present disclosure may have an apparent expansion ratio when exposed to moisture of between about 2 1 and about 5 1 with expansion ratios of about 3 5 1 and about 4 1 being typical for compressed granules containing 100 coir pith expansion ratios are measured by taking a known volume of compressed coir pith granules and mixing by hand while adding the minimum amount of water to expand the coir pith until no palpable granules remain the volume of the expanded material is then compared to the original compressed material inclusion of high percentages of other growing media such as sphagnum peat or bark fines in the granular composition may result in lower expansion ratios the expanded coir particles formed from the compressed granules of this invention may have a high water holding capacity of up to about 8 times their weight the compressed granules produced may have a bulk density that ranges from about 240 kg m 3 to about 600 kg m 3 in accordance with the present disclosure the compressed coir pith granules can for example be blended with grass or other seeds or plant propagules and optionally nutrients and other commonly known horticulturally acceptable ingredients to produce a seeding mulch or a bare spot repair product for use in treating lawns and other areas requiring soil amendment or plant establishment fertilizer ph adjustment agents such as lime micronutrients wetting agents horticulturally acceptable surfactants and other plant or biological growth enhancers may be included in the granules or the product mix.