Coco Peat Block — Compressed Cocopeat for Plants

What is coco peat, and why Pakistani gardeners use it

Coco peat (also spelled cocopeat, and sold as coconut coir or nariyal ka burada) is the fine pith left over when coconut husks are processed. Compressed into a brick it stores and ships easily; add water and it expands up to eight times its packed size into a soft, dark, sponge-like medium.

In Pakistan's climate it earns its place for one reason above all: it holds water. Lahore, Karachi and Multan summers dry a pot out by afternoon. Coco peat holds many times its own weight in moisture and releases it slowly, so pots on a hot rooftop or balcony survive a missed watering. It also keeps heavy local clay soil from setting like concrete, and it drains freely so roots still get air.

How to soak a coco peat block

1. Put the block in a bucket, tub or wheelbarrow bigger than you think you need — it will grow a lot.
2. Add water: roughly 4–5 litres per 1 kg of block. For a 5 kg block, start with about 20 litres.
3. Leave it at least 30 minutes; overnight is better for a full 5 kg block.
4. Break up the swollen peat with your hands or a trowel. If you find dry chunks in the middle, add a little more water and wait.
5. Squeeze a fistful — it should feel like a wrung-out sponge, damp but not dripping.

A useful first-use habit: rinse the expanded peat once with clean water and let it drain before planting. Coconut husks are processed near the sea and can carry residual salts, and seedlings are the first thing to suffer from them. One rinse costs nothing and removes the risk.

1 kg or 5 kg — which block do you need?

• 1 kg block (≈15 litres): seed trays, a few pots, propagation, or a first try before you commit. Fills roughly 15–20 small seedling pots.
• 5 kg block (≈70 litres): the practical size for a real garden — raised beds, repotting a balcony collection, a season's worth of potting soil, or nursery use. Far cheaper per litre.

What to mix it with

Coco peat is a growing medium, not a fertiliser — on its own it holds water and air but carries almost no nutrition. Mix it:

• Seed starting: 70% coco peat + 30% compost. Fine texture, gentle on new roots.
• General potting mix: 40% coco peat + 40% garden soil or compost + 20% coarse sand or perlite.
• Soil conditioner: dig 1 part coco peat into 3 parts heavy clay soil to open it up and hold moisture.

Add a balanced fertiliser once seedlings have their first true leaves, since the peat itself will not feed them.

Frequently asked questions

How much does coco peat cost in Pakistan?
Prices run from roughly Rs 700 to Rs 1,900 for a 5 kg block depending on grade and seller. Ours is Rs 1,500 for 5 kg and Rs 400 for 1 kg, delivered anywhere in Pakistan with cash on delivery available.

How much does a 5 kg block make?
Around 70 litres of expanded medium — enough to fill a 4×2 ft raised bed to a useful depth, or about 25–30 medium pots.

Can I reuse coco peat?
Yes. After a crop, break it up, remove old roots, rinse and mix in fresh compost. Most gardeners get two to three cycles before the texture breaks down.

Can plants grow in coco peat alone?
They can root in it, but will not thrive without added nutrition. Either mix it with compost or feed regularly with a complete fertiliser.

Is coco peat the same as peat moss?
No. Peat moss is mined from bogs and is acidic; coco peat is a renewable coconut by-product with a near-neutral pH, which suits most vegetables and flowers without correction.

How long does an unopened block last?
Kept dry, two years or more with no loss of quality. Store opened, expanded peat damp in a covered container.

Delivery across Pakistan

We ship coco peat blocks nationwide from our Lahore shop — Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar and everywhere between. Cash on delivery available. Delivery is free inside Lahore and Rs 250 anywhere else in Pakistan, and free on all orders over Rs 3,500. Cash on Delivery is available nationwide, and you can also pay before dispatch by JazzCash, Easypaisa or bank transfer. Buying for a nursery or farm? Message us on WhatsApp at 0333-6427336 for wholesale rates.

The Garden by Chanan Din has supplied Pakistani gardeners since 1932.