If you have houseplants, your gardener has probably advised you to buy coco peat in a store. Coco peat is very beneficial for plants, but the product sold in stores is expensive, which makes people hesitate to purchase it. Nevertheless, if you are avoiding buying coco peat due to its high price, you might be interested to learn that you can prepare it yourself.
After consuming a coconut, its shell is often thrown directly into the trash bin. But if you have indoor plants, stop before throwing away the coconut shell next time. Although it may look unattractive, it can be quite useful for the soil in your pots. With its help, you can make homemade coco peat, which is used to maintain a light and airy soil structure for plants. Next, we will tell you exactly how to make coco peat from coconut shells.
Why is coco peat needed in potting soil?
Simply fertilizing the soil is not enough for good plant growth; it must also have the ability to retain moisture and provide easy access to air for the roots. Sometimes potting soil becomes hard after watering. In such cases, coco peat can be very useful.
According to gardening experts, coco peat is not a fertilizer because it does not provide the plant with necessary nutrients. Its main function is to improve soil structure and regulate moisture. It is capable of retaining water in the soil for some time, preventing the soil from drying out quickly, and also helps keep the soil loose, preventing it from becoming too dense.
How to make coco peat at home from coconut shells
Coco peat can also be useful when growing plants from seeds. At the initial stage, seeds require constant moisture, and coco peat helps maintain this moisture, creating optimal conditions for seed germination. When the young sprout grows a little, it can be transplanted into nutrient-rich soil, such as compost or vermicompost.
What amount of coco peat should be added?
When preparing soil for a pot or growing bag, it is crucial to pay attention to proportions. You can mix approximately 30–50 percent coco peat into regular soil. Excessive addition of coco peat can lead to a decrease in essential nutrients for the plant, since coco peat itself is not a fertilizer. Therefore, it is recommended to use it together with fertilizers such as compost or vermicompost.
Thus, waste can be turned into useful gardening material. Next time, after using a coconut, think before throwing the shell in the trash bin. Small efforts can reduce your gardening expenses. This allows you to reuse coconut shells while helping to maintain soil moisture and looseness for plants.