Parts of coconut plants are often harvested for their nutrients and health benefits. But the outer layer has always been treated as a waste product that goes straight to the trash bin.
But not anymore. With the proper nutrients, coco coir or the coconut shell can be a valid competitor of soil medium.
In this article, we have derived how and why the coco coir can replace the soil media. Besides, we have arranged 5 Best coco Coir For Weed and 5 High Times Voted Best Nutrients to boost Coco Coir’s performance.
What is Coco Coir?
Theoretically, Coco coir is a fibrous outer layer or shell of coconuts. It is a natural byproduct that grows massively in India and Sri Lanka. Coco coir or anything in between the outer section has been considered waste material before another purpose of it has been discovered.
Coco coir is an alternative to the soil from the grower’s book, and sometimes it performs better than soil or any other grow media. Specifically, the coco coir with the PH range of 6.5-7.0 acts as unfertilized soil and is available in farm shops along with soil stacks.
This is why Coco coir seems to gradually replace the common growing mediums with improved farming and grower’s satisfaction. Still, many newbie growers are now not familiar with the fact that there are 2 different types of Coco coir.
Anyone can differentiate these 2 types by color. But to add more-
White Coir- collected from immature coconuts (green). This fiber is smooth, flexible and has white or minimal brownish shade but is weaker than the other type.
Brown Coir- collected from matured coconuts. This fiber is widely included in the growing medium components as it is more potent and contains more lignin, making this content long-lasting. However, it is not as flexible as white coir and also has less cellulose.
Coco Coir VS Soil
Soil is a complete package for growing plants from mother nature, whereas coco coir needs some additional nutrients to reach the soil level if you intend to use it as a growing medium.
While soil has pre-included nourishments, you can be picky with coco coir and choose the nutrients it would absorb for the plants.
By providing nutrients accurately, Coco coir becomes an eco-friendly growing method that boosts the root growth and decreases root rot, keeps the medium aerated, and has many other benefits that surpass the soil medium to some extent.
Not to mention, the additional maintenance of nutrient scheduling might become an inconvenience at some point for the growers. But putting up with that effort can evidently bring you more fortune, and enlist coco coir as a worthy solution for growing cannabis.
However, if not growing in the conventional method with soil bothers you, we suggest you go for the mixture of soil and coco coir. In this way, you will get the benefits of both worlds.
Why is Coco Coir Beneficial for Cannabis Plants?
Here are the benefits of coco grows-
An Alternative to Soil
Due to any reason, if you want to opt for soilless grow but at the same time want to gain the experience of soil growing, then coco coir is just the answer for you.
For the most part, you can treat coir as soil, except you must maintain the nutrient balance by watering nutrients from time to time. Other than that, you can grow plants in regular pots and have a similar experience of soil growing by choosing coco coir.
Prevents Pest Invasion
The typical soil insects do not have good access to coir media. Compared to other grow options, coco coir stays well-aerated and naturally has an unlikable structure for the pest or fungi to live and spread.
As a result, the growers of this medium face less possibility of invasion, which saves the plants from specific harms and losses caused by those insects.
100% Eco-friendly
To begin with, coco coir was considered a waste material that only had occupied more spaces in the trash cans. But now, applying it to grow is already a form of recycling, yet you can use this more than one growing season.
Because other coconut residues take time to break and turn as coco peat, but the coco coir is reusable unconditionally after a careful rinsing.
Speed up the Growth
The plant’s growth is noticeable in the organic coco coir medium. Unlike soil medium, plants get necessary nutrients directly from the nutrient water so that the plant’s root doesn’t have to waste energy or nutrient burn on searching for nutrients.
Thus the saved energy can be used in another section.
Improvements in Plant’s Root System
The texture of coco coir makes this medium oxygen-rich and a good source of moisture and nutrients. Also, coco coir retains water excellently, so the plants involved never go through over or under watering issues.
Plus, it reserves phosphorus and offers a great growing environment for cannabis. All the reasons combined boost the root system to thrive more.
Lightweight & Easily Manageable
Coco coir is far more lightweight and manageable than soil and hydroponic growing medium. Each coco coir brick is 650 grams or 1.8 pounds, whereas the same amount of soil weighs more.
Besides, it saves you from paying the additional delivery charge and the complicated setup of hydroponics.
Is There Any Bad Side to Using Coco Coir?
