On 13/06/2013 18:02, Jake wrote:
On Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:24:38 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

On 13/06/2013 11:39, Jake wrote:
On Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:03:54 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

Just bought some coir blocks,
Has anyone had any experience with using coir in compost?

I now grow on all my annual bedding plants in "pure" coir (just add
plant food as the coir I buy is nutrient free). I get better results
as roots develop faster. If I have to miss a day watering, coir is
much more forgiving than ordinary compost as it doesn't form a crust
on the surface.

I've had mixed results with seed sowing in pure coir but get very good
results with a mix of 50:50 coir and ordinary multi-purpose compost.

Hanging baskets and wall planters for the annuals now get a mix of
50:50 coir and a good container compost to which I add some "gel and
feed" granules. The compost is there really to add to the water
retention as coir is too free draining to use in containers on its own
but, again, the coir helps to prevent a crust forming on the surface
if I cannot water for a day or two and it's loose fibrous structure
encourages ongoing root development.

I buy a year's supply in bulk on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-x70lt-C...item23084292ea

I got mine from there buy my question should have been how much water
do you add to the block to break it up?

I can't speak for the little "brick size" blocks but for the "bales"
(the foot square by about 4" thick ones), I put one in a wheelbarrow,
pour 20 litres of water over, rather than around the bale, leave for a
couple of hours, break up with a fork and dribble more water onto any
remaining dry bits (no more than another 3 litres). Then I generally
leave it overnight to settle, fork over again in the morning and
voila.


Thanks Jake
I've got the 65 litr "Bales"
David@ a now damp side of Swansea bay