Benefits of Coir fibre and why your plants love it!

Coconut fibre, or coir, is a natural waste product from the processing of coconuts, it comes from the outer shell (or the coconut husk).

Luckily for us, it has many beneficial uses in the horticulture industry. We can use it as an element of potting mix, for lining hanging baskets, in seed starter discs, on totem poles and as an overlay on top of your plants. 

Benefits of Coir

Coir is a renewable resource

Unlike peat moss, Coconut coir fibre is a renewable resource. So, making the switch means you're not depleting a finite resource (let's keep that peat in the ground where it belongs). 

Great for your plants

Adding coir fibre to your soil is a great way to increase aeration, help promote good drainage drainage, and increase water retention. and popping it on top of your potted plants can even deter pests. They don't love landing on it.

Coir fibre also contains a polymer called lignin that stops rotting, so it makes for an especially healthy and long lasting mulch!

Ways you can use coir fibre at home:

1. As a mulch outside

Unlike a lot of mulch options, coir are lightweight and porous, allowing for good aeration too! Being porous in nature, they allow air, nutrients and water to pass through, thereby not hindering the breathing of plant roots. At the same time, they keep the growth of weeds in check, and keep the soil from drying out.

These coir rings are lightweight and very easy to work with. You can just slip them around a tree trunk of any size, using a pair of scissors to customize and enlarge the center as you need. Perfect for protecting smaller trees and shrubs - keeping the frost away in winter, and helping with moisture evaporation in summer.

2. Pest deterrent and soil protection indoors

Sometimes your plants need some protection from little kiddy hands scooping up the soil, animals having a nibble, soil fungus, nasty pests.

Our coir mats lay over the top of your potting mix and acts as a shield. This deters pests from landing and laying their eggs in your potting mix. It’s also effective in stopping your furry friends from making a sandpit of your pot plants.

Using coir as a mulch indoors, keeps the moisture up to your plant for longer. Yep, you can water your indoor babes right over the top of the coir. It absorbs water easily and drains well meaning while it will keep your plant hydrated for longer, it won’t have them sitting with a soggy top later!

3. Totem Poles

Coir totems are sturdy fibre-wrapped poles that provide stability, support and structure to your indoor (or outdoor!) plants. 

Perfect for supporting your large climbing varieties like Monstera or Philodendrons, or creating height on your vining plants like Pothos and Syngoniums. 

Coir fibre holds moisture so if you spritz them periodically with water, your aerial roots can drink it right up! Happy plant and good looking decor piece - win, win!

Give it a go!

Coir has a near-neutral pH level of 5.5 to 6.8, (unlike peat, which is highly acidic). This is an ideal pH for most plants, making it a great addition to your plant care!

We send each of our plant + pot combos with a free coir fibre mat, or loose coir overlay so you can see the benefits for yourself! Or purchase a couple of coir fibre mats on their own. 

Once it’s outlived its usefulness, toss it into your worm farm or compost pile and let it break down! That’s our favourite part