Peat moss- good or bad?
novascapes
12 years ago
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
12 years agojolj
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Pretty moss, but is it good or bad?
Comments (16)Hi How do you tell one type of "moss" from another?? Since "moss" is by far the oldest terrestrial plant the have evolved into countless species If you think orchids have a lot of species check out moss sometime .Some can't even make up their mind if they are a moss or a fern or just plain mildew lol. For fun google "Lichen" some time Give you a 100 bucks to positively identify onelol When I went to Costa Rica and saw my first "wild "Cattleyas the first thing that hit me was the number of different kinds of plants living either touching,sprouting vining what have you nearby . I climbed a tree and counted 30 different kinds of plants that were NOT part of the Catt. Not a one of which I could identify as a species particularly the "mosses" lol The one thing I did not see is a Catt growing alone in fact was always the minor part of the group. Did note that "green "plants nearby the Catt seemed healthier while brown and gray plants suggested the Catt was stressed if not downright unhealthy.. Not a single one of the orchids that I saw were growing anything like I grow them. Maybe mother nature made a mistake?? lol gary...See Morepeat moss as mulch?
Comments (2)Peat moss can be, and has been, used for mulch, just be aware that peat moss used that way tends to be hydrophobic, water repelling. When dry it takes peat moss a long time to accept and/or allow water to flow through it, but then bare soil can do the same thing. Like any organic matterial placed on top of soil peat moss can, if enough is placed down, aid in keeping soil moisture from evaporating, aid in keeping the soil cooler, and aid in suppressing unwanted plant growth, "weeds". Peat moss can even, eventually, add some organic matter to your soil when used as mulch....See MoreWhat is the difference between peat and spaghnum peat moss?
Comments (8)There are different types of peat depending on whether the peat formed from grasses, mosses, or woody material. The consistency varies a lot too: from a jumble of still recognizable fibers and woody particles to completely decomposed muck. I live in the midst of forested "bogs" (swamps) in a network of extinct glacial lakebeds and pitted outwash drainage valleys where today there is a creek, a river, seeps, springs, and nice little bakwaawong on my property. Yesterday I was out digging in the peat making a channel. I'm always hoping to dig up mastadon bones. My peat has a wide range of types and consistencies depending on depth and where I dig. In places there are trees and shrubs growing. In other places my bog has sphagnum moss growing on the surface. I consider sphagnum moss to be that living green layer and the brown moss under it. The peat is deeper and looks more like dirt or mud. The moss you can tear out by hand. The peat usually need to be dug....See MoreDoes peat moss go bad over time?
Comments (1)i have no clue..but i'm sure some of the garden guru's here can help....See Morewayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
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12 years agowayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
12 years agowayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
12 years agowayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
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