Background on coir: A waste fibre obtained from the outside of coconut husks,
made in dodgy factories in Sri Lanka (so I am led to believe).
I have tried coir on Sarracenia, Drosera, Dionaea and Pinguicula
with
perfect results every time. You buy it as compressed block which, when
mixed with rainwater expands to make 10 litres of compost. At Gardening
or RHS shows you can usually pick them up for the equivalent of
75p/Block, making it not much more expensive than peat. BEWARE,
however, to make sure the seller offers his promise (on his mother's
grave preferably) that it has no fertilisers. Most places sell them as
pre-fertilized blocks, you have to tell them that you MUST have the
unfertilized stuff, other places sell them with a packet of nutrients
which you are supposed to add, for CP's just don't add it.
On Seramis, I am using it for Dionaea, on my bedroom windowsill. It
works OK, no advantage over peat....er.. I mean coir, but Seramis costs
much more. Seramis is also harder to water right, you have to use a
container with no drainage holes in, for that reason I use a tupperware
container so when the water level drops below 1" in the bottom you need
to put more in. The indicator is only useful if you put the 'bulb'
about 1.5" from the bottom of the container, so when it goes red, water.
Oh yes, remember not to add the fertiliser......!
Kind Regards,
Toby