Cosmic Connections is an Ashland company that manufactures and supplies coconut coir, peat, chips, husks, briquettes, coco bales and worm castings. The company was started by Dr. Ajet and Neeta Nehra who are originally from India and import many of their products from there. For the past few years, they have supplied the Jackson County Master Gardener Practicum with coir and worm castings at a steep discount for the planting mixes made by students.
Sadly, Ajet passed away at age 49 in January of 2023. Neeta decided to commemorate her husband’s life by annually donating a number of coconut coir bricks equal to the age Ajet would have been. She has asked JCMGA to distribute the donations to gardeners who are less fortunate which we did in 2024.
Ajet would have turned 51 this year, so Neeta will donate 51 coconut bricks to JCMGA to distribute. The board of directors has agreed to give them to participants in the Seed to Supper program, the Jackson County community gardens that receive gardening grants from JCMGA, and the Jackson County schools that receive grants from JCMGA.
The Master Gardener Practicum will receive, store, and distribute the coir along with planting mix recipes developed in the program. For your use, here are the recipes that will be included:
Seed Starting Mix
Mix together well:
75% coco coir
10% organic compost
15% small pumice (less than 3/8″)
Add enough water to moisten. (When a handful is squeezed, water should not drip out.)
Seedling Transplant Mix
This totals 15 gallons, which fills one wheelbarrow.
Mix together well:
5 gallons pumice
5 gallons coir
5 gallons aged sawdust
Mix together well and add to the mixture above:
1/4 cup bloodmeal
1/4 cup alfalfa meal
1 cup bone meal
1/2 cup kelp
Add enough water to moisten. (When a handful is squeezed, water should not drip out.)
Succulent Planting Mix
Mix together well:
1 part coir
1 part compost
1-2 parts pumice (depending on how much compost compacts)
Add enough water to moisten. (When a handful is squeezed, water should not drip out.)
Transplant Mix for Storing and Dividing Plants
Mix together well:
1 part compost
1 part coir
1 part pumice
Add enough water to moisten. (When a handful is squeezed, water should not drip out.)
We are grateful to Neeta Nehra of Cosmic Connections for this very generous annual donation, and are happy we can contribute to honoring the life of Dr. Ajet Nehra.