What Is Peat Moss Used For

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 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.

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 moss good for your yard?

Peat moss as a soil amendment has many advantages, such as increasing moisture retention and helping your lawn's aeration and drainage. That's why we find it in many potting mixes, growing media and lawn care products.

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.

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.

What is the best way to apply peat moss?

How to Use Peat Moss in the Garden

1. Apply peat moss in a 2–3 inch layer in your garden, and incorporate it into the top 12" of soil.
2. For containers and raised beds, use between 1/3 and 2/3 peat moss into your potting soil mix or compost.

Is peat moss better than mulch?

Peat Moss Mulch 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.

Does peat moss attract pests?

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.

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 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.

How long does peat moss take to decompose?

Peat moss or “peat” is made of partially decayed plant material—usually mosses—that have been submerged without oxygen in wet, acidic conditions, like those found in a bog. The decaying process is very slow, taking up to 1,000 years to create a 36-inch layer of it!

Should I put peat moss over grass seed?

The peat moss holds moisture, thus speeding the germination of the seeds. Also, it doesn't need to be removed. It gradually decomposes and adds organic matter to the soil. You might try it, if you have to seed any bare areas next fall.

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.

Can grass seed grow in peat moss?

Most people are familiar with peat moss and its use in establishing grass seed. Traditionally, peat moss has been used as a top-dressing to reduce evaporation during critical stages of seed germination and seedling establishment.

What can I use instead of peat moss?

Peat Moss Alternatives

• Coconut Coir. Coconut coir, also known as coco peat or coir peat, is rapidly gaining popularity and is the best-known alternative to peat moss.
• Wood-Based Materials. ...
• Compost. ...
• Pine Needles. ...
• Rice Hulls. ...
• Leaf Mold. ...
• Composted Manure.

Does peat grow back?

Peat is not a renewable source of energy, due to its extraction rate in industrialized countries far exceeding its slow regrowth rate of 1 mm (0.04 in) per year, and as it is also reported that peat regrowth takes place only in 30–40% of peatlands.

Is peat moss toxic?

Inhalation: May cause irritation of the respiratory system. Skin Contact: May cause irritation. Eye Contact: May cause irritation, abrasions, redness, and permanent eye damage. Ingestion: Ingestion of large amounts may cause gastrointestinal irritation, choking/blockage.

Can I mix peat moss with top soil?

And today we're going to talk about mixing peat moss with topsoil. Now the reason you'd want to do

Which is better peat moss or manure?

Animal manures are another source of organic matter and contain relatively larger amounts of essential plant nutrients than peat moss.