Want to learn how to prepare cocopeat at home?
Cocopeat has turned out to be a game changer for people who had no access to soil and space to have their own little garden. Now with the help of cocopeat, you can easily start gardening on a terrace, balcony & even a little bit of space outside your house can be turned into a beautiful green zone.
But do you need to buy this magical product from nurseries or online all the time?
No!!! that’s the best part of it.
How to make Cocopeat at home?
To make cocopeat at home you need to have coconut husk, fibrous outer covering of the coconut, place it over a clean cloth & then you need to beat it with the help of a hammer until a dust like particle is collected at the bottom. That is how easy it is to make it.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot more to discover. So keep reading till the end.
How to make Coco Peat at Home – Preparing Coconut Peat
I am guessing that you already know what cocopeat is but for those of you who don’t know.
It is actually just the dust (Burada) that comes out of the coconut’s outer husk and fiber.
Do you remember the coconut you buy to offer for prayer in temples the shopkeeper removes the outer covering and gives the harder shell to you which has water in it?
Remember right!!!
Yes, that outer covering is what you need to make your own cocopeat at home.
That fibrous part of coconut which you don’t give attention to is what you need.
And the best part about India is that you can easily get it from those shopkeepers because they end up throwing it and also you can ask the priest of the temple and they will give loads of it to you.
And the more obvious way is to buy the whole coconut.
Whichever suits you the best go for it. The main part here is to have that upper fibrous part of the coconut.
Now once you have got the outer covering of coconut the real work starts.
Now there are two ways to make coconut peat at home:
- The first one is very fast, less effort but a bit risky.
- The second one is comparatively slow and requires more effort but has no risk
Let’s start with the first one:
How to make Cocopeat at home? (Steps To Prepare)
In this method, all you have to do is cut the fibrous part into smaller pieces with the help of scissors or whatever equipment you may use.
And put it inside the mixer and just mix it.
How long do you need to mix it?
Till the fibers have turned into powdery form. When you feel that it cannot get any smaller than that. That is when you stop.
Take this powdery substance in a container.
Remove the fiber particle if you see any.
But still, it is not usable.
So, in order to make it usable, you need to add water to it.
When you add water to it you will see that it won’t absorb water instantly so you need to leave this mixture in water for some time.
After a while, you see that it will start to absorb water and its color will turn into dark brown from light brown.
When it absorbs all the water now it can be used for gardening.
But you must be wondering what was the risk here?
The risk was of using a mixer or blender. Because in this process the mixer gets so hot and there are slight chances that it may stop working.
The chances are quite slim but it is a possibility.
But don’t worry if you don’t want to take the risk. I have got another option for you as well.
Also, learn:
How to make Potting Soil at Home in India?
How to make money plant bushy?
How to Make Cocopeat Without Mixer?
Now obviously, you don’t want to take the risk of getting your mixer to burn out, so let’s look at an easier alternative to it.
For this – follow these simple steps.
Spread a clean cloth on the floor, and get the husk of coconut to remove the fibrous part of it.
Just by doing this process, you will see that there will be a good amount of coco peat on the cloth.
Once you remove the fibrous part.
Then take one piece of husk and beat it with the help of a hammer and it will shed cocopeat.
Now just repeat this process with all the pieces of husk you have.
Once you feel you have got everything out of the husk.
The next process is the same.
Keep the coco peat inside a container and then pour water into it and leave it till it absorbs all the water.
If you are unable to find coconut husk, don’t worry there are many good companies that are selling premium quality cocopeat at reasonable rates.
Here is a list of the best of them:
Why Should You Even Bother To Make Coconut Peat At Home?
Light in Weight
Coco peat is very light in weight compared to soil. If you were to use only normal garden soil, it would put a lot of weight on the structure it was put on which is not good. It is also easy to change the location of containers as there are lighter in weight.
Gives Space to Breathe
Another quality of coco peat is that it is very fluffy in nature and allows the root to breathe and grow freely, which is very vital for container gardening, as the plants are grown in confined spaces.
Better Water Retention Capacity
One of the major qualities of coco peat is that it has a very good water retention capacity.
This means that once you water it, it will hold the moisture for a longer time and you won’t have to water the plants again and again.
Conclusion:
So, these were the 2 ways by which you can make coco peat at home.
If you have any doubt do let me know through the comment section.
And if you end up making coco peat using this guide. Share the experience with me as well.
