Are you looking for a new soil amendment for your garden? Join the ranks of gardeners using peat moss.
It’s an easily accessible material that can help boost aeration and water retention in soil.
If you’re new to the gardening game, here’s what you should know about how to use this amendment as well as the pros and cons of using it on your land.
1. What is peat moss?
Peat moss is a soil amendment that is used to grow plants.
It is harvested from peat bogs, which can be found in the wetlands of Canada.
The moss is made from layers of decomposing organic material.
It is a dark-brown fibrous material that acid-loving plants such as azaleas and blueberries are particularly fond of.
You may also consider using peat moss in container-grown plants.
2. What is the difference between peat moss and sphagnum moss?
If you’re looking for soil amendments, you may see peat moss and sphagnum moss used almost synonymously.
However, these are two distinct substances.
Sphagnum moss is a living plant.
There are 120 species of this moss plant that are native to various countries across the globe.
Peat moss, on the other hand, is dead.
This is the easiest way to differentiate the two.
Other than that, you’ll see both mosses harvested for horticultural trade.
3. How is peat moss used?
You’ll most often find it in soilless potting mixes.
If you’ve ever potted an indoor plant from a seed, then there’s a strong likelihood that the potting mix had peat moss in it.
But why are these soilless potting mixes used in the first place?
Why isn’t regular soil the best option for plants?
For one, regular soil can be incredibly heavy for plants that are sprouting from seed.
When seeds grow their roots, they can have trouble pushing their young and tender roots through heavier soils.
This is where the peat moss is helpful.
It’s a lightweight amendment that enables both water retention and aeration.
Additionally, drainage is a big issue in regular soil.
Seeds often rot before they ever have an opportunity to sprout in regular soil.
If you enhance drainage with lighter soil, you allow the seed to breathe.
Finally, regular soil harbors pathogens that can kill young plants.
This isn’t as big of an issue with peat moss because it is a sterile planting medium.
If you’re not sold on it yet, there are more reasons to love it!
It’s not just a great option for indoor potting.
It can be used outdoors to till in planting beds as well.
In these scenarios, if the soil is not crumbly, you can add peat moss to lighten it up and improve drainage.
This is an easy fix when your garden has become compacted over the years.
4. What are the benefits of peat moss?
Peat moss has numerous benefits which is why it’s such a popular soil additive.
Here’s why you should consider it for your garden:
Inexpensive
If you’ve been looking for a quality and inexpensive soil amendment, then peat moss is the way to go.
Typically, prices range from $0.35 to $0.80 per square foot at your local nursery.
Having it readily available at nearby nurseries and garden shops will make your life so much easier if you’re trying to get a garden up and running on your land.
Lightweight
Peat moss is a lightweight material.
Many people like to use this dry and dusty material because of its ability to improve drainage and aeration in the soil.
More on that below!
Drainage and aeration
It doesn’t become waterlogged or hang onto moisture when it becomes wet.
Therefore, it’s an excellent option when you’re looking to improve drainage, prevent compaction of the soil, or allow enhanced airflow.
Furthermore, if you’ve noticed that your roots have been struggling, then you may want to consider a soil amendment that aids aeration as well.
When you prevent your roots from suffocating, then you can encourage the healthy development of the plant overall.
Water retention
Water retention is one of the core reasons that people utilize peat moss in their gardens.
It can hold up to 20 times its weight in water.
This medium allows you to retain the proper amount of water for soil health and plant growth.
If you live in a dry climate or an area with dry spells, then using this soil amendment will help you ensure your plants are adequately hydrated at all times.
Some gardeners even like to use peat moss to reduce the frequency of watering and prevent water wastage.
From a watering perspective, it is incredibly eco-friendly!
Sterilization
Peat moss is free from nearly all harmful elements like insects, pathogens, bacteria, harmful chemicals, and weed seeds.
So, using this in your garden can prevent collar rot, root rot, etc.
Soil structure
Incorporating peat moss into your soil will allow for a looser soil texture.
When the soil isn’t compact, the roots will be easier to spread, and plants will be able to establish themselves more solidly.
When you have better soil structure, you’ll also be able to foster nutrient absorption and have healthier and more productive plants.
Nutrients
Although peat moss doesn’t provide an abundance of nutrients like traditional fertilizers, it does contribute to plants in another way.
It enriches the soil with beneficial microorganisms that allow plants to thrive, so you can feel good about adding it to your soil.
Weed suppression
Are you constantly dealing with weeds that you can’t seem to tame or get rid of?
Because peat moss is devoid of harmful elements, you can add it to your garden as a natural weed suppressor.
It has a dense structure as well as moisture-retaining properties that create an inhospitable environment for weed growth.
Plus, if you go this route, you don’t need to use a bunch of herbicides in your garden either. It’s a win-win!
5. What are the disadvantages of peat moss?
That said, very few soil additives or garden products are perfect.
Here are some factors you should consider before using peat moss in your garden.
First, peat moss doesn’t add any nutrients to the soil.
So, while it is an effective amendment, it isn’t necessarily an additive that will boost the quality of your soil.
Another key factor to keep in mind is that peat moss is acidic.
