If you want to produce more microgreens the excellent way- be it for microgreens business or at home- you must scientifically know how to use coco coir for Microgreens as a planting medium.

As the natural soil alternative, COCO coir for microgreens gives microgreen producers a wealth of advantages, from excellent water retention to a balanced pH level. Also, proper drainage and aeration guard against excessive moisture absorption.

The way coco coir prevents microgreen roots from rot. Once you understand our analyses on how to work with coco coir for microgreens, your little green giants, too, can burst with myriads of green leaves on their young stems. This priceless post highlights some essential microgreen facts, including selecting the best coco coir for microgreens.

What is coco coir? 

Coco coir is made from the coconut fruit’s shell. Due to its superior drainage and aeration, growers frequently use coco coir in place of soil because it is available as processed bricks or blocks.

The coco coir bricks can be combined with your favorite nutrients and temperate filter water to create an advanced planting medium for microgreens. Significantly, 100% organic coco coir quickly and efficiently absorbs, holds onto, and distributes moisture and nutrients. 

What is a microgreen?

Ordinary green vegetables are harvested young from sprouting without their roots to create microgreens. Compared to mature specimens of the same plant, they frequently contain higher levels of vitamins and minerals.

Can You Grow Microgreens In Coco Coir?

Yes! You can use coco coir like any other potting soil or peat. Almost all plants, including microgreens, will benefit from being planted in coco coir. 

Another argument in favor of the coco coir alternative for microgreens is that growing microgreens often doesn’t require nutrients because, by harvesting early in the growing cycle, all essential nutrients come from the seed and are later produced by photosynthesis. Therefore, one of the finest microgreen farming ideas would be cultivating microgreens in coco coir. 

The delicate structure of coco coir also facilitates easier germination for tiny green plants. Enough water is delivered while preventing rot, thanks to improved aeration and drainage.

5 Best Coco Coir For Microgreens

Our buying guide on selecting features for advanced Coco Coir for Microgreens remains as follows.

  • Certified Pre-Perforated Coco Coir Brick
  • Less Compressed
  • Non-Steam Sterilized for Optimum Water Retention
  • Pre-Blend Coco Peat Mix with Perlite/Pumice/Vermiculite
  • Wrapped and Recent Dated

Our picks- 5 best brands of coco coir for starting microgreen seeds: 

  • Mother Earth Coco Perlite
  • Green Dream Premium Coir Brick
  • Envelop Potting Soil Coco Perlite
  • CANNA Coco Brick
  • BurpeeXL Super Growing Pellets

Coco Coir Vs. Soil Microgreens

While coco coir offers some additional benefits, the soil is a naturally occurring growing medium that is rich in nutrients and produces larger yields of more natural microgreens.

It is simpler to dispose of extra water when using coco coir projects for microgreen farming. When compared to soil, they are smaller. However, every root and remnant of harvested greens must be eliminated before reusing, which is also quite challenging.

Is Coco Coir Better Than Soil For Micro Green Farming?

Yes, at some point, coco coir can outperform soil for microgreen farming. Reasonably, choosing well-drained soil high in organic matter is crucial to ensure the optimal growth of your microgreens. At this point, coco coir would be the best bet.

Because disease-free healthy germination of seeds is essential during microgreen farming, and at that time, they are attacked by a type of fungal attack called mold, which usually occurs due to insufficient ventilation, warmth & over-Moistening soil. 

Despite the high productivity and availability of soil in microgreen farming, it has been observed that using cocoa coir results in semi-dry soil instead of being too wet. This mold attack is more likely in microgreens due to over-moistening for average soil.

Cocoa coir’s ability to balance moisture in the growing medium is better than that of regular ground. Also, aeration is much higher. Therefore microgreen farming in coco coir is a great healthy and productive technique.

Especially during the warm months, when the chance of mold on microgreens is high, at this point, microgreen farming through coco coir will be more productive than soil – that much go by logic. And, of course, we have obtained the correct results through daily experiments in this regard. However, always use a well-sterilized or sanitized seed, tray, and harvesting knife.

Using Coconut Coir In Microgreen Gardening

It is relatively simple to go from soil to microgreen mat using coco coir. First, make sure of microgreens coco coir basics and choose the suitable coco coir types. Since there are many products packed for use with ornamental flowery plants, vegetable crops, and microgreens. 

Salt and potassium should be removed from coconut coir for Microgreen planting to create a completely nutrient-neutral media. This gives you total control over how microgreens grow in coco coir absorbing nutrients. Extra caution must be used when preparing coir in Microgreens without greater salt levels.

Growing Microgreens In Coco Coir: Pros & Cons

Speaking of coco coir for microgreens’ advantages and disadvantages is critical, though.

The main Coco Coir for Microgreen Pros are- 

Excellent Water Retention and drainage:

The increased water retention ability of coco coir allows it to hold up to ten times its weight in liquid. Additionally, because of its excellent drainage, your microgreens will keep you hydrated without becoming mushy.

Exceptional Aeration:

Microgreens need an ample supply of nutrients, air, and water. These processes are made more accessible by coco coir’s outstanding aeration capabilities. It guarantees that your microgreens’ roots receive enough oxygen for optimum growth.

