Q: Is there a local source for coir in bulk? I am planning on making a hydroponic garden with raised strawberry beds.

A: Coir, a processed coconut fiber used as a planting medium, has many attributes to recommend it. The fiber is cheap, plentiful, and it makes a great substitute for peat moss. You can buy it in small quantities at a few garden centers but not the volume you demand. Fortunately, Georgia Organics (www.georgiaorganics.org) coordinates a once-a-year bulk order of coir and other organic gardening supplies from a company in Virginia. There is an immediate deadline: January 30, but you can get the coir from them if you hurry