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When washing peat moss...

  • Thread starter gill_za
  • Start date

gill_za

Never Knows Best
...following the Tamlin's method I've noticed that after it stood in the bucket with water for a week peat separated into two layers. One - top layer - floats in the top of the bucket and the other - bottom layer - lies on the bottom of the bucket. This bottom layer also looks darker.

My question: when collecting the moss from the bucket for the second washing should I only collect the top peat layer and dump the bottom?

Darker peat = peat from the older deposits that potentially have more nutrients?

Thank you!
 
You can also use a spaghetti collander or anything with mesh.
 
Wash peat moss?
why?
I have never bothered.
(except to remove sticks and large debris)

Scot
 
should I only collect the top peat layer and dump the bottom?

Darker peat = peat from the older deposits that potentially have more nutrients?

Thank you!

What a waste of a non-renewable resource. Why not just buy premium quality peat moss in the first place? In the US bales are available in 2 or 3 quality grades. Europe maybe as many as 6 grades.

As for the reasons for rinsing the peat moss read Tamlin's article. It can make all the difference with small or sensitive Drosera species (e.g. pygmy and South American).
 
What a waste of a non-renewable resource. Why not just buy premium quality peat moss in the first place? In the US bales are available in 2 or 3 quality grades. Europe maybe as many as 6 grades.

That is Premium Canadian moss I'm washing. That dark bottom layer of peat looks almost like mud, it flows, it is very slippery to the touch.
NaN why don't you send me your address, I'll collect that bottom layer, dry it and send it to you.
 
gill_za,
The premium Canadian brand is the one i also use, and it definitely is inferior to other brands (which i haven't bought, since i have enough to last me 10 years at this point...)

With the very thin lower layer, I've found seems to contain more nutrients, but if you wring that out several times, too, it provides an excellent medium for seedling germination, regardless of the algae it might produce. It is more fine and i grew these D. spatulata var. bakoensis from seed in it with very good results:
seedling_red_Drosera_spatulata_var_bakoensis_5-9-2010_post.JPG

bako_Drosera_spatulata_var_bakoensis_12_30_2010_post.JPG


Also, it's sad to see how many people use peat by the bales and bales just to dump in their lawn/garden for really stupid, basic uses, which could easily be filled using normal dirt...

And if anyone could recommend higher-grade moss that they haven't needed to rinse, that would be wonderful.
Thanks,
Aaron
 
gill_za,
The premium Canadian brand is the one i also use, and it definitely is inferior to other brands (which i haven't bought, since i have enough to last me 10 years at this point...)

With the very thin lower layer, I've found seems to contain more nutrients, but if you wring that out several times, too, it provides an excellent medium for seedling germination, regardless of the algae it might produce. It is more fine and i grew these D. spatulata var. bakoensis from seed in it with very good results:

Also, it's sad to see how many people use peat by the bales and bales just to dump in their lawn/garden for really stupid, basic uses, which could easily be filled using normal dirt...

And if anyone could recommend higher-grade moss that they haven't needed to rinse, that would be wonderful.
Thanks,
Aaron

Aaron, thank you very much for the reply. That is exactly what I was concerned with. That bottom layer is peat but it consists of much finer particles, and its overall darker color made me suspect that it is richer in nutrients than the rest of the peat. I had previous issues with algae and cyanobacteria in my indoor pots and really dont want to repeat that experience. I guess I'll collect that bottom portion separately and use it for my future outside minibog :)

BTW, your site helped me start my little collection :) and got me interested in CP to begin with. Thank you!
 
Just to be clear, what is the actual brand of "premium canadian" moss? >.>
 
Just to be clear, what is the actual brand of "premium canadian" moss? >.>

I will have to get back to you on this one since it is currently not in my apartment but rather at my parents' backyard. I have no place here to wash it :(
 
  • #10
I use both layers for my plants....a good soaking or two seems to take care of most of the sheet moss issues. As far as nutrients in it go...I actually prize that fine dark peat for use in my nep mixes.
 
  • #11
oh i think the actual name was "Premier" if i remember correctly.

i'm glad the site has helped you gill_za and thanks for the kind words!
yeah the fine stuff does seem to be of better quality and holds water very well. I forgot to mention that i just used a half inch layer on the top or so, with the normal stuff below.
 
  • #12
Black Gold was one of the best quality stuff if you could find the bales. The small bags vary in quality but are usually better than most of the other stuff you can find.

The higher quality tiered stuff is usually only found in large nursery suppliers and not the Home Depot type stores.

Not matter the quality all benefit from rinsing as a lot of stray stuff gets incorporated from the milling process.

I always top water new pots and dump the runoff into the garden or houseplants for the first month or two before letting water stand in the tray. If it's a pot that seeds are going in it gets top water flushed until the water is clear (no trace of "tea" coloration). After the seedlings are big enough to tolerate top watering they get the 1-2 month top water and dump regimen. Drosera seedling tend to benefit from a slight amount of nutrients.

The Premier brand stuff I've used rarely grows moss unless the moss gets introduced along with the plant.
 
  • #13
Er...what does tea-coloration indicate? :blush:
 
  • #15
It's a quick and dirty indicator of dissolved solids in the fresh peat moss. Most of the tea color in fresh peat moss is coming from tiny particles left over from the milling process. Since the cell walls are broken this will be the first stuff to start breaking down.

Essentially Tamlin is doing the same thing when he lets pots flush out in the rain for several months. Rain is rare in So Cal.
 
  • #16
Oooooooh.
>.>
<.<
So very much makes sense now.
/sneaks away to do all kinds of flushing and dumping of trays


Thank you!! :hail:
 
  • #17
The tannic acids are appreciated by Sarracenia, NA sundews, Dionaea, and the such. The purps on Meadowview's 3 acre preserve are growing exceptionally fast in muddy peat with very dark blackwater. The tannic acids wil lalso provide some anti-fungal agents. I keeps tannins in my aquarium water for the some reasons. The acids also help counteract hard minerals.
 
  • #18
The tannins leach out of the peat moss. It is not an immediate process. I'm just using the "tea" color from the small particles of chopped peat moss as an indicator that the pot has been completely rinsed/flushed. If you let such a flushed pot "steep" in standing water for a few hours you'll still get your tannin tea.
 
  • #19
I use a TDS meter to see if the peat im rinsing needs a 3rd soak. I soak until the readings fall below 30ppm, then I flush the pots and sterilize them in the microwave before planting. As upkeep I try to top water as much as possible.
 
  • #20
yeah the fine stuff does seem to be of better quality and holds water very well. I forgot to mention that i just used a half inch layer on the top or so, with the normal stuff below.

Do you mean the fine layer of muddy peat on the bottom of the bucket during washing?
I thought the general consensus was that that peat layer is richer in nutrients than the one on top and thus less desirable for plants?
 
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