Coconut}} | |||
| {{Hydroculture}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:29, 10 December 2016
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