Learn to Identify the Best Coco Coir!

As the popularity of coconut coir has risen, so has the competition between producers. This competition has led some manufacturers to cut corners with their coco coir. For consumers, it can be difficult to learn to identify the best coco coir available on the market. Here are a few things to look for when making your purchase.

Manufacturing Process

How your coco coir was processed will affect its quality. For instance, some coir manufacturers will use chemicals on the product to protect it from pests and bacteria while it’s stored. This treatment could spell problems later on if you plan to use it as a growing medium rather than for ornamental reasons. You’ll want to look for the best coco coir that hasn’t been treated chemically but was stored appropriately to prevent infestation. Considering that some coir gets stored for years during the manufacturing process, storage can be one of the most critical factors affecting quality. 

Supply Chain

Another thing to look at when trying to find the best coco coir is the supply chain. A coconut coir producer that keeps a firm grasp on every aspect of creating coir, from harvesting to selling, will be more likely to make sure everything is done correctly to produce the highest quality coir for consumers. These producers are looking to get your repeat business by handling their coir correctly. 

Asking about a company’s quality control process is a good way to make sure you’re using the best material. Proper storage, cleaning, and even packaging can make a difference between the quality of coco coir products available for purchase.

Lack of Expansion

If you soak recently purchased coir and notice it doesn’t expand or absorb water as it should, there’s an issue. It’s possible that you’ve gotten a bad batch of coconut coir, since this natural product has inherent variability. But it’s also possible that the way it was manufactured is to blame. If it’s a brand you’ve never used before, you might have received poor-quality coir. If it’s a brand you’ve used previously without issue, you might want to contact the company to let it know about the problem you’re experiencing.

Best Coco Coir For Your Purposes

Lastly, when purchasing the best coco coir, consider what you’re planning to do with it. There are several forms you can buy based on how you’ll use it. Blocks of coco coir are often used for soil amendments or as growing mediums. You can use coco coir twine for trellising and supporting plants in the garden. Coco coir fibers are excellent for lining hanging containers or baskets. You can use thicker chunks of coco coir in your soil as an amendment or even as a mulch.

Learning to identify the best coco coir doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s often as simple as checking into a manufacturer’s methodologies and examining how well the coco coir performs. Once you’ve identified a trusted brand, continue using it to keep your hydroponic system or other garden setup consistent.