its the main component of the compost that you use. coir is the remains of coconut husks used instead of peat. both provide the humus/water retaining component.

For some years now since I heard about problems of using peat such as habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, release of fossil carbon stores I always try to garden without adding peat-based compost, and whether gardeners like it or not, peat is set to disappear from our composts by 2020.

Glad to hear it! When we were on holiday in Ireland, we saw the peat bogs - miles of peat being dug up - never to be replaced!! Looked so devastating! :(

Yes its sad to see it gone forever SW

Thanks lots...... i was reading up on growing canna's and it meantioned a peat/coir compost, i was'nt sure weather it was a added component needed, i was given a canna and potted it up but have'nt had any responce but i now know it needs more to grow successfully. thanks again ;-)