Coconut Coir Compressed Block expands up to 18.7 Gallons (2.5 Cu Ft) - Ideal Growing Medium for Potting Mix - Healthy Roots, Healthy Plants and Bountiful Harvest (1 Pack)

I got this to use in some garden planters to help hold water. I've never used the compressed coir before, and found it was quite fun to see how much it expanded as it absorbed water! My husband helped me set it in a plastic tub on the deck and we filled it about half full of water at first, then we went back inside. When we checked it a few hours later it had almost doubled in size and had absorbed most of the water! I broke it up a bit, down to the inner part that was still dry and compressed, and we added more water. It ended up filling the tub about 3/4 full of nice moist fiber. It took almost a full day to completely rehydrate the coir but it was kind of fun, lol, almost like a science project!I used the coir to fill the bottom half of a couple self-watering planters before filling them the rest of the way with container growing mix, and had quite a lot of the coir left. I mixed it with garden soil and filled several grow-bags and still have enough left for one or two more. So it worked out very well for me!

I ordered this because I got tired of buying name brand 'potting soils' that were either mildewing or had sticks and bark in the mix, plus I'm starting a collection of succulents and I was recommended coconut soil. The reviews on this were good, but even then I didn't expect the value I got for the price. The package has two blocks of coconut coir soil, and for the amount I had in the images, I only needed one block. It soaks in water very quickly and you can just watch the block expand into a giant pile of soil. I tossed mine around with a few gardening tools to get the water blended in completely, and then I let my soil sit out for a day in the sun before mixing with about 4qts of pearlite. So far it's working great, only need to water plants ever 3-4 days at the most and the soil is staying perfect in a plastic bag and galvanized steel container. So far all the plants I have in the 3rd photo have been transplanted with coconut soil, minus the basil and cilantro, plus a 14 inch hanging basket and I still have enough for probably at least 20 more pots of a medium size! This has been an amazing value and I'm looking forward to ordering it again whenever I actually run out!

I didn't have a super clear idea of exactly how much 2.5 cubic feet was, so only bought one brick, hoping it would be enough to suit my needs. That was a good decision. I got an extra-deep tote, dropped the block in, and set it in the running shower for a few minutes and left to get dinner. When I got back, the tote was full of moist, airy soil. I used this as a seed-starting medium (I added fertilizer, as it doesn't initially contain any) and filled twenty mini seed trays (7.3" x 5.5" x 2.5", ten with six sections, and ten with twelve sections). Later on, I transplanted some seedlings into peat pots and added more soil to the now empty cells to germinate more seeds. I have also planted a couple of plants in permanent containers, and I still have half of the soil left. Since the soil is untreated and it is great at retaining moisture, mold can form on the top when that moisture is sealed in with seed trays. However, this isn't an issue, as it doesn't really hurt the seedlings, and it isn't black mold (the harmful kind). However, my mind is still more at ease without the mold, so dusting ordinary ground cinnamon on top, improving air circulation, and not overwatering fixes the problem easily. The cinnamon doesn't hurt the seedlings. If I need more seed starting soil in the future--that won't happen anytime soon, because I still have so much--I'll be purchasing this again.

AMAZING how much quality "topsoil" this brick can produce for under $20! Shipped like a brick of dehydrated sawdust, it will fool one into under estimating just how much growing medium this expands to! Dump contents into Large Tote, Add 5 gallons water, then play in the sandbox for 1 full hour. (Mix it) The "brick" is by FAR the best way to send this product thru the mail, because after it's prepared it's the real VALUE deal, I mean THERE IS A LOT OF IT FOR UNDER $20. It should last some for more than one season. Be advised it has no nutrients, so solutions must have fertilizer for the clone/seedling stage at the correct-micro amount. (Maybe, mix in a little high quality potting soil for the top portion of plant-container, which is enough to get the roots into the hydro-solution. ' Claims to be PH Neutral ("PH BALANCED" is it named?), nothing better for ph adjusted hydroponics systems. The nitro growth lays in the perfect combination of the elements along with keeping the PH "balanced" throughout the stages of growth whenever possible. We used to only know this material as "black top soil" - lol, but this is the stuff- Made from coconuts.. Whoa. 5-stars. *OFF THE FARM? APARTMENT DWELLER? Get the LARGEST TOTE (3 to 4 feet wide, close to same size as large farm wheelbarrow) to use in apartments instead of the required "wheelbarrow". Expect the brick to expand to the point you can easily break and mix it with one's hands (shovel/wheelbarrow not needed). Takes about 30 minutes to mix. Perfect grow medium for DIY Hydroponics that is PH Buffered/Neutral.