Peat Moss Facts

Peat moss increases water retention in soil, thus increasing your chance of gardening success.

Peat moss---often sold in bales at gardening and home improvement centers---is a product that is useful for improving soil's water retention and aeration. Peat moss is made from sphaghum moss found in wetlands. It is a natural and organic way to improve a garden's soil.

Origins

Peat moss is made from sphagnum moss that has partially decomposed. It is considered to be a sustainable resource. It is harvested from bogs and fens (also called peatlands) in areas that allow for weather that is conducive to drying the moss. Peat moss acts as a sponge; this allows it to hold water in areas where drainage might be prohibitive to plant growth.

Harvesting

Peat moss is harvested from peat bogs when it is considered to be "weakly decomposed." The moss is dried through the use of drainage ditches, the wind and the sun. It is then milled in order to remove the top layer of moss. The lower layer of moss is harvested with vacuum harvesters or other equipment and then is sent to a plant to be processed. At the plant, it is screened, packaged and then distributed.

Benefits

Peat moss is a natural way to increase absorbency in soil that would otherwise allow water to escape. The structure of peat moss also allows for aeration in the soil, thus preventing compaction and encouraging plant growth. The nature of peat moss reduces water waste and is an organic material.

Sustainability

Peat moss will re-establish itself in approximately five to 20 years with a growth rate of approximately 2 mm of growth per year. There has been some debate about the fragility of the ecosystems that exist within peatlands. Currently, there are regulations that require peat harvesters to turn the peatlands into restored wetlands.

Misconceptions

Some gardeners have developed concerns about handling peat moss due to the potential of a skin infection called Cutaneous Sporotichosis. This fungus has been found in spaghnum moss, but has yet to be found in peat moss; peat moss is a dead material, which is thought to be inhospitable to the Sporotichosis fungus.

References

• Natural Life Magazine: Does Peat Moss Have A Place In The Ecological Garden?
• Peat Moss and the Environment: Peat Moss FAQs