Neutral pH Level:

The pH level affects several variables that affect the growth of microgreens. Your microgreens may stutter or fail to provide the desired yields if the pH level is too high or too low. For good development, most microgreens require a pH of between 6 and 7. Happily, coco coir provides a neutral pH range of 5 to 7, which is suitable for plants to thrive.

100% Organic and Renewable:

Since coco coir is entirely organic and is made from renewable resources, it is both environmentally friendly and a suitable environment for beneficial bacteria. The substrate, a by-product of the coconut fruit, is compressed into bricks, and as a result, it essentially maintains its natural form.

Easy to use:

The good news is preparing for sowing or inoculating your microgreens; coco coir is exceptionally handy. The only preparation required is to moisten the coir with water and nutrients before spreading it out over your microgreen beds.

Additionally, coco coir supports both slow-growing plus fast-growing microgreens, and it can be applied as a soil amendment or a stand-alone media without any significant problems.

No Synthetic Fertilizers and Pesticides:

The fact that coco coir is resistant to pests and diseases contributes to its popularity as a planting medium. Since it undergoes a rigorous sterilizing process, it does not harbor dangerous pathogens or bacteria. Additionally, coconut coir is not a favorite of pests, which makes it perfect for cultivating more fragile plants like microgreens.

Costing:

Comparatively speaking, coconut coir is a cheap plant substrate. This is especially true for coco-coir bricks that have been compacted. Only a few bricks need to be purchased for them to increase to double in size. The extendable soaking blocks will be more than enough for your microgreens trays.

Mixes Well with Soil:

Mixing soil with coco coir can produce even more spectacular outcomes because the earth often gives the finest products. Fortunately, coco coir mixes in the ground effectively and can help with aeration, drainage, and water retention for vigorous plant growth.

Reusable:

Coco coir is reusable even though maintaining it is a little more complicated since it retains its effectiveness and sustainability through multiple agricultural cycles. You should be okay with things like the quality of the soil. To eliminate insects and pathogens, you must disinfect and rehydrate your coco coir after each cycle.

Low-Decomposition Rate:

Due to its prolonged decomposition rate, coco coir can be left in place for an entire year without going bad. Because it can endure decay, your microgreens garden will have fewer weeds and pathogens.

Here are the main Coco Coir for Microgreen Cons as-

Inertness:

Coco coir lacks many nutrients while being one of the most effective soil alternatives for growing microgreens. Iron, zinc, and magnesium are only a few minerals it has, which might need more for your microgreens. This implies that you must supplement it by including the required nutrients, such as calcium.

Not hydration-ready:

Coconut coir in its processed state cannot be used. The fiber dehydrates and loses a lot of water during compression. Before using the coco coir bricks on your farm, you must sterilize and hydrate them. Rehydrating can be laborious and time-consuming because it requires extra work during the growing phase.

Pricey:

Finding premium coco coir mixtures can occasionally be challenging. But you can compensate for this by creating your coco coir blends.

Salty:

Coco coir requires thorough sterilization to get rid of any salt content. The high salt content can interfere with water absorption and nutrients, leading to stunted growth.

Using Coco Coir Mats For Microgreens

Those coco coir disadvantages, meanwhile, are minor, and the coco coir benefits for Microgreen are enough for the best microgreen farming. Learning how to grow microgreens with coco coir with little effort, you can be confident that you’ll get high-quality yields every time you utilize coco coir for your microgreens. 

Stepping to use coco coir for microgreens is wise and clever. The more refined brown coco coir fiber for Microgreen is always preferred. It poses less of a chance of introducing undesired organisms to a Microgreen bed because it is more of an intrinsic material that serves primarily as a support medium.

Salt is frequently used in the production process during the soaking stage. Different producers use both freshwater and tidal waters. The salt must be carefully washed out to create a product suitable for use with Microgreens.

The greatest Microgreen grade coir has a low salt level, but you should always take wise risks. Before using the product in your Microgreen system, always flush it with a standard EC nutritional solution. Rinse until the answer is apparent rather than brown or tan in the water. 

First, test the water for both EC and pH once clear water has passed through it. When providing water to your system, modify and adjust as necessary. Please ensure no hidden diseases or pests before reusing coco coir by inspecting and treating it.

When sowing microgreen seeds, the top soil profile must be moist. The soil in the tray can be partially soggy for roots to grow. During germination, soaking the top third of the earth is sufficient. The interior of the soil becomes saturated and heated when the entire soil profile is absorbed. The ideal time to water the bottom is when the soil is dry.

Conclusion

Coco coir, an organic by-product of coconuts and a sustainable germination medium, has exceptional advantages for microgreen gardening. Coconut coir has been adopted by microgreen cultivators worldwide, who have proclaimed it a more convenient growing medium for microgreens.

Coco coir is the best growing medium for microgreen producers who also need a pH-neutral, fine-grained growing medium because of its capacity to hold water while offering excellent drainage. This environmentally friendly soilless growing medium promotes good bacteria while discouraging dangerous germs.

Though the only downside is that it may be messy sometimes to work with, growing microgreens with coco coir is the easiest and cheapest approach overall, with tension-free watering and a lower chance of mold attacks in the warmth.

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