Coconut water

[maninair]

Hi

Can I use Coconut water to feed my orchids?

Mani

[sandra]

Don't know the answer maninair but I'm sure someone here does know and if you can't, don't waste it. Just add some rum, a wedge of pinapple and a cute little paper umbrella and have yourself a pina colada!

[Vivienne]

make one for me too!

[PhalPal]

Well, now that you put it that way I don't know WHY one would waste it on their ochids!

[Tobi]

Maninair,
I know people use coconut husk for potting media, but I can't say I've
ever heard of it being used as feed. Gotta agree with the ladies, mix it and
drink it yourself.

[pikevi]

I think for you , like for me here in Toronto, fresh coconut water is a rarity.

I agree with the others: DRINK IT, lol

Having said that , I don't see any harm in it. Unless the natural sugars in it could facilitate some bacterial growth. It has lots of minerals, especially sodium and potassium and I am sure it will be useful to orchids.

BTW, coconut water is pure and is comparable to blood serum and can be given intravenously without any harm instead of normal saline

[chefatplay]

Pikevi, I was just going to say that! I know when hubby and I drink it straight from the coconut, it is a thirst quencher like no other. Now, with that said, I'm all for the rum, too!

[prisana]

I remember once my friend and I were hiking in the mountain on one of Thailand's southern islands and we got kinda lost and were very thirsty and we were offered basketball-sized coconuts from one of the locals and I swear I was in heaven. Don't know how it would effect orchids, I don't know how much salt is in it..heard it was a lot..but you don't know til you try it..let us know.

[PhalPal]

If it is true that coconut water can be infused as normal saline, that would make it 0.9% salinity.

Interesting fact pikevi! However, if you are in the jungle in need of a life saving infusion and all you have is coconut water....what are you going to use as IV tubing?? Huh?? Huh?? I am sure someone will think of something innovative!

.....and I fear we may have scared off our new friend maninair, too many crazy Americans/Canadians, and isn't it amazing how many threads turn to alcohol??

[pikevi]

We get some young coconuts at the super markets in the summer. Somehow te taste is not 'fresh'.

We can buy canned coconut water from Thailand for under a dollar each. I think it is about 330ml.

I wonder if rum and coco could replace rum and coke

prisana: I think water from smaller coconuts is tastier than that from the large coconuts. And the salt content is , surprisingly , the same as our blood (serum)- 0.9%. That is why the red blood cells (RBCs) in our blood would not collapse in coconut water.

[prisana]

Pikevi, most coconuts in Thailand are huge. They are also very tasty both flesh and water. They have different types of coconut for everything. There's a type that is grown for the coconut milk ( very thick and creamy flesh ) some for desserts and some just drinking drinking ( non -alcoholic, SANDRA !! ) , these we use them when they are young and the flesh is like jelly ( yum ! ) . The coconuts in my yard here are small but virtually tasteless , almost like drinking plain water.

I've had those canned coconut water, they have so much sugar and artificial flavors in them...bad for my tastebuds

Cool , never knew it can be used instead of saline..good to know, you never know when you might need that one day.

[pikevi]

I am sorry about the misinformation, prisana. I am sure I read it somewhere that small yellow and mint green coconuts are the tastiest.

Here we get (claimed to be) fresh coconut water in cans with little pieces of kernel flesh in it. I love those little pieces . About $20-22 per a case of 24.
( I can buy my favourite pepsi for $6 per 24!!! )

PhalPal: Yes. It poses a big problem in administering it. Just in case some people get marooned on a remote island ,after a ship wreck or something , and they get dehydrated and with a physician amongst the group and with the proper tools for I/V and antiseptic and... ..phew..... ahh....forget it... may be it is better to get to an urban hospital as quickly as possible.

You may be right about maninair . Just one crazy Canadian can drive one away!! . Please come back, maninair. Those ARE our lighter moments, hehehehehe

[chefatplay]

We will use any coconut for the water. It's best to get them young, when there is a lot of jelly. After they mature more, the water is absorbed. I'm not an expert, but, we have drunk a lot of coconut water.

I have read very interesting stories of how, during WWII, they would actually use coconut water instead of blood because of such shortage of medical supplies. They even had explanations of substitute tubing, needles, etc,, but I don't remember the details. I Googled it ages ago when Hubby first tried to get me to drink it. I expected very coconutty flavor, but it wasn't at all.

[prisana]

Pikevi, nothing to be sorry about. I'm sure different people have different view on things, that doesn't make them wrong or me right.

Ouch, with a price like that a case, you could buy a nice orchid over here ..

[PhalPal]

pikevi- JUST a little touchy here and I know it! but if you need an IV started to save your life you better hope there is a NURSE on that deserted island!!!

and I never knew there was so much to know about coconuts!

[pikevi]

ooops!, PhalPal.

I think I was wrong there . I know some doctors who struggle with IVs. Of course nurses are much better at it

I guess I have to think before I type

[PhalPal]

No offense taken pikevi!! Just joking around 'cause I know first hand how bad most MD's are at starting IV's. If you want it done right - get a nurse!