good point... think the paper trays are compost now... thanks

Alison, I see you are using disposable lasagna pans for planting. Did you poke holes in the bottom of them? What catches any water that might run out? Do you use mini blind slats for your markers, then use your label maker? Yours looks so neat and tidy. I assume you are doing these "under lights?" Do you use any lids on top of the pans to keep the moisture in?

I am brave and don't put holes in them.. water gently.. but do use water gels in the bottom to collect any excess water.. yes I use mini blinds & the ones from novesel.. on the mini blinds I like a paint pen.. it doesn't wash off.. and do use a brother p-touch for the novesel ones because I don't like the way the paint pen holds to those.. any perennials now I use labels.. and annuals mini blinds... cheaper that way.. but the mini blinds disappear quick in the garden.. lots and lots of lights inside.. and I did find loaf pans with lids at the super market.. and keep using the same lids over and over with dollar store pans.. I did try to put the pans in a flat with the cover.. it didn't work.. don't try it.. dried out very fast

Hello everyone.
I use coconut coir in my containers but not like some of you have done. I live in an arid area where moisture retention in containers and soil is a problem. In a twelve inch pot, i only add a handful of coir to the soil which has helped me with watering less. As the name coconut says, it grows next to the sea and yes its salt content is high with no nutritional value at all for plants but to amend soil and for water retention its properties are very good and that much salt does no harm. When i want more moisture, i might add ten to twelve gel beads but planting in pure coir has been a total failure at least for me. Even with humidity at 15% and ambient temperature at 46 c i have found coir to moist/soggy leading to root rot.
My climate is harsh and hot but why are some of you experimenting with coir when you are in a temperate or cooler zone? If you want to make the soil more porous and airy, just add a bit of coir its expansion on water absorption and contraction on drying plus the fibers will do the trick.
Regards,
Masud.

the coir I have was just about free.. so I just add perlite to it and use it just like that in my containers.. and add slow release fert. to the mix.. and polymer gels as well

Thanks for the input, KAMasud.

While I've never been a big fan of Miracle Grow potting soil, I tried some of their "moisture control" potting mix this summer in a few big pots this summer. It contains coir, though I don't know what percentage. Even in the unprecedented heat and drought that we had in the midwest those containers did great. This was shortly after planting in April.


This was in August


So I agree, some coir in a mix can help a lot in moisture retention. I don't know what percentage is necessary though.

In the past I had tried pure coir for seed starting and I failed miserably.

Karen

have to make sure drainage is good... all these were planted with coir, perlite and slow release
June 12

last week


edit - had the photos switched.. oops.. LOL

Beautiful as always, Allison. You do have a way with coir that I lack.

Karen

I don't think this coir has any salt in it.. or not as much.. I don't smell any sea like fragrance when I expand it.. and most of the time I use hot water.. since it soaks in quicker.. you would think steamy it would have that sort of a smell.. but it doesn't