Like any other growing medium, coco coir has a few bad sides too. Luckily , these problems are reversible if we pay attention to the things stated below-
Brick Quality
Coco coir comes in dry or dehydrated brick, and then you have to rehydrate those bricks so that they can function appropriately while growing cannabis. Needless to say, preparing coco coir bricks are a bit of additional work for the newbie growers though the process is easy.
Nevertheless, you can go for pre-buffered coco coir mix by spending more. Find the manufacturer that formulates coco coir mix for growing cannabis plants that will save you from the hassle of extra work.
Water Nutrients Including Cal-Mag Supplement
Coco coir is like unfertilized soil if you don’t provide the necessary nutrients to it. To manage the nutrition balance and pH meter, you must water it with a special supplement from the beginning.
For growing cannabis, especially, this growing media requires more calcium than other mediums. These criteria ask for additional attention, and so you must ensure a standard Cal-Mag supplement for the better growth of cannabis.
However, do not apply different brands of nutrients frequently as the interaction might bring unwanted troubles.
Simple Way of Re-hydrating Coco Coir bricks
If you are planning to grow many plants, purchasing coco bricks is more convenient than pre-mix coco coir. As we said earlier, you must rehydrate coco bricks before putting them into work, and the most straightforward procedure goes as-
1. Gather two 5 gallon containers, enough perlite (8-quart) and fabric pots or water pass-through bag. Rehydrate the brick where you have a sound water drainage system.
2. Place the fabric bag inside the container. The fabric bag should be large enough to contain the coco coir bricks and water, and also the top portion needs to have a proper grip system so that you can easily lift it up later when needed.
3. Put the coco brick inside the fabric and fill half of the container with water.
4. Give it 5-10 minutes while the brick breaks down and absorbs the moisture.
5. After 10 minutes, pull the fabric bag up and keep it in that condition for a while. It will drain the water and prepare a hydrated coco coir inside.
6. Then mix 4-quart perlite with the one 5 gallon container coir and save the half perlite for the other container.
7. Always mix the coir and perlite with your hands. Fill your nails with soap or wax so that the coco coir wouldn’t be stuck in your nails while mixing, and you can easily wash it off.
How to Grow Cannabis in Coco Coir?
Recently growers are giving lots of attention to coco coir growing media while farming marijuana. The constant high success rate can be a reason for that.
Though growing in coir doesn’t have much difference than growing in soil, still it requires a bit of maintenance and some additional knowledge to perform its best-
Follow any ideal method of growing marijuana in soil medium while keeping these things in mind to achieve the advantages of using coco coir growing medium-
- Use the brick that is easily breakable and comes in good shape. You might fall in the trap and apply an over-dried brick that won’t hydrate simply and, in the end, ruin the batch entirely because of its quality.
- Most growers prefer mixing pebbles with soil medium, which ends in a great result. Consider adding 30% perlite with the coir to ensure the same ending.
- Follow the nutrients feeding schedule of the coir to get optimum performance from it. Do not forget to provide nutrients with every watering to boost the growth.
- Know when to water, or the coir medium is dry by lifting up the pot and detecting light and dry coir.
Best Coco Coir For Weed
Some of the best coco coir for cannabis cultivation that organic growers shouldn’t miss while growing marijuana-
| Image | Product | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
General Hydroponics Coco | ☞ Net weight: 5 kg ☞ Less sodium |
Check Price |
 |
Plantonix Coco Coir Brick | ☞ Net weight: 1.4 LBS ☞ 100% Natural & organic ☞ Lower level of EC |
Check Price |
 |
SpongEase Pro Coco Coir Brick | ☞ Net weight: 2-gallon ☞ Organic Potting Soil ☞ Fluffy & reusable |
Check Price |
 |
Burpee Coconut Coir | ☞ Net weight: 16qt ☞ Reusable & organic |
Check Price |
 |
Coco Bliss Coconut Coir | ☞ Net weight: 10 lb ☞ Natural & organic ☞ Less salt content |
Check Price |
1. General Hydroponics Coco Growing Media
Highlighted Features:
- 3 kinds of coco coir compression
- Ensures sufficient aeration & drainage
- Less sodium
- Formed by coconut pith & fibres only
- Net weight: 5 kg
General Hydroponic is one familiar and trusted stoppage for growing marijuana. Continuing that, they have bought high-quality coco coirs composed of 3 different compressed coco coirs. It ensures the medium has the consistency of growing versatile plants.
