In today’s blog post, we will be discussing pros and cons of various growing methods and media types, as they apply to commercial production of high value horticultural crops. Although there are nearly infinite ways to grow plants, we will only focus on the more popular methods that are often employed by large scale operations and methods that are popular in today’s production environments....

pH management in coco coir is easy and straightforward, compared to other growing substrates. Coco coir is naturally pH neutral, and has a similar cation and anion exchange, and will therefore maintain pH without an added buffer, even with strong acidic fertilizer solutions applied.   Peat based substrates are naturally acidic and require chemical buffers, such as lime. And in order for those buffers...

Global Supply Phosphorus is found in small concentrations but wide distribution in the entire Earth’s crust. However, free phosphorus doesn’t exist on the Earth’s crust, due to it being highly reactive. Mined phosphate fertilizer reserves have been estimated to last at least until the year 2300, with 80% of the global phosphorus supply located in Morocco and Western Sahara. Due to recent global conflicts,...

As an essential nutrient vital for plant growth and development, phosphorus plays a pivotal role in numerous physiological processes, ranging from energy transfer to DNA synthesis. Growing hydroponically with soluble nutrients, coco coir is a versatile and efficient substrate, offering an ideal environment for nutrient uptake and utilization. However, coco, much like other hydroponic substrates, has the potential to store too much phosphorus, and when...

Coconut coir is a byproduct of the coconut industry, being used for the production of coconut oil, juice, and flesh (or “meat”). These are produced from coconut palm trees. As with most fruits, coconuts contain large amounts of potassium. The coconut husk is essentially a lignin compound, similar to wood, but evolved to be more resilient as it protects the reproductive part of the...