When transplanting plants it helps to have a great container that allows the seedlings to flourish. I’ve found over the years that coir pots are a great option. I used to use them as part of my farmer’s market plant sale business. Today I use them in my garden every year as I transplant tomato, pepper, and all sorts of other plants.
What are Coir Pots?
Coir pots are a waste product made from coconuts. The are formed into pots of various shapes and sizes. The coir pots I use the most are 3″ round pots and 4″ square pots. Both are easy and convenient to use. I begin my seeds in plastic cup greenhouses then separate the young seedlings into coir pots when they begin to develop their first sets of real leaves.
The seedlings grow through the potting mix and into the coir pots. When planting time arrives I can plant the entire pot in the soil. The pots don’t prevent the roots from emerging into the soil and it makes for a fast and easy process to plant the plants into the garden.
Why I Like Coir Pots
Check out this video to see more about why I like the coir pots. I go through some of the cons as well as the pros so you can get a realistic perspective on why these could be good for your garden. Also below the video is a list of pros and cons so you can compare them. I don’t know about you but sometimes I’d rather just read a post than watch a whole video!
Table of the Pros and Cons of Coir Pots:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Hold soil well and allow roots to dry out as needed | Roots can grow into other pots if they are too close together |
| Prevent waterlogging, avoiding overwatering issues | Pots may tip over if there is space between them in trays |
| Bottom watering is easy and efficient | 6-pack coir pots need to be cut apart, which is less convenient |
| Good for root development, allowing roots to penetrate through the pot | Roots might become intertwined with neighboring pots |
| Biodegradable and environmentally friendly | May not keep roots entirely contained |
| Made from coconut waste, a sustainable alternative to peat pots | Can break down after about 2 years in the garden |
| Convenient for transplanting plants without disturbing the roots | May leave behind small remnants in the garden after decomposing |
| Easy to upsize plants to larger containers | |
| Useful for transitioning plants from seedling stage to garden | |
| Lightweight and reusable for many years |
This table summarizes the main benefits and potential drawbacks of using coir pots as discussed.
Where To Get Coir Pots
If you are interested in purchasing some you can find them at Greenhouse Megastore. Here are some affiliate links to the one’s I generally use:
Garden Questions of the Month: August 2008
Last month I put together a post based on search engine hits in the form of a question to The Home Garden and I thought I’d do the same for August. I picked out several questions that I thought were either interesting or important and…
Local Events: Mule Day
Columbia, TN which is just down the road from us is currently having it’s annual Mule Day festival. It began on Tuesday and continues through this Sunday. It’s basically a festival with arts and crafts, bluegrass music, clogging, and several mule related events. There’s even…
September GROW Update!
It’s almost time for this gardener to get some lettuce growing in the vegetable garden and I don’t have a lettuce update yet for the GROW project but I can show you how the basil and marigold seeds have done. We’ve been suffering from drought…
How to Make a Raised Bed from Metal Roofing Materials DIY
Recently I put together my newest raised bed. I was inspired by some pictures I’ve seen lately where metal roofing materials were used for the sides. It was a very cool look that I wanted to see if I could replicate for my garden. Plus…
A Trip to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville, TN
Recently our family made a visit to the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville, TN. If you have never taken the opportunity to visit you should. The gardens are filled with a wonderful display of annuals, perennials, and themed gardens. Currently they have various playhouses on…
Winter Blooming Jasmine – In March!
They call it winter blooming jasmine, and last year it really was. I suppose that technically this year it still is but with spring fast approaching it’s almost too late to call it winter, almost. The first bloom happened several days ago but more and…
Discover more from Growing The Home Garden
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.