Since soil has been used by people to cultivate plants for thousands of years, it is not surprising that soil quality is declining quickly worldwide. By 2070, the world’s topsoil, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will be completely gone. Thus, there are currently fewer harvests available to people.
There is no doubt that soil damage is occurring all around the world. When the soil’s quality deteriorates and its ability to support plants and animals is reduced, it is said to have degraded. This begs the question; can plants grow without soil? Plants can indeed grow without soil, but they cannot grow without nutrients, protection from adverse temperatures, or an even supply of moisture, and they need oxygen around the roots.
Alternatives to soil frequently provide plants with more of what they require with a lot less work from humans. Coco Peat is a non-fibrous, spongy, lightweight, corky material that holds together the coir fibre in a coconut husk. The extraction of coconut fiber from husks gives us this byproduct called coco-peat, which is a 100% organic, natural, and biodegradable substance.
Coco Peat is ideal because it has a high moisture retention capacity, improves soil aeration, allows roots to breathe, and can be reused for up to 5 years after. Coco peat can be pressed into a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all growing applications.
One drawback is that, due to creep, coco peat must be used within a few months of production. Otherwise, rewetting and using it becomes challenging. Once more, using newly crushed coco peat helps alleviate this challenge.
Cocopeat is a fantastic sowing medium and soil amendment. It is used to sow the seeds of vegetables, and seasonal flowers in seedling trays, and greenhouses. Additionally, it is more resistant to diseases, pests, and weeds.