ABSTRACT
With increased environmental pressures on greenhouse operations to use sustainable or renewable resources, coco coir is quickly expanding as the newest environmentally safe substrate. Many large hydroponic greenhouse operations in Canada, the United States, and Mexico have converted to coco coir as their preferred substrate. Houweling Nurseries, Oxnard, Inc., Camarillo, California, expanded by 40 acres (16 ha) in 2009 and initiated the use of coco coir in the new greenhouse. Gipaanda Greenhouses, Delta, British Columbia, have converted their 18 acres (7 ha) into coco coir a few years ago. Many growers in British Columbia and Ontario have done the same. Many of the growers produce tomatoes, but others are now also converting to coco coir for peppers and eggplants. According to a 2009 publication, Grow-How by Van der Knapp-Braam, B.V., who make coco coir products coming from Sri Lanka under the name Forteco, in 2008 approximately 70 ha (175 acres) of tomatoes and sweet peppers were grown on Forteco coco peat slabs in Mexico. This is the same product as that used by Gipaanda Greenhouses. One grower in Poland, Mularski Nursery, has 56 ha (140 acres) of tomatoes with coco coir substrate (Lindhout, 2010). In 2006, they converted the entire operation from rockwool to Forteco coco coir.
