We've been supplying coco-based substrates since 2015, and commercially since 2017. We distribute primarily to West Coast clients but also handle shipment nationwide. Compared to stonewool, timber and peat-based substrates, coir is an eco-friendly, sustainable high-performance medium when properly processed. That last part is a big qualifier.

 

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Here's what every grower should know about the coco substrate industry...

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Coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) are halotolerant plants that natively grow in coastal areas where they are constantly exposed to salty sea mist and salted groundwater. Over its lifespan, the tree absorbs copious amounts of sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl⁻) ions. The trees store these salts abundantly within the interstitial spaces and cell walls of the coconut husk (the fibrous layer between the outer shell and the seed). Since coco coir is made entirely from these processed husks, it inherently starts with a very high salt concentration.

 

That's why unwashed coco will kill your plants. 

Most of the coconut coir harvested in India and Sri Lanka is sold to China to be processed into consumer products, not horticultural grade. Furthermore, intensive farming in Sri Lanka with phosphate fertilizers has led to cadmium accumulation in agricultural soils, well waters, and resulting harvested coco husks. So for our purposes, most of the horticultural coco substrates are imported from India to avoid the toxic metals. 

 

In order to loosen the fibers, raw coconut husks are usually soaked in large bodies of water for months to ferment and soften in a process called retting. Using river, lake or estuary water when retting your husks invites a range of pathogens.

 

You might see a tea-colored runoff on your tables. That's not the coco. It's the organics. 

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Moreover, since the coir is sold to China and the shells and pith are left behind, they accumulate in small mountains in the tropics until a broker happens by and sells the lot (cheap). If you've ever opened a rotten coconut, you know it's not pleasant to work with. Bunch of insects (eggs) and pathogens such as aspergillus and black mold take up residence in the pith (fines). 

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So we have always avoided any substrates made from pith and chips. Yuck. 

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In general, GrowBIG Commercial does not distribute any brokered coco, nor any coco that is comprised of pith and/or chips. 

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We do distribute for Kaya coco coir products. They're best-in-class for a compressed coco cube. At the time of this writing, a 6" cube is $1.70 at whole pallet pricing. Also at the time of this writing, we can provide MaxYield (Philippine) Coco 1.25 gallon coco cubes with 3 layers of substrate grades (fine, medium and coarse/uncut) plus biochar enrichment for $1.78. And for that 8 cents extra, you don't have to hydrate them, can cycle a room with much less time and labor, have less pathogen risk, and get a much bigger yield.

 

Appreciate you taking the time to read our thoughts on the matter of coco for horticulture. If/when interested to acquire Kaya Compressed or MaxYield Uncompressed coco cubes please reach out to us via the Commercial Inquiry form above, or email or phone.