Coir for seedlings. What you need to know.

There is so much confusion around Coir, washed coir and washed and buffered coir. There is also debate about the importance of buffering your coir.
At Livingseeds we always want to give you the shortest path to success in your garden, in this video we take you through the entire process of how we test coir, and how we check to see if the buffering process has actually happened.
Calcium lockup is a real thing and can have you scratching your head wondering if you have bum seeds or if you simply cannot grow anything. The problem could be the coir that you are using.
Livingseeds recently ran out of our stocks of buffered coir, and we have now had to come up with a plan to ensure your success.
Livingseeds is the first company in South Africa to supply the exact amount of Calcium Nitrate required to buffer your coir with every block supplied.
You can buy your coir products here: livingseeds.co...
WITH the correct amount of Calcium Nitrate to do the buffering yourself, included for FREE!
Test Results
TEST RODI Water CaNo3 Water Washed Coir Buffered Coir
pH 6.02 5.66 5.9 4.5
Cond 27.9uS 3.18mS 673uS 674mS
TDS 20ppm 2.29ppt 485ppm 4.87ppt
Sal 12.9mg/l 1870mg/l 327mg/l 3.68g/l
This trial shows the very real need to ensure that your coir is buffered BEFORE you use it in a soil or hydroponic mix. Failure to buffer your coir will lead to challenges in your growing season.

[@capsicumco]

This is the type of quality content people need to watch. Makes a difference when you know how to use it

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Thank you bud. Really appreciate the comment.

[@7DTD-k5j]

I have a marula tree in gauteng springs will it definitely grow

[@ruthlongridge]

This is Science that I CAN and DO trust

[@ruthlongridge]

Rhetting is also used to prepare natural fibres for spinning - like flax is made into linen thread

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Thank you.

[@gordonsmit3396]

Wow.... Never to old to learn🧑🏻‍🎓.. Very nice video with a ton of info.....

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Thank you Gordon.

[@JohanlastZa]

Do you remove the buffered coir water and replace it with fresh RO water and then mix in the Vermicasts, Vermiculite and Perlite? Basically removing the Sodium Nitrate and replacing with fresh 7 liters of RO water? EDIT: Instruction on product page : Pour off the water measuring how much water has been poured off and replace with the amount removed? Is that right? So if I removed 3 liter of Sodium Nitrate water, I replace with 3 liters of RO water, then mix the Vermicasts, Vermiculite and Perlite?

[@LivingseedsFarm]

It need not be RO water. You can use normal tap water. We used RO water so we could have a base reference.

[@deepsranchod]

Thank You very informative

[@dnawormcastings]

Great video my friend 🇳🇿❤️

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Thank you 😁 Really appreciate you.

[@iandudman9529]

If I use the calcium nitrate would I still be organic?

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Unfortunately the calcium nitrate is not certified organic. We are working on other options and will publish our results.

[@Ms4WhyNot]

Can a person use Gypsum (calcium sulfate (CaSO4). ) in stead of the Calcium Nitrate?

[@LivingseedsFarm]

We can run some tests.

[@overgrowthplanet7531]

Good question

[@lornabaker4039]

How much calcium nitrate do you need for a 5 kg block of coir? And how should we safely dispose of the water after?

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Please see here for the instructions. livingseeds.co.za/5kg-cocopeat-block.html The water is not dangerous and can be safely disposed of down the drain or used as a Nitrogen rich fertilizer. Just spread it and don’t water in a single spot.

[@bluestar61180]

What about coir for worm farms?

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Not sure what the question is about specifically. If you are asking about unbuffered coir in worm farms, the salt is probably going to be an issue. If it’s about buffered coir in worm farms there is no issue. We have incorporated used buffered coir into our worm farms either no issue at all.

[@bluestar61180]

Thanks I see a lot of overseas worm farm videos showing them using coir especially in new farms if you are just getting started.

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Interesting. Never hear of that. We use straw or paper shredding as a starter. Much cheaper. If you are using coir, it will need to buffered as the salt released is quite substantial and will hurt the worms.

[@pieterpompies2093]

Would this work if you dont have Ro water?

[@LivingseedsFarm]

Great question. Yes most definitely it will still work. We used RO water as a baseline to run the test. We don’t use RO on a daily basis.

[@pieterpompies2093]

@@LivingseedsFarm Thank you for your feedback. I could get RO water from work but now ill just use the good old government juice..

[@TheJessicagardner]

Shooo I want to try make the seedling mix but it looks so so complicated to mix it pitty. I find this video confusing for mixing ...

[@LivingseedsFarm]

You’re not alone! Mixing coir can be intimidating for beginners. Don’t get discouraged, just try it out a few times and it will become much easier.

[@Ms4WhyNot]

I wonder what would happen if you left the coir in a mix of water + urine for 2 wks ;) ..? and then rinse and add some diluted Seagro..? who would like to try this one? :P lol

[@LivingseedsFarm]

😂😂😂 are you taking the piss… 😂😂😂 Seriously, it’s a calcium exchange that we are trying to achieve. Don’t think urea/ammonia will fulfil the desired function.