Coco peat is made from coconut husk. It is the byproduct of coconut fibre production. Coco peat is a light weight material made from coconut husk.
Cocopeat is also called coco coir or coir pith. It can retain a lot of water or moisture as it is highly absorbent. This is why it is appropriate for the raising of seedlings.
Coco peat can be used as substrate or growing medium. It is mainly used for raising vegetables seedlings like tomato seedlings. Coco peat can also be used for hydroponic growing of crops when peat moss or vermiculite is not available.
Coco peat is mainly used for nursing of seedlings because it retains water and also allows seedlings to get adequate air as it is porous. Coco peat used for nursery is usually compressed into blocks.
Uses of Coco Peat
The following are the uses of coco peat:
- Coco peat is mainly used for the raising of seedlings in Nigeria. Coco peat can be used to raise tomato seedlings, pepper seedlings and cucumber seedlings etc. It is used for nursery because of its water retention capacity.
- Coco peat can also be used as a growing medium or substrate in hydroponic farming. It can replace growing media like peat moss and perlite.
- Coco peat can be used for the production of mats, bags and furniture. Coco peat can also be used for insulation.
- Coco peat can also be used for the production of briquettes which can be used as a fuel.
How to Use Coco Peat for Seedlings’ Nursery
The following are the steps to take when using coco peat for the raising of seedlings:
- Get your coco peat from reputable dealers. Quality matters when using coco peat.
- Cover the soil or floor with a plain paper of polythene material. This is done to cover the soil or the floor. It prevents contamination of the coco peat.
- Break up the coco peat into smaller or finer particles.
- Fill up the seedlings trays with the coco peat.
- Saturate the seedlings trays with water. Using good volume of water will remove the excess salt in the coco peat.
- Add a solution of calcium magnesium nitrate to the coco peat. This will buffer the coco peat.
- Dip one seed into each hole in the seedlings trays.
- Ensure that the coco peat does not get dry at any point in time. Wetting is essential.
- Wet the coco peat intermittently till you transplant the seedlings.
Should you wish to buy coco peat in Nigeria, kindly call us on 08025141924 or send an email to sales@veggieconcept.ng.
Read our other articles on price of coco peat in Nigeria
The benefits of using coco peat as a soil amendment.
What is the shelf like of coco peat in Nigeria?
Can cocoa peat be used as a substitute for peat moss in Nigeria?