This makes it a perfect amendment for acid-loving plants, but you’ll need to monitor the soil pH of your planting bed if you want a higher pH.
Garden lime can be a great tool if you need assistance with the balancing act!
Next, peat moss isn’t sustainable because it takes hundreds of years for it to be created.
While it’s not an expensive resource, it’s also not free.
You’ll need to go out and buy more if you want to continually use it in your garden.
Finally, peat moss holds water well, and water retention is a core benefit of this soil additive.
However, it does require a little bit of maintenance.
If you allow the peat moss to dry out, then it can take some time before it absorbs water.
6. What are the alternatives?
If you’re not completely sold on peat moss after reading the cons above, then consider one of the many alternatives.
Here are some other amendments that you may want to use.
Coconut coir
This amendment is a by-product of coconut fiber.
If you want to use more sustainable substances in your garden, then this is a great place to start.
Coconut coir is renewable, and once you know about it, you’ll begin to see it more and more.
It’s a popular alternative to peat moss in soilless potting mixes.
So, why is it so popular?
This amendment has a neutral pH rather than an acidic one.
It also has all the water retention benefits of peat moss.
The only real downside is that it’s more expensive, but if you’re ready to invest, then it’s a good option.
Compost
Compost is a well-known soil amendment that you may have already considered.
This substance is made from decaying organic materials such as rotted plants, leaves, animal manure, and vegetable scraps.
It’s a viable option in a garden because it has good water retention, and unlike peat moss, it’s rich in nutrients.
Bark or wood fiber
These wood by-products can be a good alternative to peat moss.
The main benefits of going this route include adding organic matter, helping water retention, allowing the soil to aerate, and making good use of waste materials.
7. Is there a difference between “peat” and “peat moss”?
They do not refer to the same substance.
Peat is a broader term while peat moss indicates just one of the products harvested from peat bogs.
8. How long does peat moss last?
Peat moss does not have a traditional shelf life because it is decaying or dead matter.
That said you should replenish it after a few years.
Due to erosion, this substance can naturally wash away.
9. Is topsoil better?
Peat moss is a different option than soil.
It isn’t necessarily better or worse.
In certain cases, you can use it to enhance the topsoil’s environment to grow healthier plants.
10. When should you use peat moss?
If you’re interested in using peat moss in your gardening practice, here’s when you should consider heading to your local nursery to pick some up.
Soil amendment
You can often buy peat moss in compressed bales.
Be sure to loosen these bales and moisten them before you add them to your garden.
This will make it easier to work with.
We recommend mixing the peat moss into your garden soil at a 1:3 ratio (moss to soil).
This mixture is ideal for general use.
If you have plants that prefer an acidic environment, then you should use a higher ratio of peat moss.
Seed starting
For starting seeds, create a seed-starting mix by combining peat moss with vermiculite and perlite.
This mix provides the necessary moisture retention and aeration for successful germination.
Mulching
Apply a layer as mulch around your plants to conserve moisture, suppress weed growth, and improve soil structure over time.
If you’re interested in hydroponic growing, then you should mix potting soil, perlite, vermiculite, etc. with peat moss for a nice balance of moisture and aeration for hydroponic growing.
Plant container-grown plants
If you’re growing plants in containers or pots, then you should mix peat moss into the backfill soil.
It helps foster root development and promotes an environment in which the plant thrives.
11. How do you harvest peat moss in an environmentally responsible way?
Peat moss has a lot of benefits to the garden, but it has gotten a bit of a reputation in recent years because it isn’t a sustainable material.
So, you must consider the impact of its extraction on the environment.
As noted above, it comes from bogs, which play a significant role in carbon sequestration.
When you destroy bogs in an effort to harvest peat moss, then you release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Any property owner should see themselves as a steward of the land.
It is your duty to care for the planet beyond just the land that you own.
We recommend carrying out your duty by seeking out sustainably sourced products.
When you go to shop for peat moss, check the label to see if it was sustainably sourced.
If it wasn’t consider another soil amendment as an alternative.
We’ve listed a few above, such as compost and coconut coir, that have similar benefits.
Final Thoughts
Peat moss is a gardener’s best friend!
If you’re looking for a way to improve your soil structure, retain moisture, improve aeration, promote healthy root development, suppress weeds, and so much more, peat moss is a stellar option.
Just be mindful of the potential impact that harvesting this amendment can have on the planet and do your due diligence to ensure you aren’t destroying peat bogs that are helping curb climate change!
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Disclaimer: we are not lawyers, accountants or financial advisors and the information in this article is for informational purposes only. This article is based on our own research and experience and we do our best to keep it accurate and up-to-date, but it may contain errors. Please be sure to consult a legal or financial professional before making any investment decisions.
Prior to starting Gokce Capital, Erika received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California and a graduate degree in Urban Policy from Columbia University. She worked as both an architectural designer and engineer in New York before joining the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Erika currently lives in the New York Metropolitan area with her spouse, daughter and cat. She is originally from Chicago and still considers herself a midwesterner at heart.
Erika also loves to read, write and travel (fun fact, she has visited all 50 states and more than 30 countries!). Her new book, Land Investing Mistakes: 11 True Stories You Need To Know Before Buying Land, is now available on Amazon.