The Pros and Cons of Coco Coir vs CocoMats for Cultivating Microgreens
Cultivating microgreens has become a popular way for many to get their daily dose of vitamins and minerals. Microgreens are small, young vegetable greens that can be grown in the comfort of your own home with minimal effort and cost. Two common methods used by gardeners to grow microgreens at home are Coco Coir and CocoMats. Both coco coir and coco mats provide an effective hydroponic growing medium, but they have different advantages when it comes to cultivating microgreens. In this article:
- we will describe coco coir advantages and disadvantages,
- describe coco mats Pros and cons, and
- compare Coco Coir versus Coco Mats for cultivation of microgreens so you can decide which method is right for you!
Coco coir description
Coco coir is a coco pith and coco chips ground pressed together medium that can be used as an effective hydroponic growing media. Coco Coir comes from coconuts and has brown fibers that come from older nuts for strength and white fibers taken from younger ones. It was used already in the 19th century, but in the 20th one got really popular!
Coco coir holds moisture well and provides excellent aeration, making it ideal for germinating seeds and growing microgreens. Make your plants feel like they are taking a relaxing spa day with coco coir. This organic, environmentally sustainable substrate is the perfect combination of aeration and water retention for ultimate root growth.
It may be stored easily in brick form, but it needs to be prepared with water before using— you have to soak 650 grams of our MP Seeds Coco Coir in 4 liters of water to achieve around 7 volume liters of growing substrate after 25-30minutes.
Also remember: without any nutrients included in this grow medium, fertilizers need to be added into your nutrient mix for full results!
When it comes to cost, coco coir is typically less expensive than cocomats. It is also easier to store and ship coco coir since it can be compressed into a much smaller size than cocomats.
Pro tip 1: For soaking CocoCoir use water with already added fertilizer, to get great start when sprouting in the blackout phase.
Pro tip 2: Add some vermiculite to your mix to get more aeration when growing overwatering sensitive microgreens varieties like Beet, Amaranth or Carrot.
Coco coir pros and cons
Pros:
- clean and easy to store
- provides clean cultivation
- keeps moist very well
- good in hydroponic growing
- cheaper than cocomats
Cons:
- needs 30minutes to be prepared
- needs to be fertilized
- dries little bit faster than soil
Cocomats description
Cocomats are made of coco-fibers bound together using spun needles or with natural latex. They hold water well and provide good oxygenation to improve root growth
Cocomats are also extremely easy to use and require minimal maintenance. You just need to soak it with water and sow the seeds - but like with Coco Coir do not forget the fertilizer. However the best thing is when it comes to cleaning the pots. You just harvest the microgreens and throw the mat away to the composter. At voila! You may meet single latexed Cocomats or Cocomats double layered.
Pros:
- provides clean cultivation
- almost not need preparation
- keeps moist very well
- good in hydroponic growing
Cons:
- not reusable
- needs to be fertilized
- dries faster than soil
- more expensive than coco coir
Pro tip 3: Use hot water to soak the CocoMat - it will get more puffy and the seeds will get extra boost to sprout faster!
To sum up
So, depending on your preferences, the scale of cultivating and budget coco coir or coco mats can be a good option for cultivating microgreens.
In conclusion, coco coir and coco mats both offer effective hydroponic growing media that are easy to use and require minimal maintenance. Depending on your preferences, coco coir may be more cost-effective while coco mats may provide better organization performance of growing process. Consider the pros and cons of each option before selecting one for your next microgreen cultivation project or order both to compare!
We hope this article has helped you decide which method is best for you when it comes to cultivating microgreens: coco coir or cocomats. Check our CocoMat or CocoCoir and...
Keep Growing,
Caroline