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Using coconut coir as starting medium - which organic fertilizer?

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Posted by kitty_m 5b (My Page) on
Fri, Feb 3, 12 at 20:01

It's been a long time since I started anything from seed, but this past year, I built a front yard veggie garden (formal topiary style!) So this year I want to start my veggies from seed. I found an old (still wrapped, ie still clean) brick of coconut shavings and I'd like to use it for the starting medium. However, I read online that once the seedlings have their first set of true leaves, fertilizer needs to be added to help them grow since the coconut has none. What I can't seem to find is what kind of organic fertilizer to add. Any ideas?

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RE: Using coconut coir as starting medium - which organic fertili

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Any liquid fertilizer, as long as it is well-balanced with nutrients, will work fine IF you dilute it to at least half strength. No stronger. Common recommendation is feeding with 1/4-1/2 strength fert no more than 1x a week.

The issue with using strictly organics for new seedlings is that many of them are single nutrient products - primarily nitrogen - and they lack P and K and mircro-nutrients. So you'll have to shop around to find to find a nutrient blend or make your own blend.

Also keep in mind that organic fertilizers work best if there is an active soil herd of bacteria to convert them to usable forms for the plants. That is seldom the case with young seedlings since they are started in sterilized products such as your coir.

Nutrient-blend organics include some of the products from Earth Juice. Bio-Link, and Fox Farm just to name a few brands.

Hope this helps.

Dave

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RE: Using coconut coir as starting medium - which organic fertili

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I wouldn't even want to use coconut shavings since they hold too much water that seeds start to mold up or the sprouts rotting at the base.

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RE: Using coconut coir as starting medium - which organic fertili

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Coco is essentially a soilless medium and is more suited to non organic ferts. I would use regular ferts and then switch to organic methods once you plant in the ground which is where organic methods are most suited.

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