Coco Coir: The Ultimate Soil Alternative for Gardening

 As gardening becomes more popular among homeowners, indoor gardeners, and even those with limited outdoor space, the need for high-quality and low-maintenance soil alternatives has grown. One of the most promising and versatile soil alternatives on the market today is coco coir.

What is Coco Coir?

Coco coir is a natural, organic growing medium that is made from the fibers of coconut husks. The husks are first soaked in water, then the fibers are extracted and processed into a lightweight, fluffy substance that is ideal for gardening. Coco coir has a neutral pH level, which makes it an ideal alternative to traditional soil.

Benefits of Using Coco Coir

1. Excellent Drainage and Aeration: Coco coir has excellent drainage and aeration properties. This means that the roots of your plants will have access to more oxygen and nutrients, which will help them grow faster and healthier.

2. Retains Moisture: Coco coir can hold up to 10 times its weight in water. This means that your plants will have access to a steady supply of moisture, even in hot or dry conditions. The ability to retain moisture also means that you won't need to water your plants as frequently as you would with traditional soil.

3. Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly: Coco coir is made from a renewable resource and is biodegradable. This means that it is a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional soil.

4. Pest and Disease Resistant: Coco coir is naturally pest and disease resistant. This means that your plants will be less susceptible to pests and diseases, which can save you time and money in the long run.

Best Uses for Coco Coir

1. Seed Starting: Coco coir is an excellent medium for starting seeds. It provides the perfect balance of moisture, nutrients, and oxygen that seeds need to germinate and grow.

2. Container Gardening: Coco coir is an excellent alternative to traditional soil for container gardening. Its ability to retain moisture means that you won't need to water your plants as frequently, which is especially important for those who live in hot or dry climates.

3. Hydroponics: Coco coir is also an excellent medium for hydroponics. Its excellent drainage and aeration properties make it an ideal choice for this type of gardening.

4. Soil Amendment: Coco coir can also be used as a soil amendment to improve the structure and water-holding capacity of traditional soil. Simply mix it with soil in a 1:1 ratio to improve drainage and aeration.

Conclusion

Coco coir is an excellent alternative to traditional soil for gardening. Its excellent drainage and aeration properties, ability to retain moisture, sustainability, pest and disease resistance, and versatility make it an ideal choice for all types of gardeners. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gardener, give coco coir a try and see the benefits for yourself.

This is the best source that I can find so far - Mother Earth! Notice - this link is an affiliate link for amazon -

TRY IT OUT FOR YOURSELF

Green Energy...apparently for losers

Never trust anyone who claims "green energy" is the losing side of this battle...if it were Mitt's decision all these wind turbines in Iowa would be taken down...or put out of business because green energy is apparently for losers. 

In 2011 about 18.8% of the states energy came from wind turbines. With about 4400 megawatt capacity only the largest state in the country has a larger wind energy output. This green energy movement has lead to about 5 billion dollars worth of investments in wind farms.

Thank you wiki for the quick reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_Iowa

(CNN) -- Republican nominee Mitt Romney has frequently railed against efforts championed by President Barack Obama steering money to promote "green energy."

He continued that line of attack Wednesday night, decrying what he described as "$90 billion in breaks to the green energy world."

"These businesses, many of them have gone out of business -- I think about half of them -- of the ones that have been invested in have gone out of business," the former Massachusetts governor said.

So are Romney's assertions correct, both about the size of the "green energy" program and what happened to those companies that got money from it?

The Department of Energy proudly touts that the 2009 stimulus authorized $90 billion "in government investments and tax incentives to lay the foundation for the clean energy economy of our future."

Fact Check: Is Donald Trump a small business?

But not all that money has been spent, and not all of it -- in fact, not even half of it -- is being directed to upstart green businesses.

Part of 2009's much larger $787 billion stimulus package,this money went toward things like the weatherization of more than 770,000 homes and cleaning 688 square miles of land formerly used for Cold War-era nuclear testing.

Many individual companies did benefit directly. The government website that tracks stimulus spending lists 27,226 individual awards under the "Energy/Environment" section, totaling just shy of $34 billion.

The Department of Energy this June specified "33 clean energy projects" of a larger scale as part of its "loans program." Of those, financing had been "closed" on 20 of them. The intent was to promote new technologies and approaches, not necessarily old ones.

There are also other things such as high speed rail and smart meters -- which are listed elsewhere, under "Infrastructure," as part of the same overarching stimulus legislation. Accounting for things like that, a report from the Brookings Institution non-partisan think tank this April tabbed the total green stimulus spending at $51 billion.

Then, there's the matter of whether half of those companies that have gotten money "have gone out of business."

A few recipients of the government funds have hit hard times. The most well-known of them is solar panel maker Solyndra, which received a $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. Two years later, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Fact Check: Oil and natural gas production under Obama

Still, it is unclear where Romney got his figure that "half" those businesses are no longer operating.

The Energy Department cites several success stories like one of the world's largest wind farms in eastern Oregon, massive solar power plants in Arizona and grants to Ford to produce fuel-efficient cars.

In fact, of the 28 funded projects -- involving 23 companies -- listed in a 2012 congressional report, only four involve businesses that were either sold or are not in operation.

So In conclusion:

It is fair to say that the 2009 stimulus authorized $90 billion for green energy, as Romney asserted. Whether or not one terms these as "breaks" is subjective, and one shouldn't assume that all the funds went to specific businesses like Solyndra.

Most of the large projects that benefited from the Department of Energy loan program remain in operation -- contrary to Romney's assertion that "almost half" of them had closed.

Thank you Fact Check from CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/04/politics/fact-check-green-energy/index.html

CNN's Julie In and Greg Botelho contributed to this report.

Apparently some of our potential world leaders struggle with arithmetic....

Backyard landscaping DIY style

Doing yard work is never fun, but it can be rewarding. With a few tools and some hard work you can get your yard space usable and livable. Sometimes you can watch too much of those home network shows and try and go crazy with design plans to over complicate something that should be straight forward and simple.

If you are like me, young dumb first time home owner, then you know that saving money is essential. When I bought this house it had a decent retaining wall...but it was not straight and it was not flat. Eventually I got sick of looking at the bad backyard landscaping and took on the project. 

Here are some Pictures

Backyard Retaining Wall DIY

We straightened the wall and added some plants. Now it looks much better.