Why We Grow in Coco Fibre Pots

Greg Paquette • March 17, 2026

Growing Container Trees with Longevity & Reducing Plastic

Trees that grow in containers need special treatment to ensure that they will have longevity through to their final install. Still persisting in the industry, deciduous trees are planted in black plastic pots. If the plastic pots don’t have gaps in the sides to allow the roots to catch and stop their growth, (root prune), the roots will go around the pot. This tendency is known as root circling or girdling roots and it’s been a long-term problem in the cultivation of trees in containers.

Girdling roots will cause the tree to have a diminishing level of nutrient transport through the root system as the girdling tightens. Over time the movement of water and necessary foods for the plant is totally cut off and will cause the death of the tree. Once a tree has begun its growth in the container, the root growth that has begun in that container will persist into the next stage of its movement. So, a root that begins to circle in the container will continue the pattern even when the tree is planted in an open soil system and the roots have room to expand. Roots are not only involved in the nutrient transport of the tree but also are essential for the anchoring of the tree. The spreading and deepening root allows the tree to weather the storms that will ultimately come. There really is no good way to grow a tree in a pot without root pruning. The danger is always present that the roots would set up a dangerous pattern of growth.

AVK Nursery has been working to make their trees grow with true longevity by growing in root pruning pots. Initially black plastic pots were trialed that had breaks in the medium of the pot that would cause the roots to be naturally pruned by the air. Ultimately, AVK Nursery has decided to utilize a medium that was in good supply but also had the properties that would work to root prune trees. That substance is coconut fiber which is also known as coir. It’s an abundant material that is a by-product of the coconut tree production in the far east. Global production of coconuts was at 62 million tons in 2022. Horticulturally coco fiber is excellent because it is a nutrient neutral material, but it also has good moisture retention. An added benefit of coir is that it has natural anti-fungal properties.

Now, most of AVK Nurseries trees are grown in Coco fiber pots that have been molded into horticultural pot shapes. They are fuzzy. It almost looks like fur, but the roots they produce are spectacular! The tree roots can emerge as they wish and as they grow out in the pot, they reach the fiber and stop. Then they start other roots to move out into the medium of the pot. They reach the edge and stop. This creates a pot full of roots that are ready to move out into the new soil when the tree is installed.  This is a revolution in cultivation of container trees, and the output is a product that has true longevity and fantastic ability to be transplanted with minimum disruption of the roots and minimum time to plant.

Another outstanding property of coir pots in nursery production is that plastic pots are not being used. Tons of plastic will be diverted from landfills. This is a true environmental protective achievement.

AVK Nursery purposes towards the best environmental stewardship that we can attain through technology and innovation. Both in production and pest management.

Why Green Spaces Matter

By Greg Paquette • February 9, 2026
People love plants. They love green spaces and forests. If you are honest with yourself, you can tell that when you are outside in a beautiful space of plants, you can feel the change. That’s why we cultivate plants at AVK. We grow landscape and native plants, and curate cultivated plants to help make the outdoor spaces even more various, floriferous, fragrant, and edible. It contributes to the ineffable sense that something is right. It contributes to the reduction of stress. The post-modern person is stressed. We are just not very aware of it. It is well documented that green spaces contribute to general health and well-being. It reduces stress as mentioned above, reduces anxiety (we seem to have an epidemic of that stuff now), reduces fatigue and generally gives you a happier disposition and clarity of vision. And it’s not even a pill or a dietary supplement. There are few, if any negative effects. The other aspects of the general good of the outdoors, is that one doesn’t often just take it sitting down. Hiking, running and playing come naturally in big open spaces. This, of course can help keep you physically fit and thereby confers the benefits of fitness. That can be as diverse as a good sense of self, to having an ability to reduce disease. Activity can help regulate mood and encourages the proper levels of chemicals in our body that regulate our wakefulness and sleep cycles. If you haven’t thought about this, it wasn’t that long ago that every person, worked outside every day. You could almost say our hardware was made to run on that kind of activity. However, in this age we’re in, many people work indoors and are physically inactive. Like me writing this. A beautiful landscape is a joy to look at. To create something like that is a great feeling and is truly an accomplishment. Every plant has its own best feature and place that it wants to be in the world. It’s sun exposure and temperature zone must be considered. The ultimate size, texture and colour of the plants must be thought of. When you stand and look at one of these creations, it can be a real moment to breathe in and enjoy. And while you are breathing in, the plants are breathing out the oxygen we need to live. What a marvel!  AVK Nursery started, like many enterprises, by someone who really enjoyed the plants and wanted to work with them every day. This grew into a large business where many people work to create plants that hold the potential to become the next great landscape work. It has the potential to change millions of spaces. Green spaces create plant oasis and AVK Nursery enjoys being part of that and working with the many wonderful people in the industry.