Coco coir is easy to love. A renewable and soilless medium that has antifungal properties and provides excellent growing qualities like water retention, reliable drainage and ideal aeration for a healthy root system and happy plants. Also, it’s pet-friendly!

It's a lot to love, but what exactly is coco coir, and what’s the best way to use it? Read on.

What is coco coir?

Coco coir, also known as coco peat or coco pith, is the corky material in the exterior shell of the coconut, which has usually been removed from the coconuts that you find in grocery stores.  Coco coir is a 100% organic, natural, and bio-degradable substance that is used to make many products, one of the main ones being a superior soilless growing medium used in gardening as potting mix, mulch, and soil amendment.

To understand which part of the coconut the coir comes from, take a look at this image:

Why we love coco coir

While coco coir has been popular among hydroponic growers for a while, it is still fairly new or unknown to many soil home gardeners who have now begun to embrace the benefits of this growing medium, but we are working hard to make it known and easily available to all!

Among many other benefits of using coco coir, here are some of our favorites:

• Coco coir is inert, meaning that it does not contain nutrients within itself, so this allows you to add the nutrients that you prefer and customize your nutrient mix based on your plants' needs. Because of this characteristic, coconut coir is also an excellent growing medium for hydroponics. 
• Water immediately soaks into coconut coir, even if its completely dry, and isn't hydrophobic like peat moss. Coco coir holds water well and releases it to your plants as needed, which is why it's great for reducing watering frequency.
• Coco coir is easy to work with and can be used for all your plants, even succulents! We love that it decomposes slowly and adds more and more organic matter to your growing medium as it does. 
• It can be reused! Take a look at this guide to learn about reusing coco coir.

What can coco coir be used for?

Is coco coir for you?

Your growing medium of choice should depend on what you value most. If you are looking for a high-quality, environmentally sustainable, aerated, and fast-draining growing medium, then coco coir is for you!

Also, if you are interested in setting up a hydroponic system or indoor garden, then you need to get your hands on coco coir. Whether you are a novice or an experienced gardener, you will not be disappointed with the results. 

Give coco coir a shot! You will be pleased by the combination of benefits it offers.