The Coco coir can have an immense amount of sodium or salt as a significant number of coconut trees grow near the coasts. This high level of sodium changes the pH level and makes the medium unsuitable for farming.
But General Hydroponics serves the coir with less sodium so you do not have to perform another cleansing to remove the excess salt level.
You would find this coir mostly grounded with around 5% fiber, giving you a similar growing experience in soil media.
However, this coir is formed by coco pith, a versatile substrate that easily adapts to various circumstances. It also helps the medium to resist root diseases naturally.
This readily alternative of soil works up to the mark whether you decide it to be a single media or a soil mixture, even with hydroponics.
Needless to say, to gain all of these advantages, you must follow the general hydroponics coco feeding schedule and maintain a healthy balance of nutrients in the coco coir, which will soon reflect into your productions.
2. Plantonix Coco Coir Brick
Highlighted Features
- Lower level of EC
- Rinsed by freshwater
- Neutral pH level with high CEC
- Natural replacement of peat moss, perlite & rockwool
- Net weight: 1.4 LBS
Plantonix has manufactured premium levelled coco coir that is 100% organic and reached the OMRI list. Along with being an effective soil replacement, it provides so many benefits that ensure the plants are thriving, healthy and happy.
This coir block is comparatively inexpensive and easily blends with soil. Also, the growers are allowed to use it as the core growing medium. Being an incredible multipurpose medium, the growers have several options to experiment and bring out the best.
Another reason Plantonix claims to provide the best coco coir to grow cannabis is because it is not only a suitable replacement for the soil. It equally takes the place of its competitor growing media such as peat moss, perlite and rockwool.
Plantonix ensures the coirs have lower EC and pH levels by rinsing thoroughly with fresh water multiple times so that the plants growing in it are more vigorous and get longevity with a firm rooting system.
Preparing the Plantonix coir bricks into a soil conditioner is a quick and straightforward procedure. Also, this coir oxygenates the roots and makes the medium aerated to produce more resilient cannabis plants.
3. SpongEase Pro Coco Coir Brick
Highlighted Features
- Ideal water, nutrient solution & oxygen balance
- Fluffy & reusable
- Excess water removing drain holes
- Insects free & prevents root rot
- Net weight: 2-gallon potting soil (1 brick)
SpongEase Pro brought the weed growers a perfect potting soil alternative. Just as the name says, the coco coir they made is spongy, which can be an excellent characteristic if you look closely.
As a matter of fact, most plant failures are caused by the lack of oxygen and over/under-watering.
This sponge-like coir gives access to abundant oxygen as well as water and stores it correctly so the plant’s root has never the deficiency of these essential elements.
SpongEase is entirely organic and one of the best coco coir for cannabis. Besides, it doesn’t cause any negative impact on the environment. The users can renew the coco coir as good as new by following the required procedure.
And so, this coir is reusable and can be applied more than once in growing.
Another fundamental of this coco coir potting is providing the right nutrient solution by analyzing the different plants you are growing. Also, ensure sufficient sunlight and temperature to help the coir work to its full potential.
Lastly, 1 brick of SpongEase Pro coco coir covers 2 gallons of planting. No wonder professional growers find this coco coir convenient as this organic grow material ensures some premium-level service to the plants as well as the growers.
4. Burpee Organic Coconut Coir
Highlighted Features
- Biodegradable alternative of soil
- Convenient medium for all kinds of plants
- Extracted from coconut husks
- Reusable & organic
- Net weight: 16qt (each brick)
Next, we have the Burpee Organic coconut soil for weed that claims to be 100% biodegradable. This coir is extracted from the coconut husks mainly, so the elements are all-natural. Burpee coco coir turns out to be sustainable and versatile to grow all kinds of plants.
The husk used to make this coir is from the harvested coconuts, so along with planting, the growers are also recycling wastages. If you are a nature enthusiast, only the reuse and benefits done by your action is enough reason to apply an organic product like this.
It comes in a brick form, and before reaching your hand, this coir is meticulously checked and washed to ensure the consumers would not find any defect or insect prone area that could harm the plants.
This organic soil alternative improves root growth and germination as it contains bone meal. It is a massive source of calcium and phosphorus. However, it requires several other nutritions to conduct the plant growth ideally.
