What Is a Coir Brick?

History

• Not all soil is suitable for plant growth. Horticulturists have found that adding organic materials to soil improves the quality of soil as well as the health of the plant. For centuries, gardeners and cultivators have used sphagnum peat as a way to improve potting soil's aeration and water retentive qualities. The amendment is sterile, light and, for many years, easily obtainable. Eventually, the overuse of peat led to the exploration of alternative substances. In the 1970s and 1980s, scientists found that coir, a byproduct of coconut processing, provided the same qualities as peat. Coir was then obtained, packaged and sold in a variety of physical states to nurseries and garden centers. Currently, coir bricks, dust, inserts and bales are available to home growers.

Coir Bricks

• Coir bricks are dense, oblong pieces of woven coir. Add water to the compressed brick and it expands. Coir can then be added to garden soil in place of peat. Like peat, coir is best used in compacted soils or extremely porous, sandy soils. Coir helps sandy soil retain moisture and helps aerate compacted soil. Unlike compost, which breaks down and provides organic matter to soil, coir does not break down easily so only use it as a part of an organic compost amendment.

Other Uses

• Coir has many horticultural uses. It is often used in conjunction with perlite, peat, vermiculite and polystyrene foam in commercial potting mixes. Coir is also incorporated into garden soil to help lighten compacted areas.

  Wire hanging baskets lined with coir inserts are filled with soil and plants. Coir helps keep soil inside the basket and because of its texture and consistency, gardeners can plant flowers through the basket sides making for intriguing hanging basket arrangements.

Considerations

• Coir is purchased in large bricks but can also be found in long slabs. Long slabs are commercially sold within bags. Once water is added, the slabs expand within the bag and seed starts can be placed within its soilless growing medium. Ensure that your coir is low sodium. Since salt and chlorine are often used in processing coconut husks, coconut coir, which is a byproduct, can sometimes contain high quantities of these toxins.