Using Coco coir for propagating

Discussion in 'Plant Propagation' started by andreagrows, Feb 15, 2009.

  1. andreagrows

    andreagrows Member

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    Location:
    Tlell, Haida Gwaii, BC, Canada
    Have any growers used coco coir for propagating bedding plants from seed? How did you like it? How often did you fertilize the plants once germinated? Did you transplant seedlings also into coir, or use soil mix, or mix the two? Thanks for time!
     
  2. growest

    growest Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Surrey,BC,Canada
    andrea-friends with a large bedding plant operation have always used sunshine mix. That (Sungro) company makes several grades of their mix, I believe one is mix #3 or #5 specifically for the plug trays in which you germinate (mostly very fine peat) while the other mix #1 is used for all the larger sizes up to saleable.

    If you're looking to get away from peat, coco is supposed to be a good substitute. I have had problems with some material having too many long stringy fibers, making it useless for plug trays. The bricks from Grotec were perfect, tho...but far more expensive...I suppose ya gets what ya pays for...

    Coir by itself tends to hold too much water, you will add perlite and/or vermiculite as well as the dolomite, etc. as usual to get it where you want it.
     

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