Coco coir ships dry and compressed, so a brick that fits in your hand turns into a bucket of growing medium. A 650 g coco peat brick expands to about 10 quarts, and a 5 kg block to about 59 quarts. All it takes is warm water and a little patience.
What you need
- A bucket, tub or wheelbarrow big enough for the coir to grow 5 to 7 times in volume
- Warm water (warm water works faster than cold)
- Gloves, if you like
How much water to use
| Product | Warm water | Expands to about |
|---|---|---|
| Coco peat brick, 650 g | 1.75 to 2.5 liters (about half a gallon) | 10 quarts (0.33 cu ft) |
| Coco chips brick, 500 g | 1.75 to 2.5 liters (about half a gallon) | 0.25 cu ft |
| Coco peat block, 5 kg | 18 to 20 liters (about 5 gallons) | 59 quarts (about 2 cu ft) |
| Coco chips block, 4.5 kg | 18 to 20 liters (about 5 gallons) | 50 quarts |
| Coir disc, 60 mm | Enough to cover | 120 ml each |
| Coir pellet, 30 mm | Enough to cover | A 40 ml plug each |
Step by step
- Set the brick in your container. Leave plenty of room, because it grows a lot.
- Pour in about half the water. Add the rest over the next few minutes as the coir soaks it up. Adding it in stages stops you overdoing it.
- Wait 30 to 40 minutes. Bricks and blocks soften from the outside in. Discs and pellets only take 5 to 10 minutes.
- Break it apart and fluff it. Crumble any dry lumps between your fingers until the coir is loose and even.
- Check the moisture. Squeeze a handful. A few drops of water is just right. If it streams out, tip off the extra water or leave the coir to drain.
Tips
- Only need a little? Saw or cut a piece off the brick and soak just that. The rest keeps dry for later.
- Leftovers keep. Expanded coir stores well in a bag or bin. Let it dry out a little first so it doesn't get musty.
- Feed your plants. Coir is clean and holds almost no nutrients, so mix in compost or feed with fertilizer once plants are growing.
- No rinse needed for most gardens. Kokkonut coir is washed to a low EC (0.5 mS/cm or less). Hydroponic growers often pre-charge coir with a calcium and magnesium solution, because coir can hold on to those nutrients.
What to use it for
- Coco peat: seed starting, potting mix, raised beds, hydroponics and worm bins
- Coco chips: orchids, aroids, succulents, mulch and reptile enclosures
Not sure how much you need? Try our coir calculator, or shop coco peat bricks, 5 kg blocks and starter kits.
