Five Advantages of Growing strawberries in coco coir: Explained!

1. Five Advantages of Five Advantages of Growing strawberries in coco Growing strawberries in coco coir coir: Explained! : Explained! Coco coir also known as coconut coir is high in lignin. It is an organic compound that helps in the development of beneficial bacteria that in turn minimize the propagation of harmful ones in the media. Many strawberries growers believe coconut coir is one of the best mediums for cultivating strawberries. Research shows that growing strawberries in coco coir not only improves growth but also improves the quality compared to traditional crops grown on traditional medium. Grow Strawberries in Coco Coir Why Choose Coco Coir for Growing Strawberries? A research has conducted in the University of Oviedo showed that strawberries grown in coconut coir performed better in terms of fruit yield per plant, fruit weight, firmness, salinity, total soluble solids i.e. amount of sugar, ascorbic acid i.e. vitamin C, anthocyanin’s and phenolic compounds. Coconut fibre is a natural product. It is biodegradable and has great capacity for aeration as well as water retention. The soil-less production system with coco coir has many different advantages, for instance, it has better control in the use of water. Coconut coir allows for re- circulation and avoiding leachate, aka residual liquid. Research also showed that it can be produced in those areas where other growing mediums can be a limiting factor. Growing strawberries in coco coir is easy and the fruit can be harvested more comfortably. The best thing is – it is possible to raise the plants to the desired height. This type of cultivation with coconut fibre or coco coir is already being used worldwide. Therefore, many growers are shifting to coco coir instead of growing strawberry in the Riococo.com Page 1

2. traditional way. Growing strawberries in coir substrate has many other advantages, such as labour, yield, reduced use of pesticides, water and fertilizer, infrastructure, growth control and limitations, to name a few. If you are a veteran grower then you must know how to use coco coir for growing strawberries or if you are beginner then you should know that you need to add between 4-5 gallons of water to a 5-kilo block of coco coir. Initially, the water might run across the surface as the block is very firmly compressed, which is why using a big enough container and put the coir plank in it is important; so the water does not go wasted. Coconut coir substrate is great for holding water. The water holding capacity of the coco coir goes well with the strawberry plants. Coco coir bag or plank produced by RICOCOCO has better aeration than normal soil because strawberries need a considerable amount of O2. It is one of the reasons RICOCOCO coir grow bag and plank are considered an ideal medium for growing strawberries. Buy RIOCOCO Coir Bag or Coir Plank In Conclusion The way forward for soft fruit production, like strawberry means, for many growers, growing in coir. The traditional growing medium for strawberries has one major disadvantage and that is the pathogen issue. Unlike normal medium, coconut coir is not infested with any harmful fungi. One of the major advantages of growing strawberries in coco coir is – coconut coir is enriched with Trichoderma. In the past, research showed that these fungi help reducing anthracnose disease that is commonly found in strawberry plants. Thus, it works a great substitute for traditional chemical uses in the strawberry field. Riococo.com Page 2