Is it okay to use peat moss?
Barbara Bigham
the environmentally good thing to do... something
about depleting the peat bogs in Canada??? I don't
even really know what peat moss is, so I have no
idea. Have any of you heard of this? Is there any
truth to it?
Barbara B., Mesa, AZ, zone 9
perr...@my-dejanews.com
peat harvesters claim that there is plenty of peat. Whether or not we are
running out of peat, here are the facts. Peat moss can take hundreds of
years to form. It is the remains of dead plants that have decayed, and when
harvested from peat bogs natural habitat for many unique species of wildlife
is destroyed.
Fortunately, we have alternatives to peat moss. Coco pith (which was once a
waste product in the coconut industry) works much the same as peat moss. It
retains water and can be used as a soil amendment. As an added benefit, coco
pith re-hydrates easily (peat moss is hard to moisten once it dries out).
And most important, it is a renewable resource, and you will not harm our
environment by using it.
One last thing, when you look for this product you will be looking for
compressed bricks that expand into planting mix when you add water (they come
this way so they will take up less room when being shipped overseas).
Hopefully this helps to answer some of your questions. Please e-mail me or
go to http://www.farmwholesale.com to find more information.
Keith
http://www.farmwholesale.com
green...@farmwholesale.com
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CicconiFms
>waste product in the coconut industry) works much the same as peat moss. It
>retains water and can be used as a soil amendment. As an added benefit, coco
>pith re-hydrates easily (peat moss is hard to moisten once it dries out).
I was given a large amount of these bricks to try.
This material 'Sucks' you can quote me on that. It is very stringy. Difficult
to plant small plugs into. It is very difficult to hydrate about 20 minutes of
soaking in water to loosen brick. You have no control of moisture content as
the brick has to be saturated to become loose. It becomes a loose stringy muck.
Also because the large pore space it dries out too quickly. Growers have been
using this to add to their mix to lessen the cost per cubic yard, but generally
do not grow in it.
"Try it", is the only advice I have. you will see.
Acc
ntba...@globec.com.au
Barbara Bigham <bbi...@inficad.com> wrote:
> I heard someone say that using peat moss was not
> the environmentally good thing to do... something
> about depleting the peat bogs in Canada??? I don't
> even really know what peat moss is, so I have no
> idea. Have any of you heard of this? Is there any
> truth to it?
>
> Barbara B., Mesa, AZ, zone 9
>
yeh world wide it is the same it isn't a renewable resource, and like chopping
down the forests once it is gone then it's gone.
i did here that there is an alternative i've been meaning to ask my garden
center but keep forgetting, as i don't use peat at all.
--
happy gardening
<http://www.globec.com.au/~ntbandit/>
Barbara Bigham
shows recommend peat moss but have never mentioned
this "fatal flaw." I guess I'll err on the side of
caution and stick to my compost heap.
Unfortunately, our local nurseries don't stock too
many alternatives. Chances are, finding coco pith
(even if I were to want to try it) would be
difficult out here.
Again, thanks for responding so quickly and with
such good info.... what would I do without all of
you?<G>
Barbara B., Mesa, AZ (zone 9)
gpa...@gntech.net
Barbara Bigham <bbi...@inficad.com> wrote:
> I heard someone say that using peat moss was not
> the environmentally good thing to do... something
Peat comes from boggy areas and thus, does ruin wetlands in many cases. I'm a
big proponent of wetlands since they are disappearing...i also canoe and kayak
in these areas. At the same time, peat moss is such a good and natural
ammendment; i've used it. How much i use it in the future, i don't know. I
have to do some more fact-finding to make this decision.
--
- Gary, aka The Water Dog, Spokane Falls WA -
DSuding
cicco...@aol.com (CicconiFms) writes:
> was given a large amount of these bricks to try.
>This material 'Sucks' you can quote me on that. It is very stringy. Difficult
>to plant small plugs into. It is very difficult to hydrate about 20 minutes
>of
>soaking in water to loosen brick. You have no control of moisture content as
>the brick has to be saturated to become loose. It becomes a loose stringy
>muck.
>Also because the large pore space it dries out too quickly. Growers have been
>using this to add to their mix to lessen the cost per cubic yard, but
>generally
>do not grow in it.
Oh contraire! I experimented with the coir (coco-pith) last year for my
seedlings that I grew under lights! I loved this stuff. Yes, I did have to
submerge the brick in a bucket of water and wait for it to loosen up (I did
other things while this was going on....I don't watch paint dry :} ) I also
disagree with the statement that it was a stringy much. Yes, it is a bit
stringy...muck...no way. It is soooo clean.
Now the best part......I used it for seedlings under lights and never got any
of that bluish, whitish mold that I used to get from using peat....no damping
off...and to be honest, didn't have any problem keeping the plants moist while
growing. It is a sterile soil-less mixture so you couldn't use it to grow on
the plants without additives of some sort, but I'm planning on using it again
this year and highly recommend it.
Go figure??!! That's the beauty of opinions.
