Coconut Coir for border edging?

[brokensword]

I tried doing the research but nothing came up re pond use. This is what I'm trying to do and any discussion/ideas would be much appreciated; I didn't design my pond exactly as I should and have always had some liner exposed. I typically just put the floaters in front and the liner is obscured. I'd like something a bit more permanent and beneficial. I have about 2" of exposed linear liner and maybe an inch of vertical. Large boulder rocks line the pond edge and in the past, I've put some soil/clay on the linear portion and rooted some sedums/similar plant. This works okay as they grow and spread a bit, they dangle in the water and obscure the vertical edge as well.

What I was thinking is to use a 'grow mat/surface' that would lay under the boulders, cover the linear portion and out over the edge, drop vertically down and cover the vertical exposed liner as well. Now, I thought about having this grow mat dangle into the pond a couple of inches for two reasons; one to make the transition seamless and to wick moister back up to the plants I'd like to attach to the mat. I was thinking ice plants as they don't need much water and growing on the mat, wouldn't get much anyway.

My question concerns using Coconut Coir as the growing mat in question (but if you have other ideas, please chime in!); would there be any negative chemicals released from the coir back into the pond? I did read some negative comments re growing orchids in coir mulch but am not sure if it would adversely affect what I'm trying to do. I'm using the matting as it will conform (I can cut/mold it) to the irregular shape of my pond edge and I can wire any plants to it fairly easily, hoping they eventually grow and spread on their own.

So, any opinions re this plan? Any better alternatives, other than re-doing the pond and having enough surplus liner back behind the rocks? Next pond, I'll know to do this but this being my first, I wasn't about to drain and yank the liner to better align my design. Just trying to cover and beautify the edges somewhat.

Thanks in advance for any ideas re using Coconut Coir.

Michael

 

[tbendl]

That's an interesting idea. I used sissy's idea of building pockets out of screen to hold both rocks and plants to cover the area's of the exposed liner. It allows me to move plants around for color and and also holds the kitty litter and osmocote that I use. I am a new ponder but it worked last fall and I am planning on putting new plants in this week if it doesn't rain. Do you have any pictures of the area you're working with?

 

[sissy]

Not to change the subject but I have seen coconut activated charcoal .I also saw about how ocean water is filtered using coconut coir filters .So you may have something there a natural water filter and great growing medium .I saw it on you tube about a year ago where they were using it in NC to grow organic food and were using a koi pond for nutrients to feed the plants .So if it works there why would it not do the same for ponds

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Not sure how much 'wicking' you will get with coir matting. Have you tested it?
It is used in Aquaponics as Sissy said, but here the matting is in full contact with the water.

 

[Lisak1]

The only thing I would add is that I have noticed coconut coir degrades pretty quickly in full sunlight. So I wouldn't count on it as a permanent solution. I would also check for color fastness - you may end up with a tea colored pond if it leeches tannins or sheds color in any way.

 

[brokensword]

That's an interesting idea. I used sissy's idea of building pockets out of screen to hold both rocks and plants to cover the area's of the exposed liner. It allows me to move plants around for color and and also holds the kitty litter and osmocote that I use. I am a new ponder but it worked last fall and I am planning on putting new plants in this week if it doesn't rain. Do you have any pictures of the area you're working with?

Screen-pockets was my initial idea. In researching low growing marginals (which I was going to put in said pockets, just below water level) there wasn't a lot that kept at less than 4" (I want to still see the rocks) so I switched to plants that can grow on liner with very little soil and went toward sedums. From there, I found ice plants and how they love dry, hot conditions, with almost all summer blooming, PLUS they stayed very low growing. So some of my question is aimed at trying to get these ice plants incorporated. I figure I can wire them on to the fibrous weave and they shouldn't get much water other than rain and or any wicking. It's raining here now, will get some pics up asap. In relaying my stone border, I did gain some little real estate back re liner and after raising the water level, have about an inch or two of vertical showing on one side while most is linear. Hence a flat mat that I can grow border plants on to augment the edge.

 

[brokensword]

Not to change the subject but I have seen coconut activated charcoal .I also saw about how ocean water is filtered using coconut coir filters .So you may have something there a natural water filter and great growing medium .I saw it on you tube about a year ago where they were using it in NC to grow organic food and were using a koi pond for nutrients to feed the plants .So if it works there why would it not do the same for ponds

Good to know, sissy. I did read some about salts in unwashed processing and another did mention some tannins, hence why I'm asking here with a more pond-oriented mindset toward any answers. If some are using coir in connection with koi, maybe it's okay to use as I am suggesting.

 

[brokensword]

Not sure how much 'wicking' you will get with coir matting. Have you tested it?
It is used in Aquaponics as Sissy said, but here the matting is in full contact with the water.

Meyer; no, not yet. I'm asking/researching before going through the effort/investment of creating the mats. I thought maybe someone else might have similar experiences. Googling didn't bring up much at all and what it did was mainly orchid growing related and hydroponics. From what I read, the coco mat is easily wettable, so I was thinking it might wick up some water. Maybe not. I figure to keep a couple of inches below and wick up 1-2". Might not help the horizontal portion, though.

 

[sissy]

My first screen pockets I made in 2007 when I helped build my front porch .I was using one before that but they were just sitting on the shelf of the pond to help contain the roots of the plants .I put screening inside my microwave vent to keep bees from going in there making nests and that started my addiction to window screens ,I also used it over all of my vent stacks with an elbow over them and the used it inside to cover the hole that my roof vents have so bugs would not get in my attic .

 

[brokensword]

The only thing I would add is that I have noticed coconut coir degrades pretty quickly in full sunlight. So I wouldn't count on it as a permanent solution. I would also check for color fastness - you may end up with a tea colored pond if it leeches tannins or sheds color in any way.

Lisa; I read on the net that it would last 4 years typically in warm weather areas and maybe more in colder climes; I'm in the latter. That said, ONCE I get the flowers to spread and affix themselves, I figure the mat would be covered and have little to no direct sun at all. I WAS hoping it would last longer but trying to research 'growing mats for plants' didn't give me any better options. Seems coconut coir is a lot better at holding water than sphagnum/peat moss plus it allows for a lot better aeration for the roots. I plan on using something like sedums/ice plants so I'm not necessarily worried about how much water retention there is. I can always spray them if I have to as there's other plants near my pond that are pot-bound and need my attention anyway. But I'm trying to create something I can just do once and enjoy without much maintenance thereafter.

I was worried about tannins too; that's why I'm asking for other opinions. I did read a couple of posts re this but not much and I don't want to base a design/decision on little data. I can get rid of any residual salts from processing and probably the tannins too, but soaking it first. I can then see if there's any color change in my soaking bin before actually using it for the pond. Again, looking for someone who might have already done something similar so I can see if I can adapt this idea or must go back to the screen-pocket idea that sissy mentioned. Which I've done on part of the pond already where the pond edge is too high for a mat.

Thanks again everyone for the thoughts.

Michael

 

[sissy]

I know the plant liners for my hanging baskets i bought are made from coconut fiber .I had one inside my stock tank and water never turned color .I had no fish in there but water was clear .I had nothing to plant in so used that

 

[Lisak1]

Lisa; I read on the net that it would last 4 years typically in warm weather areas and maybe more in colder climes;

Hmmm... we used coconut coir liners in some planters (both hanging and wall mounted) and were lucky to get 2 years out of them. By the second year they were so broken down the water would flow through so quickly they were essentially useless for potted plants.

Another warning - birds LOVE coconut coir. I forgot a brand new pot liner on my front porch overnight one time and it was torn to shreds by the next morning by the sparrows and robins. I started leaving the discarded ones in the yard for them after I realized the birds considered them great nesting material.

 

[tbendl]

It sounds like you should try it and see. Is some matting expensive? I would try a small section and see what happens. Maybe you will have invented a great way to cover the liner. I like the idea though.

 

[brokensword]

Thanks sissy, Lisa, and t;

sissy; glad to hear there wasn't any color change. I'll probably still pre-soak it just in case.

Lisa; yeah, I don't remember getting that length of use out of my hanging baskets with the coir either. But then, tis will probably not be in as much contact with water as was the hanging pot filled with soil. That's why I plan on using drought resistant plants so I don't have to always water them. That said, I suppose that means the portion I want to dangle in the water might indeed deteriorate faster. A synthetic mesh backing might be needed after all...

t: I think I will as no one has any obvious reasons why I shouldn't try it. I'm thinking of using the coir because I can cut and mold it to my pond's shape (this portion has curves and I need something that will conform a bit) and allow plant roots to adhere directly. Maybe by using a fiberglas screen underlayment, the roots will eventually attach to that and even if the coir does disintegrate faster than I wish, the roots and screen might keep it all intact. Long term experiment, I'm guessing.

Michael

 

[tbendl]

Please update us with pictures on the install. I hope it works for you. I have a few areas that would work in.