Coir.

It's a simple question on weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could not carry a one-pound coconut!
~ 1st soldier with a keen interest in birds in Monty Python's Holy Grail

Coir (coconut husk fibers) is the eco-friendly alternative to sphagnum peat moss. Sphagnum peat moss is harvested from peat bogs that take thousands of years to form, making it a non-renewable resource in our lifetime or that of our descendants for many generations. Regardless of this fact, you may find that sphagnum peat moss is more readily available for purchase, whereas coir may be difficult to find. Here's how you can get your hands on some coir.

First, call your local nurseries and ask if they carry coir. Buying locally supports your neighborhood, family-owned small businesses, and helps to keep money circulating in your community resulting in a stronger local economy. In addition, it can eliminate extra packaging (landfill waste) and reduce greenhouse gases and the amount of non-renewable fossil fuels used in shipping.

To find a local nursery, visit Gardens.com and enter your 5-digit zip code. This site will provide you with your local nurseries' addresses, phone numbers, maps, reviews, as well as emails and websites if available.

If coir is not sold at a store near you and cannot be special-ordered through a local nursery, the following online stores carry coir bricks and bales:

Planet Natural - along with coir, they also carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers, beneficial insects and soil amendments.

Seeds of Change - along with coir, they have a wide variety of certified organic seeds and growing supplies.

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May 1, 2009

Susan Harris of the GardenRant blog recently posted an excellent article called The Real Dirt on Peat Moss by Ken Druse. Ken lists PlantBest as a good source for coir.