Dorothy
Zone 5 (transplant from zone 10)
kbail...@my-dejanews.com
> > Coco pith (which was once a
> >waste product in the coconut industry) works much the same as peat moss. It
> >retains water and can be used as a soil amendment. As an added benefit, coco
> >pith re-hydrates easily (peat moss is hard to moisten once it dries out).
>
> This material 'Sucks' you can quote me on that. It is very stringy. Difficult
> to plant small plugs into. It is very difficult to hydrate about 20 minutes of
> soaking in water to loosen brick. You have no control of moisture content as
Here's a tip: try using warm water to break down your bricks. It generally
takes less then 5 minutes doing it this way. My experiences with the coco
bricks have been good. When germinating seedlings, roots have developed
quickly. I just stick my seedlings directly into the coco and mist them
occasionally. I also make a mixture of 20% coco brick to 80% potting soil
for all my house plants - they seem to like it. I guess whether you like
them or not might depend on your application.
kbailey
Rolywe
Even a better reason not to use peat moss is that; peat moss has a downfall
once peatmoss dries out it will not retain water again until a soil penatrator
is added to the soil
CicconiFms
>once peatmoss dries out it will not retain water again until a soil
>penatrator
>is added to the soil
>
NOT IF IT IS MIXED IN WITH THE SOIL.
It will hold moisture, dry out, hydrate, no problem.
Acc
Dennis R. Moore
>There are definitely claims that peat bogs are being depleted although many
>peat harvesters claim that there is plenty of peat. Whether or not we are
>running out of peat, here are the facts. Peat moss can take hundreds of
>years to form. It is the remains of dead plants that have decayed, and when
>harvested from peat bogs natural habitat for many unique species of wildlife
>is destroyed.
>
>Fortunately, we have alternatives to peat moss. Coco pith (which was once a
>waste product in the coconut industry) works much the same as peat moss. It
>retains water and can be used as a soil amendment. As an added benefit, coco
>pith re-hydrates easily (peat moss is hard to moisten once it dries out).
>And most important, it is a renewable resource, and you will not harm our
>environment by using it.
>
>One last thing, when you look for this product you will be looking for
>compressed bricks that expand into planting mix when you add water (they come
>this way so they will take up less room when being shipped overseas).
>Hopefully this helps to answer some of your questions. Please e-mail me or
>go to http://www.farmwholesale.com to find more information.
>
>Keith
>http://www.farmwholesale.com
>green...@farmwholesale.com
>
> Barbara Bigham <bbi...@inficad.com> wrote:
>> I heard someone say that using peat moss was not
>> the environmentally good thing to do... something
>> about depleting the peat bogs in Canada??? I don't
>> even really know what peat moss is, so I have no
>> idea. Have any of you heard of this? Is there any
>> truth to it?
>>
>> Barbara B., Mesa, AZ, zone 9
>>
>
>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
The biggest problems I've had with coir are that it is heavier than
peat and it does not lighten, in color when dry. My employees are
trained to judge the moisture content of the medium in pots from their
weight and the color of the medium. Unfortunately, the pots with a
coir based medium weigh the same when dry as do the containers with a
peat based medium when wet. Similarly, the coir based medium is
similar in color when dry to the peat based medium when wet.
Peat bogs are renewable in the same sense that old growth forests are.
In theory, they are renewable, but in practice, they are being mined
at a rate far greater than that at which they can be reproduced. I,
for one continue to use peat - there are some uses for which no
suitable alternative exists, AFAIK. Similarly, I continue to use items
made of wood.
Dennis R. Moore
drm...@silvernet.net
This e-mail address belongs to a Washington State resident.
Violators of Washington's commercial e-mail statutes are brought
to the attention of the Attorney General's office.
B & J
Exactly! Peat moss mixed in equal proportions with good potting soil and
vermiculite/perlite makes a wonderful planting medium for house plants. I'm
inclined to agree that it should not be used indiscriminately in place of
compost in garden areas, but I have used the same mixture over and over again in
planters. It doesn't compact - even after three or four years.
John
pcoom...@hotmail.com
Barbara Bigham <bbi...@inficad.com> wrote:
> I heard someone say that using peat moss was not
> the environmentally good thing to do... something
> about depleting the peat bogs in Canada??? I don't
> even really know what peat moss is, so I have no
> idea. Have any of you heard of this? Is there any
> truth to it?
>
> Barbara B., Mesa, AZ, zone 9
>
reportedly several thousands of feet deep. This area is being harvested for
peat moss on a massive scale and yet when I drove through the area a couple of
years ago it seem they had removed less than a yard off the top!
Go ahead and use it with a clear conscience
--
Peter
"What we need are new and orginal ideas which have been well and truly
tested over time!"
gardengal
and despite the harvesting that continues, very little peat is drawn
each year. It would take literally 100's of years to deplete these bogs,
if in fact no renewal efforts were going on, which there are (much like
sustainable foresting). The whole environmental issue regarding peat is
way over done - one can safely use peat without fear of creating
permanent environmental damage.
gardengal
Jason Quick
sells a product called "Magic Earth," touted as an alternative
to peat moss. It's mostly composted bark and similar stuff. It's
not too bad, actually. Mix it with some vermiculite and you
got seed starter. It's cheaper than peat moss, too.
Jason
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