Water-wise coco mixes use less water than traditional peat-based mixes. Our combination of coco coir and compost provides for the ideal balance of water holding abilities while providing sufficient air space for strong root development. However, switching to a water-wise mix may require some changes to your watering style.

Traditional peat-based mixes dry out from the bottom up. They may appear moist on the surface, while the root zone is very dry. This is because peat-mixes have a tendency to go hydrophobic, especially at the root zone where water is needed the most.

Water-wise coco-based mixes dry out from the top down. They may visually appear dry on the surface even when the root zone is still moist. This is because coco fibers holds 8-10 times more water than peat without compacting. This allows for more even water distribution within your pot or cell tray and less frequent need to water.

As you transition into using coco-based soil mixes, start by cutting your watering regime in half, then lifting the pots to feel the moisture and adding additional water only as needed. Less watering also equals less nutrients leaching out of your soil, making them more available to your plants, a triple win!

As any farmer knows, a summer heatwave can quickly destroy a lot of hard work in the greenhouse if even a single watering is missed. Switching to Dirtcraft Living Soils water-wise mixes can make a huge difference in the growth, vitality and plant resilience against heat.

Water-wise coco mixes use less water than traditional peat-based mixes.

Being a Peat-Free potting soil is just one of the facets that sets Dirtcraft apart. But what’s the deal with Peat-moss anyway? It takes 1000 years for a meter deep of peat to form. And although these fragile wetlands make up just 3% of land on Earth, they store twice as much carbon as all the world's forests combined. In essence, peat bogs are amazing for storing carbon, but only when allowed to remain in the ground. The act of strip-mining peatlands, primarily for horticultural use, releases an incredible amount of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. These facts inspired us to find appropriate peat alternatives when we first started Dirtcraft in 2018.

Our signature living soil mixes are all based on a blend of these primary peat-free ingredients:

Coconut Coir: Coir is the fibrous husk of the coconut that has been finely ground for use as growing media. It’s a renewable resource and a by-product of the coconut industry. Coco coir is loved for its water-holding capacity and does not go hydrophobic like peat-moss often does.

Organic Compost: Compost is the champion of our soils, it’s hard to list all the benefits of this nutrient-rich organic matter. Enhanced plant growth, disease suppression, increased nutrient retention, PH buffering, & more. What’s not to like!

Pine Bark Fines: Bark is a by-product of the lumber industry and has been used here in the South since the earliest days of commercial horticulture. We source propagation-grade bark fines from southern yellow pine that has been aged and double screened for consistency.

Wood Fiber: Wood fibers are taking the horticulture world by storm in recent years for a good reason, they are consistent, local and have proven results. Using wood fiber has given our soils the loft (air-space) and texture growers switching from peat-based mixes are accustomed to.

Ordering larger volumes of soil is a great way to take advantage of our aggressive volume discounts and save serious money. This strategy is only good if know how much soil you will use in a season. Planning is key. See our volume conversion table below for a quick guide on estimating soil needs for greenhouse growers.

We recommend using your potting mix within one growing season (6-9mo) from the date of blending which is listed on each bag. After that the soil does not go bad, however it is harder to guarantee the nutrient levels and biological activity of the mix due to variability of storage conditions on your farm.

Bulk totes should be stored out of the direct sunlight and rain exposureto avoid allowing the soil becoming oversaturated or dry out completely. While the bulk bags we use are water resistant, they will take on excess water over time. If the mix does dry out completely, re-water thoroughly, and re-mix before filling pots or containers.

Size Guide:

For Raised Beds:

Use the below formula to calculate your soil needs.

(Length (feet) x Width (feet) x depth (inches)/12)/27 = Yards needed.

Unlike synthetic nutrients, organic forms of nitrogen require mineralization to become plant available. This is the process where microbes in our living soil mixes do the work of digesting nutrients. The key to choosing the right mix lies in understanding how temperature affects nutrient availability:

Blood meal that is in our Levitation Seedling Mix is a more readily available N Source, which is ideal for more consistent growth in small cell trays during the cold weather months when most folks are starting seeds. Because blood meal quickly converts to soluble N it can leach out in summer months when more frequent watering is required.

Feather Meal that is in our G-Force HP Mix is a slower release form of nitrogen that provides remarkable longevity in a container. Once temperatures rise in the spring/summer you will see vigorous growth over the course of many weeks.

Dirtcraft's unique peat-free soil recipes are more water-efficient than the conventional potting media that many growers are used to. That's less time spent watering, less un-even moisture at the root-zone and less stressed/wilting plants on a hot day in the greenhouse. For growers new to our products, we recommend reducing your watering frequency to half as often until plants are established. Lifting trays to feel for weight is a great best practice to determine if watering is needed.