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The Char Coir Company

At Char Coir, we know that a clean, high-quality medium is essential for optimal plant growth. Char Coir comes from the highest grade coco available. Our coco is sourced from one farm, ensuring consistency and quality. Each batch comes with a chemical analysis available to the client.

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Years Experience

RHP Certification

Explore our Material Safety Data Sheet, Metal Analysis, and CharCoir Coco Analysis.

What Coco Coir Does For Growth

Coco coir is an organic product derived from processing coconut husks from coconut trees grown in tropical and subtropical areas. The processing of coco husks to obtain coco coir involves a series of steps, including aging, washing, rinsing, buffering, drying, grinding, grading, and compressing. These steps are necessary to change the physical and chemical characteristics of coco coir to be suitable for growing plants.

Before any treatment, coco coir’s cation exchange complex is naturally saturated with sodium due to the coconut tree’s natural proximity to coastal areas and a high tolerance for salt (sodium chloride). Coco coir’s initial salt content, measured by the electrical conductivity (EC), can range between 2 and 6 mS/cm – excessive for plant growth. Coco coir’s cation exchange complex also naturally contains large amounts of potassium, which competes with magnesium and calcium for uptake. Char Coir coco is abundantly washed with fresh water until reaching an EC below 1.0mS/cm (based on 1:1.5 extraction method). Even after washing, coco coir still contains residual sodium and potassium left in the complex, leading to nutrient lockup later. To stabilize the cation exchange complex and avoid nutrient deficiencies during the crop season, adequate buffering of coco coir is essential.

Buffering Process and Quality Standards

Washing and buffering are different processes that accomplish different goals. While washing removes only elements that are soluble in water, buffering also removes elements that are naturally bound to the cation exchange complex.

During the buffering process, Char Coir’s coco cation exchange complex is saturated with a solution of calcium nitrate for an extended period. The absorbed calcium displaces the residual potassium and sodium in the complex, which is washed away. According to Dutch RHP Certification Standards, for coco substrates, buffered coco coir should contain less than 1 mmol sodium and less than 2 mmol potassium. The buffering process also reduces problems with nitrogen draw-down that would occur in non-buffered coco peat.

Charities we support and causes we believe in

Shanti Bhavan empowers children from India’s lowest socioeconomic class to break the cycle of generational poverty through education, leadership, and compassion.

Sizing & Calculators

Char Coir compressed product labelling reflects the NURSERY POT size of the product. Please select your product to see its actual, expanded size for watering calculations.
Char Coir The Coco Cube box

The Coco Cube

Char Coir Bio Pot Half Gallon Box

1/2 Gallon BioPot

Char Coir BioPot 2 Gallon Box

2 Gallon BioPot

Char Coir BioPot 4 Gallon Box

4 Gallon BioPot

Shot Size Calculator

Char Coir

Shot Size Calculator

Char Coir compressed product labeling reflects the NURSERY POT size of the product. Please select your product to see its actual, expanded size for watering calculations.
Note: When using 4-way assemblies, select 1/4 for a single stake or 1/2 for two stakes respectively.
Shot Size Volume (mL) Duration (s)
Product Actual Volume (mL) Field Capacity

Crop Steering

Field capacity is essential to crop steering, serving as the benchmark for the maximum moisture a substrate can retain post-drainage. With an inherently high average field capacity of 60%, Char Coir offers a substantial reserve for water and nutrients, crucial for plant growth. This capacity is dynamic and may rise as roots grow, enhancing the substrate’s stability and prevent against under or over-watering. With Char Coir, growers can steer crops towards desired outcomes with greater confidence and efficiency.

Sensor placement is critical to obtaining accurate readings of field capacity in your substrates. Placing the sensor above the saturation table, or perched water table, ensures that it measures the field capacity where there is a balance of air and water in the substrate—this is crucial for plant health. Moreover, ensuring that the sensor’s probes are in sufficient contact with the coco coir is essential to avoid inaccuracies that could lead to suboptimal watering practices. Accurate sensor placement leads to better moisture monitoring, which in turn facilitates precise irrigation control and overall healthier plant growth.
Product
Sensor Placement (From Tray)
1⁄2 gallon Bio Pot
1″
Coco Cube
1.25″
2 Gallon Bio Pot
2″
4 Gallon Bio Pot
2″

Best Practices

For best results with Char Coir compressed products, use a drip irrigation system to rehydrate them. Apply 5% ‘shots’ every 15-20 minutes until saturation. This will ensure the complete hydration of your substrate and will restore its interstitial pores – giving your plants roots access the perfect amount water, nutrients, and air. Hydrating in one consecutive event or by hand won’t be as
effective in returning these micro-pores to the ideal air-to-water ratio. If you must rehydrate in either of these fashions, check out the ‘Potting Culture’ section for how to best prepare your substrate for transplant!

For optimal potting culture with Char Coir, it is critical to ensure that the substrate offers the right balance for plant health. When gradually rehydrating with a drip irrigation system, the coir expands naturally. When hand-watering or using a single watering event to hydrate compressed Char Coir, it’s essential to aerate the substrate thoroughly after expansion to restore its structure. This manual step is crucial for reintroducing the ideal air-to-water ratio and ensuring the coir’s micro-pores are optimal for root access. For both methods, ensure even distribution without over-compaction for the healthiest root environment. Always aim for a loosely structured substrate that supports unrestricted root growth and optimal nutrient uptake. Once you’ve got your substrate prepared and are ready to transplant, see the ‘Transplanting’ section.

Now that you’ve got your substrate rehydrated and brought back to life, it’s time to transplant!


Transplanting Into the Final Substrate:

For smaller starts such as propagation cells or Coco Coins, the transition into their final growing medium is a delicate process. An hour after the lights come on, initiate one irrigation event, ranging from 2-5% of the final substrate’s volume, daily. Continue this routine until the substrate’s volumetric water content (VWC) reaches 20-30%. Once achieved, adjust the irrigation to bring the substrate back up to its field capacity, ensuring a moist environment that promotes healthy root growth. Repeat this cycle 1-2 times until the substrate is well-rooted, after which you can shift to the grower’s preferred irrigation strategy.


Transplanting Onto the Final Substrate:

When introducing larger substrates like the 1/2 gallon Bio Pot or rockwool cubes onto the final medium, a different
approach is needed. Begin with several small irrigation shots, about 2-5% of the initial product volume, spaced out an hour after lights on and intermittently throughout the day. Allow 1-2 hours of rest between these irrigation events. This process should continue until the final substrate also attains a VWC of 20-30%. Repeat this cycle 1-2 times until the substrate is well-rooted, after which you can shift to the grower’s preferred irrigation strategy.

Special Consideration for Rockwool to Coco Transplants:

When transplanting from rockwool to coco, be mindful of the irrigation frequency and volume. Coco coir’s greater absolute matric potential can wick water from the rockwool before your plant can access it, hindering growth. Adjust your watering regimen to ensure consistent moisture and avoid dehydration of the rockwool cube. These practices are designed to ensure a seamless transition during transplanting, setting the stage for robust growth and bountiful yields. Remember, the art of transplanting is as much about patience and precision as it is about understanding the unique needs of your plants and their growing environment.”