Coconut water has immense health benefits for humans(quenching thirst, providing hydration, and enriching the body with multiple nutrients) and plants. Various scientific research has proved that coconut water is best for root-setting mediums for growing ornamental and horticultural plants and other plants, too. It has all the essential nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc that help in robust plant growth. It boosts soil fertility through the growth of microorganisms, which further help in breaking down organic matter in the soil.
We can say coconut water is the gift of nature to us in the form of an organic fertilizer. Read the article to learn more about the benefits of coconut water and the answer to the query “is coconut water good for plants”.
Know About the Benefits of Coconut Water
- It increases the soil nutrient availability, resulting in an increase of pods per pot, and enhances soil nitrogen. The natural sugar present in the coconut water gives food to bacteria and fungi and keeps them happy so that they can protect the plants.
- Coconut water has Gibberelic acid that boosts seed germination and speeds up root development.
- Magnesium, potassium, and calcium present in coconut water provide a boost to the plant’s growth.
- Coconut water also contributes to the bushy growth of the plant because the hormones present in the water help in cell division in plants, resulting in root and shoot growth.
- It helps in the development of good bacteria vital for plant growth by providing nutritional support.
- The organic fertilizer, coconut water, keeps harmful pests away and provides a protective cover for foliage.
- Coconut water helps plants handle stress and changing weather conditions by building resistance.
Points to Consider When Using Coconut Water on Plants
Make sure the coconut water used is not bottled or powdered because they won’t boost the growth of plants because bottled and powdered coconut water is heated, leading to the breakdown of hormones and amino acids. Bottled and powdered water destroys hormones and amino acids responsible for plant growth. Bottled water contains preservatives to make it safe for humans, but it’s very dangerous for plants. Always use water from fresh green coconut for best results. Also, avoid mixing refined sugar in the coconut water because the soil and refined sugar are harmful to plants.
How to Fertilize Plants Using Coconut Water
- Make a solution of one liter of water with 100ml of coconut water. Shake it well before watering the plants once every 2-4 weeks. The presence of high amount of growth hormones in coconut water helps in healthy root development and foliage growth.
- You can spray the same solution over the foliage of herbs, vegetables, perennials, and flowering annuals of houseplants for lush green and bushy plants. Once the spray is applied, make sure plants are not directly exposed to sunlight.
- Coconut water helps in the strong growth of seedlings.
- It reduces the transplant shock in repotted plants.
How Does Coconut Water Act as a Rooting Hormone?
Coconut water can prove to be a good rooting hormone due to the presence of growth-regulatory plant hormones called “Auxins.” To get the best result of coconut water as a rooting hormone, dip the end of the plant cutting in coconut water for around 15 minutes.
Conclusion
Many people like coconut due to its multiple benefits for humans as well as plants. It contains all the essential nutrients a plant body requires for robust growth. All you should know is how to use it on plants and what the mistakes to avoid are. Once you are aware of the essential points, go ahead and implement the ideas that have been experimented over the years by scientists.