Replacing peat with coco in soil mix

[Farmer88]

For those who make thier own potting soil, have you tried replacing a peat base with a coco base? Generally I use bags of unamended peat at around 4.4 pH and mix with my own compost and pearlite and hitting around 6.5 pH post mix.

I would like to start moving away from relying on peat and towards something else for soil body.

 

[mysticepipedon]

I have not, but would if I could ensure it would still behave like soil and not coco. That might require more compost than the usual mix.

 

[Lectricpuha]

I tried a mix without coco but feel Peat and coco have two completely different characteristics
I use both in my mix the coco for body the peat for moisture retention along with a pretty coarse compost
And some perlite or i prefer pumice to pocket air and aid microbes
Think if you went just peat and compost with perlite the mix might be too "heavy"
Maybe try a half size mix then you could add the coco if it didnt feel right

 

[Pushrod Monkey]

One of the better growers here with many years of experience uses a mix

1/3 Pro Mix
1/3 Perlite
1/3 Coco well rinsed and soaked in cal mag solution.

His products speak for themselves.

 

[Farmer88]

I tried a mix without coco but feel Peat and coco have two completely different characteristics
I use both in my mix the coco for body the peat for moisture retention along with a pretty coarse compost
And some perlite or i prefer pumice to pocket air and aid microbes
Think if you went just peat and compost with perlite the mix might be too "heavy"
Maybe try a half size mix then you could add the coco if it didnt feel right

The compost I make has very high moisture retention as is, mostly chose the peat to add some volume and the pearlite for drainage though I did read here recently about pumice and it not powdering (this might have been you). Do you use a spesific size grade on the pumice? I'll have to see whats available at the garden centers. I can usually get 4 cu foot for around $20 or pallets for around $800.

 

[Farmer88]

One of the better growers here with many years of experience uses a mix

1/3 Pro Mix
1/3 Perlite
1/3 Coco well rinsed and soaked in cal mag solution.

His products speak for themselves.

Pro mix is peat based. Not refuting the results, rather I have about 40 cu yards of compost that has peat like qualites. And mostly used the peat for volume and lowering pH. However I am mixing a small batch of 1:1:1 compost coco pearlite to test with some nasturtium I have kicking around.

More to the point, I am asking if anyone has any anecdotal experice with supplimenting coco for peat. Or any other substitue it doesn't necessarily have to be coco.