Hi pitcherell,
Well, I really can’t answer all of your questions, just want to say that I do like using coir. I’ve never used it by itself, only as a small percentage of the growing medium. I add it to all of my seed starting and potting mixes when growing from seed. Coir improves soil drainage and holds moisture very well without getting overly wet. It creates air pockets in the medium that allow excess moisture to drain away from plant roots.
I understand that coir can sometimes contain higher salt concentrations than peat, but I’ve never had problems with that. Commercially available coir has been greatly improved in that regard.
Art
