Table of Contents
What is Peat Moss?
Peat Vs. Peat Moss Vs. Sphagnum Moss
History of Peat Moss
Availability
Mining
Benefits of Peat Moss
Cleanliness
Sterile
Moisture retention
Availability
Acidic
Does not compact
Downsides of Peat Moss
Virtually devoid of nutrients.
Dryness issue
Watch the pH of your mixture
(Video) What is Peat Moss and How to use it in your GardenNon-renewable resource.
Expensive.
How to use Peat Moss
Hydroponic growing
Seed starting
Growing acid-loving plants
Controversy/ Environmental Concerns
Peat Moss Alternatives
Compost
Coco coir/Coco fiber
Other choices
Peat Moss For Gardening or not?
You might have seen that dark brown fibrous material called “Peat Moss” in your father’s garden or any nursery and garden stores.
But did you know that though Peat Moss is very useful as a gardening medium and is used a lot either as potting soil mix or as a hydroponic growing medium, it stirs lots of environmental controversial talk?
Lots of growers, even those who use it much often, don’t know thoroughly what Peat Moss is, how it originates, how to properly use this material in the garden, and understand what this medium means to the earth.
That’s the purpose of the post. I’ll get into all of these.
What is Peat Moss?
Peat moss is the dark brown fibrous product of sphagnum moss and other organic materials that decompose in peat bogs over thousands of years.
It doesn’t really decompose because peat moss is so anaerobic and this process takes very slowly.
The decomposition process happens without the presence of air, which slows the development rate. It only gains less than one millimeter in depth each year.
One day, the producers show up. They drain the bog, dig the peat moss layers.
They process it, get it dried, package it in a bag, and sell it to the gardening stores.
Peat Vs. Peat Moss Vs. Sphagnum Moss
People commonly call peat as peat moss even though they are somewhat different.
Peat is the product created from organic matters that submerged into the bogs.
Peat can be formed from different materials, but a large percentage of the peat harvested is composed of sphagnum moss. And hence the name peat moss.
Meanwhile, sphagnum moss is a plant grown on the surface layer above of the peatland, soil or a swamp. It thrives in cold and wet weather. As time goes by, the old parts sink into the lower layer. The process of decomposition takes place very slowly in the oxygenless layer. But it is patient, and over a long period of millennials, a thick layer of dead homogeneous material named peat moss is formed.
History of Peat Moss
Peat was dried and was used as a source of fuel in some countries for centuries. Because, like any fossil fuels, it is rich in carbon. It was only till the 1940s that peat has a place in horticulture.
Today, peat moss is fairly popular used as soil amendment, soilless mix, seed starting, mushroom casting, etc.
Availability
Peat mosses are commonly found in bogs and wetlands of the northern hemisphere of the earth.
Almost all of the peat moss sold in the US come from the vast sphagnum moss area in Canada.
But Russia has the largest amounts of peatland around the world.
Canada is the area containing the second-biggest amounts of peat moss in the world with 25% of the world moss. This is followed by lots of countries, including Finland,Sweden, etc.
About 3% of the earth’s surface is contained with peat bogs that have been developed over a period of thousands of years.
Mining
Many countries have strict rules when it comes to mining peat moss. For example, any peat harvested in Canada is carefully analyzed first whether it has any long-term effect on the environment. And it must be mined in sustainable and conservable ways.
The process is as follows. First, dig a network of ditches along the peatland to drain the water. Second, remove the surface vegetation to get the peat exposed. Third, level the harvest field to prevent drainage of the surface runoff. Fourth, harrow the top layer to speed up the drying process of the peats. Fifth, after some days, people suck up the dry peat layer, often with a large vacuum harvester.
And finally, the harvested peats will be transported to a processing firm for cleaning, drying and screening into different labels and packaging.
Benefits of Peat Moss
Cleanliness
You will love this characteristic the most if you know that lots of growing materials, especially organic ones are not really clean. With peat moss, you’ll find it easy to work with. And if you happen to drop some wet mosses, just pick it up, get it dried, or sweep it up.
