What is Peat Moss Really?
Peat is composed of dead plant remains that have been preserved in the wet acidic conditions that prevent rapid decay. This takes millenia to accomplish. Peat is not a renewable resource. Upon this damp foundation is laid the fragile ecosystem of the peatland. Alternatives = MANY Any bulky organic material can be used to improve the organic content of soil. Compost and leafmould are among the best materials for enriching soil. Bark products, coconut fibre and manure, available from garden centres, can also be used. If you presently use peat moss as a mulch, you are better off with bark, straw or cocoa shells. Peat is a poor mulch. It dries out and blows away. If you presently use peat moss to increase the acidity of soil, and insist on something organic, switch to any of the following. • Pine needles • Composted heather • Composted Bracken Ferns Peat Links Burns Bog This is a local bog here in my hometown. On top of decades of peat extraction, excavation has now begun for a 1000 acre c
