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Few questions on peat moss and perlite

The worst combo ever! *sorry but I hate peat. He is so mean to my cps!
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well i have generally good growth using peat and perlite. However i am referring to that found in the european countrys, it may be the same thing (i dunno) if you telling me this is a bad combo. Very hard to agree, since my success is very good. What other combo do you use. I begin to wonder if you hate peat and i have had such great sucess. What wonders would this other combo you speak of do for me
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is it vermicelli soil? or something else? let me know, i love to hear peoples storys and maybe i can act on them myself.
 
Remember: different conditions and different climates produce different results with the identical mix, and peat quality is not constant all over the world.

I would caution you to look closely at the ingredient list. Both companies you mention are known to add trace fertilizer to their peat and perlite products. Use of this would be inadvisable.

I obtain my best results using peat and coarse silica sand. I have access to very high quality sand though. Rinsing the materials, or allowing them to weather naturally over the growing season outdoors greatly reduces instances of moss and algae in the pots.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]I would caution you to look closely at the ingredient list. Both companies you mention are known to add trace fertilizer to their peat and perlite products. Use of this would be inadvisable.

I have been aware of this and i do thank you, i have recieved reports about like 6 months ago of the types (names) of fertilizer that have been reported as harmful. These bags had no report of them. No reports of any trace fertilizer, well according to the bag they have none :p

thanks again

jeremiah
 
I would steer away from Scotts as theirs isn't the best of quality. I've had excellent results with schultz brand though.
 
Gotta watch the Schultz brand too. I got several bags this year that were contaminated with slow release fertilizer. Not a lot but more than enough to mess up a couple of my CPs that I potted up with it. Also had a bag that had the moisture retaining crystals in it.

Steve
 
i like to buy big bales of canadian peat. it's cheaper to buy in bulk.
 
There is a guy on the CPUK forum who has as his tag-line "I never use peat"..
or something like that..
I have been meaning to send him a note to ask what he *does* use then!

personally, I have tried pure peat, pure spagnum, and peat with sand..
I didnt like the peat with sand because it turned into a VERY heavy, dense mix..although, I do still have some VFTs in that mix and they are doing fine!
the last few years I have been doing pure spagnum for most of my plants..works great!
and! this summer I tried a new mix for my mini-bog, peat and perlite with a top dressing of pure spagnum..so far so good!
basically, they ALL work..none are really bad:

pure peat
peat with sand
peat with perlite
pure spagnum

im curious about the benefits of "no peat" mixes..anyone know anything about that?
Scot
 
  • #10
i have had very good and very bad results using peat. i wish we had more rain and less wind so i could weather it like Tamlin does. some of my pots do wonderfully but the next one to it in the same tray with soil mixed the same day from the same batch of peat turns to sludge. i get about 4 good pots for every sludge pot. sometimes more good pots for every sludge one. i am doing some experiments with coconut husk fiber. its supposed to stand up better than peat in wet enviroments. just a short while into the trials and nothing much to report yet. so far the Chilean LFS i have been using for Neps and a few Utrics has given me the most consistant results. as to my growing. NE Montana has netoriously low humidity so i have my best results keeping everything soaked constantly except for some neps and one Utric. im growing a couple mexican pings which are doing VERY well by keeping them alot more moist than alot of ppl can.

Rattler
 
  • #11
I never use peat either, I always use pure LFS or coco fiber. I like the coco fiber better cause it won't stick to itself. It won't clump if you try. I do still have some of my Epis in peat mixes but I don't use it for them anymore either. I only used for adding acid but I use cut up pine needle now for that.

Joe
 
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