Making your own soil can be the best thing you do for your houseplants. Every mix needs a base. Peat Moss and Coconut coir are good soil conditioners
Peat moss is layers of partially decomposed plant remnants, harvested from peat bogs. Most peat in North America is sourced from Canada. Coconut coir is made from coconut husks, which may otherwise go to waste if not used for coir.
They are both effective at retaining moisture and letting the roots breathe. But what one is right for you?
You may also like: How To Make Your Own Soil & Why You Should
Convenience
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Sphagnum Peat Moss, not to be confused with Sphagnum Moss, is the most common soil conditioner in pre-made mixes. It may also be the easiest to find in store. Online shopping has made it easy to order peat moss and coconut coir.
Sustainability | Peat Moss and Coconut Coir
There is a great deal of criticism for using peat moss;The harvesting of peat moss is thought to have a negative impact on the surrounding ecosystems, water quality and aquatic life.
Coco coir is widely advertised as totally renewable and sustainable. However, there is debate whether the processing, importing/transporting across the world and working conditions actually make it Eco-friendly and sustainable.
Affordability
The cost of Sphagnum Peat Moss and Coco Coir will vary widely depending where you are from. I live in Canada; a quick Amazon search found me, Peat moss for $23.38CDN and Coconut coir brick that expands to 66L for $29.45CDN (this is the one I use.) Coconut coir wins this one for me but prices may be different where you live.
PH Levels
PH level can affect the soil structure, availability of nutrients, plant growth and soil bacteria. 6.5 is a great PH level for maximum nutrients
Peat has a more acidic PH with a range of 3.5 4.8 coir has a more neutral PH ranging from 5.5 – 6.8.
Although PH levels are important there are other amendments that will be added to a DIY soil mix that also play a factor in PH levels.
Water Retention
Both Coconut coir and Peat Moss are excellent at retaining water while letting roots breathe. Coco coir may need less water to retain the same amount of moisture as peat. This give coconut coir a slight advantage for needing less to accomplish the same result.
Shelf Life | Peat Moss vs Coconut Coir
Coconut coir has a much longer shelf life and can be washed and reused more times. Peat Moss on the other hand is hydrophobic, meaning once it really dries up it’s almost impossible to re-hydrate it.
Nutrients
Neither peat or coir are rich in nutrients. A drawback of coconut coir is the high potassium content can hinder the plants ability to get enough calcium so you may need to add a calcium/magnesium combo nutrient. I use this soil enhancer: Marphyl Marine Phytoplankton and this CAL-MAX calcium/Magnesium combo. Some brands of coir can also contain too much salt which can be detrimental to plants. It is good to look for a brand that has salt removed.
Bottom Line
Both sphagnum peat moss and coconut coir make peat soil conditioners. The cost, shelf life and environmental factors lead me to choose coconut coir. Although it may not actually be Eco-friendly and totally sustainable, I think the use of coconut husks is friendlier to the environment than depleting peat bogs and disrupting ecosystems. Though transporting products across the world does have an environmental impact, coconuts will still be imported here. I do live in Canada where a lot of Peat is sourced for North America. So in that sense I may be biased.
Which one would you pick? Also, do not hesitate to let me know if you disagree with my pick. I am always open to new information.
I am considering switching more plants to Semi Hydro seems to be even closer to an Eco-friendly growing option. If you are interested in Semi Hydro growing you might want to check out these articles: Semi Hydroponics: 5 Benefits & How to Get Started
and Semi Hydro: 10 Mistakes I Made as a Beginner.
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