Coconut coir trough liners

The coconut coir liners for the railing trough planters are too thin and cannot last beyond two seasons max. I think these lasted only one season. They get tattered. And the ends collapse causing water and dirt to pour out of them. The weight of the dirt and water causes them to bulge through the spaces in the metal frames.

The liners are produced as one shape sliced in half like a half of pita bread sandwich but the troughs are flat on one side and rounded on all other sides to make a pocket to be filled with dirt. The actual shape is a bit hard to describe but the ends are like one quarter of a bowl. That's the tricky part. The bulge is why one side of the seam is longer than the other yet when sewn together their lengths match nicely. The long end is making a bulge. Only one seam is necessary on each side for a liner that fits the form of the trough. Fitting well should help them last longer plus the coconut coir on the roll is better thicker quality. It's difficult to cut.

Once the template was arrived at it was used for a prototype made from a paper bag. That proved the fit. So the template would work for the coconut coir.

The coconut coir is surprisingly easy to sew once it is cut. The fishing line threads through upholstery needle quite easily, and the needle passes through two layers of thick coconut coir with no problem at all. I made three of these rather quickly, once the coir was cut by the pattern. Only one more to go.

The potting soil is removed from the old liners and dumped into a large plastic bag that the soil originally came in. The old soil is enhanced with:

1) premium worm castings
2) bio char
3) kelp plant based nutrients
4) rock dust (minerals)
5) humate material
6) high chitlin material
7) high quality compost without animal product.

But no coffee grounds as of yet because I just don't drink much of that crap.

These materials are all in large plastic and triple-layer paper bags.

I wish I could compost around here because I produce a lot of excellent material through the juicer.  Today I threw away peanut shells and despaired, this could go into compost or into a worm farm!

But I don't want to turn myself into a gardening maniac. It's simply not practical for apartment living. I have a certain level of class to maintain around here or else I'll get kicked out and I'd never get laid. Gawl.

This is how tattered the old ones are. I could risk it and stretch it another season but I don't want to. I hate these sodden worn out things. They're shaggy and sloppy.

And their replacement liners will do the same thing. Nothing fits properly. I have to think outside the box.

No wait. I have to think inside the box. I need to improve the liners and I need to improve the potting soil.

I'm showing my sewing job using fishing line and upholstery needle.

Look at it. LOOKITIT!

I did that. Sewing like a girl. 

See? I had to make large loops so the line doesn't rip through the coir. This has to hold heavy dirt and water.

The inside is sprayed with Flex Seal because in Denver dry summer heat they dry out in 10 seconds flat. 

Possible exaggeration beyond customary 12% for dramatic effect. 

Innit purdy?

This is the inside of the large plastic bag holding the potting soil removed from the trough and enhanced with material intended to bring it to bacterial and fungal life.