Peat moss has long been one of the popular ingredients used by gardeners and growers in compost mixes and sowing. Gardeners have been particularly drawn to peat given their ability to retain moisture, hold nutrients, and provide a good soil structure. Yet, the harvesting of peat bogs has had serious impacts on climate change, with the UK government taking steps to ban the sale of peat in horticulture. With many gardeners and growers now looking towards alternative, coir-based products that are completely free of peat moss have gained popularity.
The urgent need for peat-free alternatives in horticulture
Peat bogs contain almost a third of the world’s carbon, and the continued mining of peat moss can release that carbon into the atmosphere, negatively impacting the environment and contributing to climate change. Peatlands are also home to rare plants, birds, and insects, with the harvesting of peat having an adverse impact on these native habitats. According to Forestry England, about 80% of the Uk’s peatland habitats have been either lost or damaged.
Amidst such concerns, environmental organisations and researchers as well as leading horticulturalists worldover, including British horticulturist and broadcaster Monty Don, have recognised the use of coir as an alternative to peat. The use of coir in horticulture, however, is not wholly new, with coir and various other soil-based composts used before peat moss became popular in the 1950s.
The move towards natural, sustainable, and peat-free coir products
Coir is a waste product of the coconut industry and a completely natural and peat-free resource. Coir-based products are made with the fibres extracted from the husk of the coconut. When coconuts are harvested and husked, the long and short fibres are separated. The long fibres are used to produce a variety of household and other products, such as ropes, doormats, and brushes. In the past, the short fibres were discarded and considered a waste. However, over time, this waste material was used to make various coir-based products for growing.
In fact, in the late 1940s, in an article in the journal Economic Botany, E. P. Hume writes about the type of waste product he saw in the process of extracting long fibres from the coconut husk. He describes the by-product as ‘a mass of tiny, brown, irregularly shaped particles’ that resembled a type of ‘coir dust’, similar to the horticultural peat. He suggests the term coco peat for this coir dust, and recognises the use of coco peat for mulching, soil conditioning, and propagation, as well as noting its high water and moisture retaining capacities. Today, various coir-based products are available.
Coir is thus a repurposed and renewable resource, biodegradable, and organic. Key advantages of coir include its ability to retain water and moisture well, which helps produce strong and healthy root systems. Coir-based products also provide excellent drainage, preventing plant flooding, while coir also decomposes slowly and can withstand compression better than peat.
A distinct range of sustainable and peat-free coir products and bundles
At CoirProducts.co.uk, we provide a distinct range of coir-based products and bundles for gardeners and growers. Made with the natural material extracted from the husk of the coconut, all our coir products are produced to meet the highest industry standards. They are completely peat-free, and are manufactured with minimal harm on the environment.
CoirProducts coir potting mix comes in a range of blocks, bricks, and bags as well as discs. These compressed bricks, blocks, and discs are versatile and easy-to-use. To use CoirProducts peat-free coir potting mix, simply add water and let the mix expand, with each sized product producing varied volumes of coir. For example, when expanded, our signature 5kg coco peat block provides approximately 70L of coir. CoirProducts CoirCoins are known for their high germination rates, and are suitable for sowing a variety of seeds, whether indoors or outdoors.
CoirProducts coir pots come in a distinct range of sizes from 5cm to 28m, with the smaller pots ideal for sowing and the bigger pots suitable for larger plants. While they are peat-free, CoirProducts coir pots are also a great alternative to plastic pots. A further benefit of using CoirProducts coir pots is that there is no transplanting shock when repotting plants, as plant roots can grow through the coir pots. CoirProducts hanging baskets are a great space-saver. CoirProducts mulch mats are particularly useful for blocking sunlight and preventing the growth of unwanted weeds in your gardens, while CoirProducts grow poles or moss poles are the perfect aid for those creepers. CoirProducts grow bags are ideal for use indoors and outdoors and have been popularly used for growing tomatoes, cucumbers, and aubergines to name a few.
At CoirProducts, we also offer a unique array of peat-free coir bundles. Combining a selection of our products, these specially curated bundles are ideal whether you are a seasoned gardener or new to using coir. So why not give it a try? And it’s free delivery for all our products purchased via our online shop.
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