What is the role of coco fibers in SS?

I have found all the ingredients I need to make my mix except for coco. I can order online, but before I do, since I read subcool say on a post that its not that important, I was wanting to know what it does to the soil and how "NOT" important it is.

Thanks.

The coco adds no "nutritional value" to the mix, there is coco in the roots organic soil. However coco create k as a by-product of decomposition.

Its mostly an organic filler. Coco also works well as anatural ph buffer, if you water coco at a consistent ph it will hold that ph fairly well, until "re buffered" by consistently watering at another ph.

OK, thanks. So, other than kelp meal, what else has K? I know most of the products has lots of N and P, but only K I can find is a 2 in the kelp meal. Should I get the coco to add more K?

when coco breaks down it releases eough K

venom21 said:

when coco breaks down it releases eough K

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Yes, but what if I dont have the coco in the mix? Is there enough K without it?

coco and peat together will provide a better mix. add kelp meal to this. done.

TheLastWood said:

The coco adds no "nutritional value" to the mix, there is coco in the roots organic soil. However coco create k as a by-product of decomposition.

Its mostly an organic filler. Coco also works well as anatural ph buffer, if you water coco at a consistent ph it will hold that ph fairly well, until "re buffered" by consistently watering at another ph.

Click to expand...

^ THIS is the only right answer so far.

Coco peat is used as a PH Buffer, Natural filter, and it as Mainly used for Aeration of the soil. Coco peat if very light and fluffy, it allows water to pass through the soil rather than being trapped.

if you can not find Coco peat, look for Vermiculite. If you cant find Ethier one of those just add extra Perlite to the mix.

kushking42 said:

coco and peat together will provide a better mix. add kelp meal to this. done.

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you could grow plants with that, but not great plants.

Peat Moss
Coco peat
Perlite
Bat Guano / Blood Meal
Seabird Buano / bone meal
Kelp Meal
Humic Acids
Green Sand / Azomite
Gypsum / Epsom Salts.

THAT is a "good" soil mix....

hey smart guy, try reading the o.p. first post. he already has all those ingredients. the ? is whether to use peat alone and where the k comes from if not using coco.

actualy Smart ass, the Questios is:

I was wanting to know what it does to the soil and how "NOT" important it is.

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and the Answer IS:

Coco peat is used as a PH Buffer, Natural filter, and it as Mainly used for Aeration of the soil. Coco peat if very light and fluffy, it allows water to pass through the soil rather than being trapped.

if you can not find Coco peat, look for Vermiculite. If you cant find Ethier one of those just add extra Perlite to the mix.

Click to expand...

Maybe you should read the whole thing next time?

It's not necessary to use coco. However, if you just use peat moss, dolomite lime should be used at 1 cup per cubic foot of mix to buffer pH and you will need to amend for K, kelp meal is a great amendment for this.

So everyone knows, here is what I have in my mix.

peat moss 2 or so cu. ft
worm castings 10 lbs
bat guano 1.25 lbs
cow manure 15 lbs
perlite 1 cu. ft
azomite 1/8 cup
epsom salt 1/8 cup
humic acid 1/2 tbs
blood meal 1.25 lbs
bone meal 1.25 lbs
kelp meal 1.25 lbs
lime 1/2 cup

This is what Ive already mixed up. Its just a small batch.

Looks good to me but u may need more perlite or vermiculite for better drainage or even a little sand would work very easy to get

Many pet stores have bricked coco in the reptile bedding section if you have a look