Coco Peat
Coco Peat (cocopeat), also known as coir pith or coir dust, is a byproduct of extracting fibres from the husk of a coconut. Coco peat is the binding material that comes from the fibre portion of the coconut husk.
The coir dust is washed, heat treated, screened and graded before being processed into various Cocopeat products for Horticultural and Agricultural Applications and Industrial Absorbent
Cocopeat is usually shipped in the form of compressed bales, briquettes, slabs and discs. The compressed cocopeat is converted into fluffy cocopeat by the addition of water. A single kilogram of cocopeat will expand to 15 litres of moist cocopeat.
Cocopeat by itself does not have any nutrients for plant growth. Necessary nutrients will have to be added according to the plant that is to be grown exclusively in cocopeat. Cocopeat may also be mixed with sand, compost and fertilizer to make good quality potting soil.
In horticulture, cocopeat is recommended as substitute for peat because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores, and is sustainably produced without the environmental damage caused by peat mining. Westpac - Nature's Bounty www.ecopeat.com, a company operating in Sri Lanka pioneered the production of highly compressed coir peat substitutes now marketed under the Ecopeat brand name. Ecopeat remains one of the largest commercial producers of coir peat substitutes in the world.
Cocopeat has high lignin and cellulose content which makes it ideal for growing mushrooms which thrive on the cellulose. Being a good absorbent, dry cocopeat can be used as an oil absorbent on slippery floors. Cocopeat is also used as a bedding in animal farms and pet houses to absorb animal waste so the farm is kept clean and dry.
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