Pelemix - cocopeat

[chris]

Anyone used this?

Not sure how green it is, considering it's from the otherwise of the world. My site gets it for 10p a bag (the grow bags of it, crazy cheap), which again despite it being "waste" from what I've been told I can't see how ethical it is, at that price.

A guy on the site works at a tomato farm, and that's what they grow them in there... So they must get them in there for literary a couple of pence.

It looks like people use it as a much/improver. Stinks IMO, unless someone has mixed it with fresh manure recently next door to me!

[oldie]

Isn't just a form of coir? The coir is compressed into bricks which makes it economical and reasonably enviro-friendly as a huge number can be packed into a container. The bricks are soaked and some additives mixed with it before bagging up and selling on. I don't know what is added but the bag I saw didn't smell. I've used coir on its own and found watering it correctly was difficult but it does mix well with MPC and pad it out a bit.

[chris]

Sorry oldie, I didn't see your reply. Yes it is coir. A site member swears by the stuff.. so I'm going to give it a go as most people are hoppnig on the bandwagon this time around.

Well, I bought 200 spent bags of it. 10p each, saves them going to landfil. They come on pallets too - so that's my compost bins sorted

Am mulching with them (well, will be next year) - apparantly, they're perfect for growing carrots in them.

The first lot is going into raised beds with some muck to bulk them up a bit, second lot will be used as above, for carrots and mulching (akin to the nodig method). If it works for me, I'll be ordering a lot more, this time next year.

[Jelliebabe]

Hi Chris - Is it a local place you've ordered it from - or online?

[chris]

Some chap on the site gets them from a huge tomato farm in South Wales.

They're full of tomato roots, but there must be some goodness still left in them as I've now been told parsnips grow very well in them too. I'll take a photo of them close up tomorrow.

May be worth looking for any local large scale places like tommy glass houses around you?

[oldie]

Perhaps the previous tomato growing explains the smell? If it has been used in a hydroponic system there will be traces of the nutrients left in it. Just a thought. There is a huge tomato growing place down Margate way (I think), may be worth checking them out.

[chris]

This lot doesn't smell, not sure what was going on with the other stuff, but it smelt bad.

Dunno

I'll report back my growing reports in it next year.