PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rose, Robin
AU  - Haase, Diane L
TI  - The Use of Coir as a Containerized Growing Medium for Douglas-fir Seedlings
AID  - 10.3368/npj.1.2.107
DP  - 2000 Sep 21
TA  - Native Plants Journal
PG  - 107--111
VI  - 1
IP  - 2
4099  - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/1/2/107.short
4100  - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/1/2/107.full
SO  - NATIVE PLANTS JOURNAL2000 Sep 21; 1
AB  - In response to environmental concerns and the need for peatland conservation, alternative growing media for conifer seedling production must be investigated. We grew Douglas-fir seedlings in 6 media; components included peat moss, peat moss amended with sawdust, and 2 sources of coir (coconut fiber) mixed with and without peat moss. Coir had higher pH, P, K, and Na and lower Ca and N than peat moss and a peat moss-sawdust mixture. Bulk densities of coir and coir-based media were lower than those in peat moss and a peat moss-sawdust mixture. After 21 wk, seedlings grown in coir-based media were significantly smaller and had lower foliar N and Ca than those grown in peat moss. Because of coir’s many favorable qualities, we suggest further research using culturing regimes specific to the substrate’s nutrient properties.