Sterile
One of the best features of peat moss is its sterility. It doesn’t have any bacteria, fungus, harmful chemicals, and no weed seeds. This makes the material perfect for seedlings, which are quite vulnerable to the surrounding environment.
Moisture retention
Peat moss can absorb and retain water very well. This makes a great place for seed starting and as the mixes with other growing materials.
Availability
It is handy to find peat moss in most of the garden stores or nurseries in the US.
Acidic
Most of peat moss low in pH from 3.5 to 6 on average depending on the source of the peat moss is mined. It is very suitable for acid-craving plants such as strawberries, blueberries.
Does not compact
Even though peat moss absorbs water well, it does not compact, unlike soil. The problem with compaction is that it makes it hard to create any space for the water and the air to pass through. By introducing peat moss to any compact material, the compaction problem is solved and makes the growing mix drain better.
Downsides of Peat Moss
Virtually devoid of nutrients.
Unlike other organic materials such as manure compost, peat moss is very poor in nutrients. It also doesn’t contain any helpful microbes. So that means you can use peat moss as an amendment to the soil and other materials, but you cannot use it alone and expect the plants will grow strongly and properly.
Dryness issue
Even thoughpeat moss can hold water well up to 10 times of its weight and is a great supplement to the soil. But when it becomes completely dry, it takes a long time to get the moisture.
So when starting seeds with peat moss alone, be sure to get it moisture enough. Or it’s a good idea to mix it with soils and some other soilless media.
Watch the pH of your mixture
Though strictly acid-hungry plants love peat moss with its low pH level, that does not mean others will do. You will need to add some pH-high materials like lime to create a neutral or alkaline environment. And be ready to monitor the pH level of the growing environment to ensure it does not drift too much. Another issue with soil pH is that with too many amendments added to change pH level, the soil can suffer. When it comes to growing, natural soil is ideal.
Non-renewable resource.
As explained, the process of decomposing the peat moss take even thousands of years. So it’s really considered as non-renewable and not eco-friendly. That’s the main reasons that many environmental-aware growers are going away from it, and finding an alternative.
Expensive.
Even though peat moss is not the most expensive growing material, it is also not cheap. Especially if you use peat moss in bulk and price is an issue, a better alternative is compost.
How to use Peat Moss
Now that you have learned about the benefits and downsides of Peat Moss, you may
have had some vague ideas about what peat moss is used for. But I’ll explore into greater details.
Despite coming with lots of nice characteristics for planting plants, peat moss is not commonly used as a standalone product, and in fact, it is not a good growing medium to grow alone. It is often mixed with other ingredients in one-third to two-thirds of the total amounts to improve the mixture quality.
Soil amendment
Peat moss has been used as a soil amendment for so long because it has a lot to offer.
For clay and heavy soils that get compact easily, it softens the soil structure and improves the drainage.
For sandy soil, peat moss helps retain moisture and nutrients for plant roots.
It is often applied with the ratio 2:1. 2 parts of soil per 1 part of peat moss.
If you intend to use peat moss as a soil amendment, you should know that it changes the pH level of the soil. Keep that in mind and, measure and watch out if the pH level drifts too much.
Hydroponic growing
Peat moss is also a good growing medium for the soilless culture. However, people do not use it alone, but often in conjunction with other growing media like perlite, vermiculite.
If you wish to use peat moss for pure hydroponic growing, you should know some facts about why it is not appropriate. Because peat moss is an organic matter, if provided with plenty of oxygen and nitrogen, it will start to decompose. When that happens, the material can compress around plant roots and will choke off your plants.
So better to mix with other materials.
Peat moss is often blended with growing media such as perlite, vermiculite to balance the moisture and aeration.
Seed starting
One of the most useful roles of peat moss is in seed starting because this material is very sterile. Its antiseptic qualities naturally prevent bacteria and fungi from the seeds. It also gives excellent drainage, good aeration, fine texture, and low fertile, making it very ideal for germination.
