| Feature |
Coir |
Peat Moss |
| What is it? | The refined, 1-2 inch thick fibrous layer of a coconut. | Partially decayed plant matter. |
| Cost | Same or less than peat. | Can cost more than coir. |
| Water retention | Absorbs water up to 10 times its dry weight, excellent wetting and re-wetting. [i] | Often retains less water than coir which means more watering is required. [ii] |
| Soil improvement | More aeration and excellent nutrition storage = better plant growth. [iii] | Adds organic matter to your soil. Less aeration for roots due to density. |
| Appearance | Natural earthy brown colour. | Brown, may contain extraneous matter (sticks, seeds). |
| Material | Stain-free, lighter than typical soil-mix, easy to work with. | Gets under your nails and can stain. |
| Weight | Coir is more compact and lightweight – A 3.75 kg (8.25lb.) bag of coir hydrates to the equivalent of a 2.3 cubic foot bale of peat moss. | |
| Durability | Only needs replacing every other season. | Most gardeners replace peat moss each season. |
| PH level | PH neutral – perfect for all plants. [iv] | Peat ranges from alkaline to acidic. |
| How is it produced? | Refine the fibrous layer of discarded coconut husks. | Drain a peat bog (a natural ecosystem), dry it out, then use large “peat vacuums” to extract the peat moss. |
| Renewability | Healthy coconut trees produce up to 150 nuts per year. [v] | IF peat bogs are successfully restored, it is estimated this will take between 5 and 20 years. [vi] |
| Global warming | Coconut coir is made from agricultural waste and does not contribute to global warming. | Peat bogs, when mined for peat moss, release large amounts of CO2 because bogs are natural carbon sinks. |
| Source | Subsistence farmers in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. We believe in practicing fair trade. | The remaining peatlands cover about 4 million km2. The majority of peatlands are found in northern climates. [vii] |
| The future | Coconut Coir has been used successfully for decades by European growers and is catching on quickly in North America. | The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the U.K. has mandated that 90% of its own growing media requirements be peat free by 2010. [viii] |
References:
[i] Eaton, Sullivan 2007. The San Francisco Chronicle. The Dirt: Peat’s environmental uses outweigh garden benefits.
[ii] Alan Meerow.Coir Dust, A Viable Alternative to Peat Moss. University of Florida.
[iii] Davi Richards. Coir is Sustainable Alternative to Peat in the Garden. Oregon State University.
[iv] PH neutral – perfect for all plants (link is no longer active)
[v] Healthy coconut trees produce up to 150 nuts per year
[vi] IF peat bogs are successfully restored, it is estimated this will take between 5 and 20 years (link is no longer active)
[vii] The remaining peatlands cover about 4 million km2. The majority of peatlands are found in northern climates (link is no longer active)
[viii] The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the U.K. has mandated that 90% of its own growing media requirements be peat free by 2010