Burpee coco coir strongly prevents any mold or algae from growing in the substance while maintaining moisture and hydration. For the new growers, who often mess the right balance of watering and cause decay in the coir, Burpee is an effective solution.
5. Coco Bliss Premium Coconut Coir
Highlighted Features
- Lower pH & EC level
- Provides proper water drainage
- Less salt content
- Excellent water holding capacity
- Net weight: 10 lb (each brick)
Coco bliss introduces the cannabis growers with freshwater processed coco coir with a stable pH (5.8-6.8) and a risk-free growing media. Because the pH is the reason behind the medium has acidic contents, which severely harms cannabis growth.
Coco Bliss intends to keep the lumps a bit larger so the growers can keep it that way or ground it up as much as they like during the cleaning process.
Coco Bliss outperforms the brands that are equally in competition with it for so many reasons. One of them is that it has 10-15% moisture content that easily wets the coir and so you don’t have to water the plants more often than before.
This coco coir nutrient solution is entirely natural and maintains the same integrity even after being super washed as it doesn’t use any harsh chemicals to get rid of the dirt and salt level.
Coco Bliss premium has excellent water and air holding capacity. By maintaining the nutrients balance accurately, this coir is sure to help you get a higher yield.
Nevertheless, this stand-alone coco coir will give you a wholesome experience of growing plants in soil. Otherwise, it can be a great mixture of soil and coco coir, which will ensure your efforts get better results with high-quality crops.
Essential Coco Coir Nutrients For Advanced Cannabis Grow
Providing the coco coir medium additional Cal-Mag supplement is a compulsory task while choosing this medium to stand alone. Even soil needs special fertilizers to bring out the optimum result. When the coco coir medium has necessary elements, it sometimes surpasses the grow quality of soil potting.
Why Do I Need a Nutrient Solution For Coco Coir?
Some of the major reasons are
- Cal-Mag supplements reduce the pH level to balance the acidic level in the coir.
- Nutrient solution equals the coco coir medium to the soil growing media.
- It arranges different elements that the plants demand in several stages.
- Nutrients strengthen the coir medium and continuing that, this medium improves the plant’s condition.
High Times Voted best nutrients for coco coir
| Image | Product | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Advanced Nutrients 8560 | ☞ 2 Bottles ☞ Each 1 liter ☞ Eliminates pH issues |
Check Price |
 |
Farmer’s Pride Nutrients | ☞ 54.3 pounds ☞ 3-part base nutrient |
Check Price |
 |
CANNA Coco Coir Nutes | ☞ 5.45 pounds (2 sets) ☞ Chelates and fulvic acids |
Check Price |
 |
Flower Fuel Bloom Booste | ☞ Weight 250g ☞ 40 proprietary ingredients |
Check Price |
 |
Humboldt’s Secret Nutrient | ☞ Weight 8 ounce ☞ Great For All Plant ☞ Easy to use |
Check Price |
1. Advanced Nutrients Sensi Bloom
Highlighted Features:
- Eliminates pH issues
- Includes different nutrients for several growing phase
- Required mixture of micros
- Product contains: 2 bottles (each 1 liter)
Advanced nutrients recover your selected coco coir from all the pH issues, so the coir is free from a higher acidic level. It strengthens the coir and raises the absorption, so the cannabis plants grow healthy and stable, just as you expect from soil potting.
The 2 different bottles have different formulas composed by thoroughly analyzing the specific phase’s demand. Right here, you can increase the growth rate by applying a custom formula, which cannot be done with soil only unless you provide another fertilizer.
For instance, Part-A contains beneficial microbes, which helps the seeds germinate and thrive at the initial stage. Also, the other bottle, Part-B, provides essential elements, including the much needed Cag-Mag supplements.
The formula of Advanced Nutrients is convenient throughout the whole vegetative and blooming phase. But as this coco coir nutrient solution is especially for brown coco coir, you might need to shift into other nutes in case of growing into white coir to avoid experiencing the unsatisfactory result.
2. Farmer’s Pride Coco Coir Nutrients
Highlighted Features
- 3-part base nutrient solution
- Added beneficial bacteria & fungi
- Easily soluble Seaweed supplement
- Product contains: 54.3 pounds
Farmer’sPride liquid nutrients have 3-part consists of FP Grow, FP Micro and FP Bloom. It reassures the cannabis growers how neatly this brand has considered the elements marijuana plants needed while growing.