For this purpose, you can use the peat moss alone or in mixture with some soils. Or remove the hassle by getting the peat pellets sold on the market.
Many people also prefer the soilless mix of peat moss, perlite, coconut coir, vermiculite and others in different amounts. This prevents the diseases, fungus, bacteria, weed seeds, and other bad things commonly found in the soils,
Growing acid-loving plants
Because of its low pH, peat moss is very suitable for vegetables and fruits that require an acidic environment. These include blueberries, pieris, heathers, azaleas, camellias, tomatoes, and so on.
Controversy/ Environmental Concerns
One of the biggest oppositions about peat is that it’s not really renewable. For a material that can not be renewed in several years, but takes millennials to do that, peat moss is not an environmental-aware growing medium to use.
Another concern is that harvesting peat moss is considered not a sustainable practice and must be regulated and done with careful analysis.
As peatland stores a great percentage of carbon. Many environmental groups are beware of peat moss mining. The International Peat Society indicates that the harvesting process emits a large amount of carbon into the atmosphere. And the emission continues even after the mining.
This means ecosystem can be affected. And when global warming topics are getting hotter, people are more beware of the material.
In fact, there are debates between peat manufacturer and conservationist about the long-term effects of peat moss.
Peat Moss Alternatives
People are also looking for a substitute for peat moss, and mostly it boils down to the cost, grower preference, and environmental awareness.
And the alternatives to peat moss mostly share some great qualities with peat moss but is often blended with one another to get its best traits.
Compost
Compost is made from the decayed organic materials like rotted plants, leaves, vegetable scraps and animal manures.
It has a lot of commonalities with peat moss like excellent water holding capacity, and great material for soil amendment.
Compost also consists of decomposed organic material, but it decomposed in the presence of the air. Meanwhile, for peat moss to form the air needs to be absent.
And every gardener can make their own compost or buy it locally.
And of course, there are some differences between these two.
Peat Moss
- low pH
- Does not compact
- Hold better water than compost
- Have uniform composition
- Poor in microorganism
- Environmentally controversial. Mined in a sustainable and controllable manner
- Contains few nutrients
- Does not have weed seeds
- More expensive
Compost
- pH neutral
- Often compact
- Doesn’t hold water as well as peat moss.
- Doesn’t have a uniform composition, depending on the source.
- Rich in microorganisms
- Made from recycled organic matter
- Hold more nutrients
- May contain weed seeds if not properly heated and processed.
- Cheap. Can be free if can create your own.
Coco coir/Coco fiber
Coco coir is the outer husk of the coconut, a by-product of the coconut processing industry. And it is a definitely another excellent alternative for peat moss for over 20 years.
This material is a lot coarser and has larger spaces between their particles, so it is better aerated. Coconut is often manufactured in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam because it is abundant in these places.
Again coco coir shared some great traits with peat moss, including good water retainment, high porosity.
And here are some keys that coco coirwins over peat moss.
- Easier to find
- pH neutral
- More sustainable
- Better air aeration
- Often more expensive than peat moss
It can be used to replace peat moss but better to use with other matters than using alone.
Other choices
There are many other options, which can be listed such as pine bark, PittMoss, Rice hulls, and so on.
Peat Moss For Gardening or not?
No doubt, peat moss is a great material for gardening with all of its benefits and good uses as mentioned above.
But asking that question, you can base your answer on these points to make the best of the material as well as deciding whether to use it or not.
– You should not use it alone. A better idea to mix with other materials to get the best-mixed traits.
– It is great for seed starting.
– Peat moss is excellent for soil amendment.
– Peat moss is not the cheapest. So if you grow in large quantity, and the price is an issue, you can use compost.
– Peat moss is pH low, so suitable for most acid-loving or acid-tolerable plants.
And finally, peat moss is not renewable. So if you are environmentally aware, you may want to reduce your use of peat moss to just seed starting, pot, container, and soilless mixes instead of soil amendment, and lawn work in large quantities. Or you can completely replace it with other alternatives like compost, coco coir, pine bark, and other organic matters.
