Use Of Coconut Husk Chips for Potting Medium

[shawnintland]

Athena, lets see how the transport works with my shipments from Penang to Thailand...if all goes well and if it's not too expensive, perhaps I can send them by truck from here.

[NepNut]

Thanks poweramp for the detailed explanation. So far, the coco chips and coco peat that I got locally is safe for use. I usually let it soak for a few weeks changing water every few days untill the water is clearer (less tannic acid).

Athene,
I managed to get coco chips here from one of the nursery in Sg. Petani. By looking at the packaging, it's seems to be packed by local company. I also tried coco chips that I brought from a nursery in Hatyai, very cheap and seems to be of better quality.

[edwardyeeks]

Originally Posted by poweramps

Bad rep of coco husk chips is due to the CEC of the media. It means that you cannot remove the sodium and potassium by just flushing with water alone. Protons (H+) in water cannot dislodge the sodium and potassium from the media even if you use a whole load of water. Unfortunately, when roots of plants come in contact with the media, the sodium can, by ion exchage mechanism, move to the tissue of the plant, burning it. By using cations with a larger atomic number (electronegativity and ionic radius) in the wash water, ie salts in group II or further down the periodic table, the sodium and potassium is dislodged and washed off. The choice of salts is therefore one that is less or non-toxic to plants. Looking at the periodic table, Mg and Ca are good choices (Cu, Cd, Pb and Cr would work wonders, but they are toxic as well, being heavy metals). If coco cubes are treated in this manner, it doesn't matter if they started off high salt or low salt. All you have to do is to do is to prepare a series of ion exchange solutions to remove the sodium.

I have absolutely no idea about this, haven't learn about it yet....

Fauzi uses coco chips and he says that all his neps and CPs in coco chips are ok and fine for the moment. I don't know where to get them at all. Its almost impossible to find them.

Cheers

[Amelie.Poulain]

Originally Posted by cpnut

Athene,
I managed to get coco chips here from one of the nursery in Sg. Petani. By looking at the packaging, it's seems to be packed by local company. I also tried coco chips that I brought from a nursery in Hatyai, very cheap and seems to be of better quality.

Robert,

Wow that's great! Next time you getting the coco medias, do you mind getting some for me too? I'd really like both the peat and the cubes. PM me the cost + anything additional

[bactrus]

Cocopeat, try Kean Weng- the plant section- at air itam. They have there.

[Amelie.Poulain]

BA,

Thanks for the heads up. Any chance of getting the coco cubes there?

[undentified]

BA,
the kean weng you mean is KW pet shop that sells aquarium fishes and other accessories like pumps and tanks? coco peat is easy to find but i seldom see coco cubes.

[bactrus]

I make my own buy gathering husk from inland coconut growers. Dry them then cut them with my parang. Think better wait for Shawn's lorry of cocopeat to arrive- hopefully...

[Amelie.Poulain]

Originally Posted by bactrus

I make my own buy gathering husk from inland coconut growers. Dry them then cut them with my parang. Think better wait for Shawn's lorry of cocopeat to arrive- hopefully...

cutting your own with parang? you are nuttier than what concluded before !

Shawn's lorry of peat? That's a wonderful thought!