Coir bricks?

[kitten]

Hi all, hope you do't mind another question  :-\

I've seen these coir bricks in the catalogues, and i'm wondering if they're suitable to use instead of farmyard manure in planting holes, bottom of bean trench etc?  Apparently they are easy to use, you just mix the brick with water & it plumps up to make peat free compost - can it really be that easy  ???

Anyone used them?  What are the pros and cons of these please? x

[kitten]

[supersprout]

Do you have a link kitten? I'd be interested to see the source - anything that's light to carry around and organic can't be bad news :D

[cornykev]

New one on me. ::) ;D ;D ;D

[Baccy Man]

I haven't tried them but have seen them in the organic garden catalogue.

http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=60_176&osCsid=49d12bd65f7f9e597fbc8c01800f840e

[kitten]

Yeah, i've seen them in the organic gardening catalogue too, but also on the link sprouty posted earlier for two wests - just thought i'd ask if anyone had used them, as they seem to be user friendly and fairly inexpensive?  Might give it a go and see what happens!

[manicscousers]

b&q are selling them, 1.99 for a miracle grow brick, unfortunately didn't have time to read about it ..will be looking next time as it's difficult to carry bags all the way to the plot  ;D

[supersprout]

Oh this is a tricky one.
Someone help here ... balancing container miles (I imagine they won't air-freight coir) against local but ?unethical (peat-based) ... I don't know the facts and figures, so stumped myself and using ethically harvested peat at the moment ???

[Baccy Man]

Read this & you will see using  coir in the UK is unethical too just in a different way.
http://files.recycleworks.co.uk/files/Peat.pdf

[supersprout]

Thank you baccyman, a thoughtful piece.
Just out of interest, what do you use for seed compost?
I know seived leafmould would work - seems the most sustainable solution ::)

[Baccy Man]

I usually use a blend of homemade compost, leafmould & sand (I would use perlite rather than sand but my neighbour works at a concrete company so it's free). I realise that a soilless mix is usually reccomended but I prefer to start all seeds in the same type of soil they will be growing in when planted out & I have used so much compost & leafmould over the last 7 years most roots won't find the clay that is lurking beneath it.

[supersprout]

Thanks for the info baccyman :D

[kitten]

Interesting article baccyman, thanks for posting the link.  Here's another one I've found, whilst trying to read up on this: http://www.coirtrade.com/coir.htm - puts another interesting slant on the story.  They have a page talking about the environmental aspects too.

It's a difficult one isn't it?  I'm guessing that when we've got our own compost or leafmould we'll use that for seeds & in planting holes etc, but until that time we're looking for the most cost effective vs ethical option.  :-\

BTW, what's 'ethically harvested peat' SS?

[ice]

remember that coir bricks have virtually no nutrients, so best to add some.

[grogirl]

hi!
i personally wouldn't start seedlings in Cori, the blocks i have used have been quite big fibres, not really the 'texture' is that the word? tilth, maybe, that you would want for germinating seeds, and like ice said Cori is inert and therefore contains no easily accessible nutrients. it is good however for improving drainage and structure.

[janet h 1948]

Poundland are selling these at 50p per pack of 2. Thats 20ltrs of compost.

[kitten]

Thanks grogirl, that's helpful, perhaps they'd be better for in the planting hole when transplanting then, or bottom of bean trench to aid with water retention or whatever.

Janet h that sounds like a barg - I don't have a dratted poundland near me i don't think!  Typical!  ::)

[supersprout]

BTW, what's 'ethically harvested peat' SS?

About two years ago a chum of mine in Ilkley gave me two sacks (IKEA bags!) of peat based sowing compost for my birthday. She'd got them as part of deal organised by her allotment society from Yorkshire Water, who harvest the peat particulates as they go through their water filtration so they don't get removed from peat bogs as such. I'm half way thru the second sack now (we don't use much, and I've been buying Arthur Bowers with John Innes recently), thanks for reminding me kitten, must ask for more! :)

[kitten]

Well that's a good way around an awkward problem ss - clever sprouty! ;)

I must admit, at the outset we were aiming for a perfect, organic allotment etc, but in practice it's going to be more like a 'best compromise using the given resources/options available' scenario - i.e. like you say, supporting local companies, being as organic/natural as possible within the given constraints, without completley driving yourself mad on the ethics front.  ;D x

[grogirl]

spell check doh! use for anything that reqiures good dranage  ;D, gg  x x x

[kitten]

Ooops sorry, that's what I meant to say, good drainage  ::).  I did read your post properly, honest  ;)