FAQs
What does peat moss do for trees? ›
✓ Holds soil nutrients
Peat moss helps prevent this nutrient loss. Just like it holds water, it holds onto those nutrients better than soil does on its own. If your soil retains more nutrients, plants can grow strong and healthy without as much fertilizing.
Peat moss used as a soil amendment helps give apple trees the right soil conditions. When you plant an apple tree, you have the opportunity to correct soil pH and structure. Peat moss is acidic and can lower soil pH to 6.0 or 6.5 when added to the soil around the hole dug for the tree.
How much peat moss do I need for a tree? ›Dig the hole 2-3 inches deeper than the depth of the root ball or pot. 10% of the ball should be above ground when planting is completed. Create a planting mixture of 1/3 sphagnum peat moss, 1/3 Wedel's composted cow manure and 1/3 of your existing topsoil.
Do oak trees like peat moss? ›Instead of just planting them directly into potting soil, as you can with white oak acorns, they should be planted in a zippered plastic bag with a bit of moist peat moss for about eight weeks.
What is a major problem with peat moss? ›It breaks down too fast, compressing and squeezing air out of the soil, creating an unhealthy condition for plant roots. Peat moss can be a useful growing medium for containers, however, when lightened with a drainage material like perlite. The biggest problem with peat moss is that it's environmentally bankrupt.
Why is peat moss being banned? ›Peat extraction also degrades the state of the wider peatland landscape, damaging habitats for some of our rarest wildlife such as the swallowtail butterfly, hen harriers and short-eared owls, and negatively impacting peat's ability to prevent flooding and filter water.
Is peat good for trees? ›The simple answer is yes, and in the case of bonsai growth, peat moss is a key ingredient to organic mixes. It's ability to retain water is so efficient that it should be used sparingly to ensure it doesn't retain too much of the water.
Can trees grow in peat? ›Under current policy, thin peat soils below the 50cm/40cm threshold are deemed suitable for tree planting.
Is peat moss better than mulch? ›Mulch nourishes the soil as it breaks down. When well-incorporated into soil, peat can aid nutrient availability, but it contains little or no nutrients of its own. Mulch is superior to peat moss at suppressing weeds. Mulch is usually made from local hardwoods and doesn't travel far.
Can you just put peat moss on top of soil? ›Peat moss should be mixed into soil. Top dressing with peat is a bad idea because wind will blow it around and rain will harden it. — Mulch nourishes the soil as it breaks down. When well-incorporated into soil, peat can aid nutrient availability, but it contains little or no nutrients of its own.
Should I mix peat moss with soil? ›
Since peat moss is acidic, it has the effect of reducing pH levels in alkaline soils. If a soil test indicates that your soil is too alkaline, mixing in some peat moss will help bring it down.
Does peat moss attract bugs? ›Any organic mulch, whether it's derived from leaves, grass clippings, compost, wheat straw, or peat moss, has the most tendency to attract bugs and unwanted pests.
Can anything grow on peat moss? ›The most significant disadvantages of peat moss are it's too acidic for non-acid-loving plants, it's not renewable, and it doesn't have any nutrients. The upside to peat moss is it's sterile and free of weed seeds; however, weeds can still grow in peat moss once you start using it and it's exposed to the elements.
What is the best fertilizer for mature oak trees? ›For oaks, a ratio of either 12-4-8 (12% Nitrogen, 4% Phosphorus, and 8% Potassium) or 12-6-6 is recommended. A fertilizer that releases nitrogen too quickly can cause more harm to the soil and tree than good.
How long does peat moss last in soil? ›Since it doesn't compact or break down readily, one application of peat moss lasts for several years. Peat moss doesn't contain harmful microorganisms or weed seeds that you may find in poorly processed compost. Peat moss is an important component of most potting soils and seed starting mediums.
