Post by Dennis A(cook1973) on Apr 23, 2015 16:21:39 GMT -5
There are many alternatives to peat moss, some of which are cheaper (often free) and may work better. In fact, the use of peat in horticulture is almost completely unnecessary.
There are many alternatives to peat moss, some of which are cheaper (often free) and may work better. In fact, the use of peat in horticulture is almost completely unnecessary.
Peat is often used as a soil improver but other materials perform better, since peat has little or no nutrient value. Wood-waste, spent mushroom compost, composted garden or green kitchen waste, leaf mold or well-rotted farmyard manure are more effective and less expensive soil enrichers.
Peat is a poor mulch, tending to dry out and blow away. There are many other more suitable materials available. You could try chipped bark, shredded tree prunings, straw, cocoa shells (a byproduct of the chocolate industry,) spent mushroom compost, composted garden waste or leaf mold.
As a growing medium, commercial nurseries are finding that alternatives like leaf mold compost or coir work well and are even better than peat in some circumstances.
Coir (pronounced “koi’er”) is the fibrous outer husk of a coconut that is used to make rope and mats. During the fiber stripping process, the pulp surrounding the coir fibers is removed as a waste material. And it is now being satisfactorily used as a replacement for peat moss. Unfortunately, coir must be transported from places like Sri Lanka and the Philippines where it is produced, so it’s better to look for things that are more local.
A company in Washington State has developed another peat substitute originating in the dairy industry. It takes dairy fiber from an anaerobic digester at a dairy biogas plant and converts it into a high value peat moss substitute designed for the horticulture industry.
The jury is still out on the question of whether or not sphagnum peat moss can be considered a renewable resource at the level at which it is harvested in Canada. However, with the wide range of alternatives available, I don’t see the need to damage fragile ecosystems that provide natural water filtration, house rare plants and wildlife, and help mitigate global warming.
There are many alternatives to peat moss, some of which are cheaper (often free) and may work better. In fact, the use of peat in horticulture is almost completely unnecessary.
Peat is often used as a soil improver but other materials perform better, since peat has little or no nutrient value. Wood-waste, spent mushroom compost, composted garden or green kitchen waste, leaf mold or well-rotted farmyard manure are more effective and less expensive soil enrichers.
Peat is a poor mulch, tending to dry out and blow away. There are many other more suitable materials available. You could try chipped bark, shredded tree prunings, straw, cocoa shells (a byproduct of the chocolate industry,) spent mushroom compost, composted garden waste or leaf mold.
As a growing medium, commercial nurseries are finding that alternatives like leaf mold compost or coir work well and are even better than peat in some circumstances.
Coir (pronounced “koi’er”) is the fibrous outer husk of a coconut that is used to make rope and mats. During the fiber stripping process, the pulp surrounding the coir fibers is removed as a waste material. And it is now being satisfactorily used as a replacement for peat moss. Unfortunately, coir must be transported from places like Sri Lanka and the Philippines where it is produced, so it’s better to look for things that are more local.
A company in Washington State has developed another peat substitute originating in the dairy industry. It takes dairy fiber from an anaerobic digester at a dairy biogas plant and converts it into a high value peat moss substitute designed for the horticulture industry.
The jury is still out on the question of whether or not sphagnum peat moss can be considered a renewable resource at the level at which it is harvested in Canada. However, with the wide range of alternatives available, I don’t see the need to damage fragile ecosystems that provide natural water filtration, house rare plants and wildlife, and help mitigate global warming.