Strange Peat Moss - Please Help

[CPsinSC]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to this forum, but I've been reading it for the last month or so.

I have an order of plants coming in tomorrow, so I'm trying to get my bog finished up tonight. The problem is possibly my peat moss .. I've gone thru a few packs of this stuff before (the big green compressed packs at lowes), but have never seen it like this before.

Instead of it being all peat, there's quite a bit of what appear to be wood pieces in it.
Is this something I should be concerned with, or will it be okay?

I figure it might make the soil drain even better, assuming it's not going to hurt my plants.

I have $40 worth of pool filter sand and over $100 worth of plants coming, so I really don't want to waste it on a bad batch of peat.

Thanks a bunch for the help.

If you're not sure what I'm talking about, I can take a picture for you.

 

[Clint]

Welcome. Most peat has a little bit of reed or small sticks in it. Peat can also be compressed so it can look like chips.

Pics would help.

 

[CPsinSC]

It seems to be more than just a bit .. I'll go take some pics.

 

[CPsinSC]

 

[CPsinSC]

didn't know i needed to upload my picture somewhere else

cant get it to show up here, so you can see it here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/phpnetpro/CPs/http://picasaweb.google.com/phpnetpro/CPs/photo#5053082335513405890

 

[xvart]

I think you're fine. The big bale of peat I got has all sorts of little sticks and organic stuff like that in it. I think it's annoying because I'm afraid if I miss some of the bigger sticks some roots might grow around it and then later cause problems when I replant; but, not any problems I can't handle. In a bog it would be fine since you probably won't be "repotting" or transplanting anytime soon.

Welcome, by the way. What all are you putting in your bog? How big is your bog going to be?

xvart.

 

[Clint]

Wow I've never seen peat that black. I guess it's just the lighting.

 

[CPsinSC]

Yea, it's the lighting on the picture.. took it outside with just a spotlight shining on it.

My bog is about 3' x 5' and 20" deep or so.
I've been building a rather large 2 pond, 2 stream and a waterfall feature for the past 4-5 months... still probably that long from completion too. Around it are a number of flowerbeds, the largest of which (and spot with the most sun) is the bog.

I'll be planting the following in it to begin with:
S. rubra ssp. rubra
S. oreophila x flava 'Virginia'
S. x 'Judith Hindle'
S. leucophylla
S. flava
D. muscipula - typical, dente and red dragon


I'm also not planning on rinsing my materials since I'm using distilled water and a fair amount of materials .. should this be alright assuming a fair amount of rainfall? Should i install a drain plug near the bottom to get rid of impurities? I have a couple of holes made for drainage about 4" under the surface.

 

[Clint]

You need more plants lol


I don't rinse my materials. Well I rinse sand but not peat. I'd say your OK because that's a lot of media and it would take forever to rinse.

A drain plug sounds great if you can do that! Flushing is good! Some people go drainless.

 

[CPsinSC]

I intend on getting more plants, but the wife makes me take a more reasonable approach, lol

Once she sees them and they do well, she'll beg for more

I do have some inside at the moment in a fairly small ghetto rigged terrarium.. cobra lily and a basic sundew, vft & also two purple pitchers. I also have a d. scorpiodes coming in my order, but i'm growing it inside. Will likely move my purple pitchers outside.. not sure about the cobra lily.

Got a tiny cobra pitcher coming in now
Also got my first sundew flower yesterday.

 

[CP30]

It gets pretty hot in G'ville, I would hesitate with the cobra (I have killed several since moving to the south), but the purpureas will LOVE it in your bog. If you would like some D filiformis let me know, mine are all between 9" and 12" tall and have beautiful pastel purple flowers now - dozens of them. They will spread through the bog like weeds, though