What plants should you use peat moss? ›Peat moss is acidic, and is excellent for use with acid-loving plants, like blueberries, azaleas and tomatoes. Because it can make your soil more acidic, you may need to add lime to the soil.
How long does peat moss take to decompose? ›Peat moss speeds the composting process, reduces odours and controls air and water in the compost pile. Peat moss decomposes slowly over several years compared to compost which typically decomposes within one year.
Why should gardeners not use peat? ›Plantlife, along with the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and Friends of the Earth, is calling on government and industry to replace peat use in gardening and horticulture. Damaging peatlands has a knock-on effect on wildlife, carbon stores, flood risk and water quality.
Is peat moss being banned in the United States? ›The Government has announced it will be banning peat compost sales for amateur gardeners from 2024.
Is peat moss a good fertilizer? ›Great for plants that need acidic soil: Gardeners often use peat moss to manage soil pH. When planting species that thrive in acidic soil—such as blueberries or azaleas—mix peat moss into your potting soil to achieve an acidic pH. Peat moss can also help neutralize alkaline soil by bringing down the overall pH.
What are the disadvantages of peat? ›
Peat soil is a non-renewable resource.
The most significant downside to peat soil is that it is an unsustainable, non-renewable resource. Harvesting peat soil can contribute to climate change by releasing greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide and methane into the air.
Peat releases huge amounts of stored carbon dioxide when it is harvested, which adds to greenhouse gas levels. Peat mining is effectively unsustainable – it grows back at just 1 mm a year.
Is peat moss good for evergreen trees? ›Almost any kind of organic material is good, among the best are well-rotted cow, sheep, or horse manure (if you can obtain them); garden compost; any 'top-soil' from a garden centre; or if you have nothing else, peat-moss.
What trees grow in peat bogs? ›In the tropics, peat forms in massively biodiverse forests. In temperate regions, like the UK and Ireland, many tree species like birch, alder, hazel and willow, thrive in the wet areas surrounding bogs.
Does peat hold more carbon than trees? ›Carbon stocks were significantly higher in peat (22.6–66.0 kg m−2) compared to tree aboveground and belowground biomass (2.8–5.7 kg m−2) for all sites—with peat layers currently containing between 4 to nearly 25 times more carbon than the tree components.
Does peat moss break down clay soil? ›Peat moss breaks up clay soil making the clay not so compacted. This helps plants to be able to grow in the clay soil because peat moss breaks up the ground making more space for the roots to expand. What is this? It's important to understand that peat moss breaking up clay soil is beneficial for the soil.
Which is better peat moss or manure? ›Peat moss is mined from peat deposits and is usually considered a non-renewable resource. Animal manures are another source of organic matter and contain relatively larger amounts of essential plant nutrients than peat moss.
Do flowers like peat moss? ›Peat moss shouldn't be used as a mulch for your flowerbed. Mulches such as compost and pine straw add vital nutrients to the soil as they decompose, but peat moss doesn't, according to Gardens Alive.
What are the pros and cons of peat moss? ›Unlike compost and soil, peat moss is completely sterile and harbors no disease organisms and rarely contains weeds or pests. This sterility makes it an optimum choice for starting seeds. Seedlings are particularly susceptible to fungal diseases that cause death. Fungi can't usually survive in peat.
Is topsoil better than peat moss? ›Topsoil is necessary for plant growth but, on its own, is not the ideal environment for growing healthy plants. Fortifying topsoil with peat moss, which is decomposed plant matter, helps retain moisture and break up clay or sandy soil so plants can absorb nutrients and water.
Does peat moss keep soil loose? ›
Peat moss improves soil because it does not compact over time, so it loosens soil and aerates it. Adding peat moss to soil also helps increase the soil's capacity for drainage. In sandy soils, incorporating peat moss will help the soil to retain water and make moisture available for plants.
What is the best way to spread peat moss? ›Use a standard broadcast spreader to lay your grass seed across the entire lawn. Next, spread your peat moss over the seeded areas, creating a layer between 1/8"-inch and 1/4"-inch in depth. Finally, soak the area with water and keep it moist until the grass begins to sprout.