In a nutshell, it contains the trace elements that the plants require in all stages of life like minerals, organic nitrogen and calcium with the stage-specific necessary ingredients.
Along with that, it has VitaBlue B-vitamin and soluble seaweed components. These elements promote the growth to an optimal range while not compromising the quality of the production.
This formula has kelp meal, bat guano, alfalfa meal, bone meal, and other crucial traces that boost the coir, turning it into a highly valued growing medium. Also, the root magic mycorrhizae combined with beneficial microbes increase the root’s immunity so that the healthy root thrives in a complete plant.
Moreover, it comes in 2 different sizes for the convenience of the buyers. One is the regular size, and the other is economic size. So that both the garden and commercial growers have access to this one best nutrient for coco.
3. CANNA Coco Coir Nutes
Highlighted Features
- Composed with high valued minerals
- Specific designed NPK formula for different stage
- Includes chelates and fulvic acids
- Product contains: 5.45 pounds (2 sets)
Unlike many other coco nutes, CANNA nutrients for coco coir are familiar for showing satisfactory results pretty soon. CANNA coco nutrients come in 2 different packaging for two stages where the formula is designed to take over the deficiency of any element.
For that, the CANNA coco Part-A npk ratio for weed is 4-0-1 to support the initial stage, and Part-2 npk has 0-4-2 to control the final stages. These substrates in use are particularly tailored to match and enhance the characteristics of straight coco coir.
Besides, it provides the coir potting with several minerals, chelates, acids so that the plants can turn out as you expect. Additionally, the absorption of CANNA coco is super easy, so the coco coir has a high chance of reaching an ideal growing medium for any kind of plant.
However, if you are using both white and brown coir in different plants, don’t worry because, with CANNA coco nutes, you won’t have to invest in various nutrients. CANNA coco works equally effective on both types of coir.
4. Flower Fuel Bloom Booste
Highlighted Features
- Composed of nutrients, amino, vitamins
- 40 proprietary ingredients
- Applicable in versatile growing media
- Product contains: 250g
If you want your coir medium to achieve its full potential, as only that way you can enjoy a bigger and better harvest, then Flower Fuel is one of the best bloom booster for coco that makes it happen.
This premium product has a rich nutrients group along with several vitamins and organics. This bloom booster is formulated to ensure the best harvest of your life with the highest amount of resin and oil.
And so, it is a massive collection of essential components like powerful nutes, hormones, amino acids and so on. This booster reduces the stress over the watering schedule while improving the yield with 2-part and 3-part soluble nutrients.
Flower fuel is equipped with so many natural ingredients like nitrogen (1%), phosphate (34) and potassium (32%). That is why this product is not only essential for potting; it can hugely support any other growing media such as hydroponics and aeroponic systems.
5. Humboldt’s Secret Liquid Nutrient
Highlighted Features
- Works both on an indoor and outdoor platform
- Supports all types of plants
- Compatible growing media
- Product contains: 8 ounce
Humboldt’s “Grow & Bloom ” is one of their signature blends consisting of nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus and many more. It is built in a 2-part system, and altogether A and B part Humboldts Liquid Nutrient can be a complete feed for the coco growing medium.
You can begin its usage as a vegetative stage nutrient, and its participation ends at the flowering stage. This formula is suitable for all growing mediums like hydroponics or a mixture of soil cultivation other than coco coir.
The high-quality nutrients Humboldts create is immensely applied in thousands of home, and commercial grow spaces. These nutrients are comparatively inexpensive and provide a maximum satisfactory result within that budget.
For a better acquisition, apply this mixture with every watering and then, in no time, enjoy the fruits of your efforts. As this nutrient is a combination of organic and synthetic, that is why it gets the goodness of both sides. But of course, follow the instructions to avoid unexpected interactions.
To Conclude
A lot of growers are following the footsteps in growing cannabis plants using coco coir growing media. For beginners, it might seem both simple and complicated to pick the best coco coir for weed. But it is the most crucial task regarding this growing media.
As low graded coir has the audacity of ruining your harvest promptly, so only pick the bricks made by experienced manufacturers without any use of chemicals. Plus, don’t overlook the importance of providing essential nutrients to coco coir to achieve the best outcome.
