Coco coir is an extremely popular soilless substrate used by cannabis cultivators the world over and is in massive demand year-round as a top-sold growing media. It’s also prized for its affordability and potential for completely custom nutrient schedules so that growers can tailor their feeding regiments much more precisely throughout all growing stages compared to pre-mixed soils.
As the name implies, it’s made by threshing the fibrous husks of coconuts, primarily from southeast Asia. It’s also a popular starting material for everything from home gardening to door mats, mattresses, and more. Coco fibers naturally resist a wide range of fungal and bacterial species as well, which in the context of cannabis cultivation, is a significant quality, reducing the chance of grow room contamination.
When surveyed, experienced growers tend to be split between whether compressed, loose or pre-hydrated ready-to-use coco coir grow bags are the best in the garden, with compressed being one of the more popular formats due to its portability and ease of storage.
Compressed coco coir typically comes in plastic or mesh grow pots that can be readily deployed, but require 20-40 minutes or more to fully hydrate before planting, creating delays as well as increased water usage. And, with failure rates of 3%-5%, not all deployed blocks will completely hydrate requiring additional time and labor to resolve. These hidden costs become more apparent when an already delicate supply chain experiences disruptions that affect consistent availability.
With most compressed products being manufactured overseas and shipped by water, supplier lead times have typically been 90-120 days on average. Factoring in the extreme weather patterns of the past year, labor disruptions at the ports, the occasional container shortage and the specter of a full-blown international trade war, it is no surprise that lead times have recently been stretching out, with product landing dates becoming less and less reliable.
Stateside suppliers and their customers, who have typically had their shipments on autopilot, are now scrambling to find new sources. In an industry like cannabis, where demand plans can change materially throughout the year, growers are often forced to trade price and quality for availability.
Thankfully, for growers seeking alternatives that allow them to maintain production schedules and limit disruption to their gardens, there is a solution offering the benefits of compressed coco without the hidden costs or risks associated with an unreliable supply chain. Rx Green Technologies, a leading coco and nutrient supplier, has spent years developing pre-hydrated, ready-to-use loose coco grow bags (RTUs) that deploy as easily as its compressed cousin but can be planted immediately, eliminating the time spent waiting for compressed blocks to expand and also significantly reducing water usage at planting.
Best of all, they are manufactured in Colorado, USA, meaning supply chain delays are no longer an issue.
Made with triple-washed, buffered coco that is OMRI-listed and RHP-certified, Rx Green’s RTUs are available in a variety of blends based on preference, allowing growers to achieve the same or better results than they’re used to from their compressed product of choice. For those facilities with extremely limited storage, shipments can easily be pre-scheduled to ensure there is never a gap in supply. With unmatched quality control standards, one- and two-gallon bag sizes in stock ready to leave the factory in days instead of months and Rx Green currently offering free freight on all orders, exploring new substrate options has never been easier.
Get back on track and grow better with Rx Green. To learn more about their wide range of science-backed growing products, visit their website and get a quote today.
[[{“value”:”Extreme weather patterns, labor disruptions and container shortages have stretched overseas shipping times.
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