How often do you water peat moss? ›Watering frequency will depend on geographic location as well as the position in the house, type of plant, and the time of year. It is normal, for example, for watering to be around 4 weeks apart Summer. “First thing to know is that peat moss holds water.
What plants don't like peat moss? ›Plants that prefer more alkaline soil don't do well with peat moss. These include cauliflower, garlic, asparagus, spinach, many gourds, and others. Peat moss's problem is that it is acidic, and as your soil's pH level gets lower (meaning the soil becomes more acidic), vegetables like these begin faring poorly.
Where does peat moss come from? ›Virtually all of the peat moss sold in the United States comes from the vast sphagnum moss bogs of Canada. Often mixed with a mineral named perlite, it is highly valued by horticulturists for its ability to retain moisture and oxygen without becoming waterlogged or heavy.
Does peat moss attract termites? ›It was also found that peat moss is not poisonous to termites, but an American study found that termites go out of there way to avoid coming into contact with peat moss while foraging.
What animal eats peat moss? ›Amongst the higher animals, the vertebrates, moss is consumed by bison, reindeer (principally in the high arctic regions), lemmings in Alaska (up to 40% of their diet) and many species of bird (geese, grouse).
Does peat moss prevent root rot? ›First, be certain that your lawn has Take All Root Rot. The fungal disease causes the grass to be lethargic and slow to green up in spring. It shows in sweeps and patches. The peat moss makes an acidic layer on top of the soil, and that discourages development of the fungus.
How do you keep peat moss alive? ›Soil should be saturated in the water allowing the moss to consistently hydrate. If placed in a terrarium where there isn't a direct source of constant water, sphagnum will do just fine retaining water for a period of time on its own. Just remember to mist when moss becomes noticeably dry.
What time of year should I fertilize my oak tree? ›Organic sources should be applied in late winter to allow the nitrogen to move into the root zone. Inorganic sources should be applied in late spring after the first flush of growth.
What makes oak trees grow faster? ›
A mature oak tree doesn't need to be fertilized under natural or undamaged conditions. However, if there has been planting, uprooting, or nearby land disturbance, it's essential to add some fertilizer to the tree base. It will help the oak tree grow faster in its new environment.
Is peat soil good for trees? ›Planting trees on peat compromises both the growth of the tree crop and the carbon store of the peat soil (see diagram below). The yield class of trees on peat soils is often compromised through ineffective drainage and the prevailing hydrology of areas which have naturally formed peat1.
How long does peat moss last? ›Since it doesn't compact or break down readily, one application of peat moss lasts for several years. Peat moss doesn't contain harmful microorganisms or weed seeds that you may find in poorly processed compost. Peat moss is an important component of most potting soils and seed starting mediums.
Is peat moss better than manure? ›Peat moss is low in nutrients, but manure contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. The major benefit of manure's nitrogen content is its impact on the composting process, activating bacteria that break down dead plant tissues. Microorganisms are low in peat moss, but high in manure.
How long does it take for peat moss to break down in soil? ›It doesn't really decompose because peat moss is so anaerobic and this process takes very slowly. The decomposition process happens without the presence of air, which slows the development rate. It only gains less than one millimeter in depth each year. One day, the producers show up.
What plants need peat moss? ›Peat moss is acidic, and is excellent for use with acid-loving plants, like blueberries, azaleas and tomatoes. Because it can make your soil more acidic, you may need to add lime to the soil.
Can you grow anything in peat moss? ›The most significant disadvantages of peat moss are it's too acidic for non-acid-loving plants, it's not renewable, and it doesn't have any nutrients. The upside to peat moss is it's sterile and free of weed seeds; however, weeds can still grow in peat moss once you start using it and it's exposed to the elements.
Does peat moss add nitrogen to soil? ›Peat moss is a commonly available source of organic matter, but it does not usually contain essential plant nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus.