Before exploring popular perlite alternatives, it’s best to review what perlite is and how it’s used. This will help you pinpoint the best alternative for perlite in your particular setup. Perlite is a volcanic mineral. When heated, it pops like popcorn and expands to 13 times its original size. The resulting mineral is lightweight and porous. […]
What Makes Good Soil Media
Good soil media meet all of a plant’s needs, from hydration and nutrient delivery to drainage, aeration, and support. An effective soil media should: Retain moisture well. Be weed-, pest-, and disease-free. Drain and aerate well. Have consistent quality. Be dense enough to support seeds and seedlings, yet light enough for roots to grow easily. […]
How is Coco Peat Made?
There are many ways to make coco peat, but the production process generally begins by collecting coconut coir, which is the fiber on the coconut husk. Most manufacturers collect coco peat through a process that looks like this: Collect coconuts from the trees and store for a six-week curing process. Peel the outer layer of […]
What is Coco Peat?
Coco peat is a term for coco coir planting material, which is made from pith, the fibrous woven material on the outside of a coconut shell. This coir is removed and then shredded into a very fine mulch. After that, you can use it for planting or gardening in place of (or in addition to) […]
Preparing Your Coconut for Planting
Left to their own devices, coconuts grow very well when they fall to the ground in a damp, tropical climate and are left alone to germinate. If you don’t live in a tropical climate or you want to speed the germination process for your coconut tree, there are several steps you can take to give […]