How do you protect peat moss from fire?
Stored peat moss should be protected from contact with heat sources. Should a fire begin, thoroughly wet the contents of the planter. Empty the contents on a non-flammable surface and spread them to verify that all burning substances have been extinguished. In a garden bed, use a rake or shovel to separate the burning peat for thorough dousing.
Is peat moss a fire hazard?
Peat moss, a common organic ingredient in potting soil and soil conditioning products, presents a fire hazard under certain conditions. As it decomposes peat adds acidity to soil, providing a natural source of pH adjustment where needed.
Is peat moss good for plants?
Peat moss is a highly absorbent material. It can retain water much better than other types of soils. This is a great agent to include in your garden soil. Sterile medium. Peat moss provides a sterile medium, which is ideal for planting and growing your plants.
Is spontaneous combustion possible in wet peat moss?
However, some fire officials insist that spontaneous combustion in wet peat moss used in beds and planters is a real possibility. The science of spontaneous combustion is not clear, but the chance that your garden will ignite on its own is remote.
What is peat moss used for?
How to separate burning peat from a garden?
How does peat help soil?
How can landscapers reduce the danger of smoking?
Is peat moss flammable?
Is peat moss a fire hazard?
Can a fire start in a planter?
See 2 more
What happens when you burn peat?
Peat smoke differs from normal wood smoke because of what is in the peat and how it burns. Peat consists of partially decomposed vegetation and contains varying amounts of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen compounds. When a fire occurs these compounds produce gases that may be very odorous and irritating.
Do people burn peat?
People cut peat to burn in their houses from another 600,000 hectares of peatlands, and there are few plans for rehabilitating these degraded bogs.
Can I burn peat in a wood burner?
It can depend on the stove, but it can be more common to be able to burn peat in multi fuel stoves rather than wood burning stoves. Many wood burning stoves can only burn firewood logs, but it may be possible to burn peat in multi fuel stoves, depending on the model of stove and what the manufacturer recommends.
Why do land owners burn peat?
One regularly practiced management technique on peatland is prescribed, or managed, burning. The aim of burning is to remove the older, less productive vegetation and to encourage new growth for livestock grazing and for red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scotica) production.
Is burning peat bad for the environment?
Yet studies show that burning peat moorlands dries out the soil, degrades the natural conditions and releases harmful carbon emissions. It also leads to more flood waters flowing downstream instead of being retained safely on the peat moors.
What temperature does peat burn at?
The ignition temperature of peat was 177°C [8]. Sonibare et al.
Can peat be used as a fuel?
Peat is used for domestic heating purposes as an alternative to firewood and forms a fuel suitable for boiler firing in either briquetted or pulverized form. Peat is also used for household cooking in some places and has been used to produce small amounts of electricity.
Does peat burn slower than wood?
Peat briquettes can be burned in a wood stove, but because of the different properties between peat and firewood, it may not be an efficient way to heat your home. Firewood is denser than peat which makes it burn longer with fewer emissions when compared to burning peat briquettes.
Why do they burn peat moors?
For this moorland site, a programme of burning once every 20 years was recommended to maintain peat growth and carbon storage, whilst maximising biodiversity and reducing wildfire risk.
Does burning peat give off carbon monoxide?
Peat smoke differs from normal wood smoke because of what is in the peat and how it burns. Peat smoke contains fine particles, water vapour and gases including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. What is carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide (CO) is a common pollutant and is a clear, odourless gas.
Is peat used as fuel?
Peat is used for domestic heating purposes as an alternative to firewood and forms a fuel suitable for boiler firing in either briquetted or pulverized form. Peat is also used for household cooking in some places and has been used to produce small amounts of electricity.
What are peat fires?
It's basically concentrated carbon from dead plants, and it burns not at all like your typical Californian or Australian wildfire. Instead of sending towering flames upward, a peat fire burns in the opposite direction, smoldering deep in the soil.
Why is it so difficult to burn peat?
The ash also makes burning of the peat difficult because it clogs up devices in which peat is burned and reduces their efficiency.
What is the problem with peat?
One problem with peat is its high water content , typically 80 to 90 percent by weight. If burned without previous drying the peat does not contain enough energy to drive off the water; hence, there is a net energy loss rather than a gain. To get around this problem one must let peat dry in the sun or squeeze the water out with a mechanical press.
What are the advantages of peat over coal?
One advantage of peat over coal and oil is the low sulfur content of peat. The burning of peat puts little sulfur into the air.
How long does Alaska have peat?
One estimate of Alaska's peat resource indicates that the state has enough peat to supply its total energy needs for well over 1,000 years, at the present rate of energy usage. However, as one might guess, there are a few practical problems to overcome, some of which may be so severe that the actual use of peat in the years ahead might be minor compared to other fuels.
Where does the ash come from in Alaska?
The source of the ash in the Alaskan peat sampled so far is uncertain. An important contributor may well be the array of volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. Over the 10,000 to 15,000 years it has taken the Alaskan peat to form, these volcanoes probably have spread many light layers of ash over downwind peat bogs.
How does peat burn?
Peat burns pretty much the same as wood or coal and the general principles are the same: Start with a hot blaze of kindling and small pieces of wood, and place the dried fuel on top. The carbon monoxide, alcohols, acetone, acetic acid, methane and what-have-you-contained in burning vegetable matter shouldn't be wasted or allowed to drift off into the air (in consideration for your neighbor's lungs). If the fire is given too much draft the temperature in the stove is lowered, the peat burns poorly and most of the heat goes up the chimney . . . along with everything else. If there's not enough air, of course, the fire suffers from lack of oxygen and the energy value of your fuel is more or less frittered away. A little practice makes perfect. The blocks I had contained 50% sand but burned anyway!
What is peat used for?
. so long, as a matter of fact, that the substance has undoubtedly played an important role in the development of western civilization. Large amounts were "coked" and used to power automobiles (run on carbon monoxide-producing generators) shortly after World War II. Today's rural Europeans still heat their homes with peat, and in Eastern Europe the fuel is even used to fire thermal power plants. The Soviet Union alone consumes as much as sixty million tons a year!
How is peat formed?
In fact, varying types of peat are often found in layers — each formed as a result of a change in climate or vegetation — within the same marsh. You might even discover that the "turf" differs from one area of a single bed to another . . . and the bed itself might be a few inches to several feet deep.
Can you cut peat into blocks?
If the bed is solid enough — or if you can manage to drain it somewhat so the peat is more accessible — you can cut the material into blocks with a shovel. Then you just stack the chunks and let them dry. Sometimes — when the slabs of turf are especially wet — they should be left lying on the surface of the bed to partially dry before they're stacked.
Is peat a good source of energy?
Peat is by no means a total answer to the world's energy problems . . . but it could be a partial answer (at least!) to your own how-to-heat-the-home needs. The fuel is clean, natural and ecologically sound. There is a great amount of the material here in the area where I live (Leominster, Massachusetts) and I can get a good supply for nearly nothing. I'm going to explore its use even further!
Is peat a natural resource?
Peat is so common in the United States and Canada that most people can't see the resource for looking at it. There are an estimated eighty million acres of deposit right here in the continental U.S. Most of this vast natural supply goes unused . . . although some people do throw a few bushels of the muck on their gardens for fertilizer and others use the more fibrous and mossy varieties as a dressing for flowerbeds. What most folks don't know, however, is that peat can be a clean-burning, efficient and low-cost fuel!
Is peat a vegetable?
Peat is nothing more than partially decayed and compacted vegetable matter which — over a period of time — has accumulated where soil is wet enough to retard oxidation. Its color and consistency can be black and mucky or brown and fibrous or anything in between.
What happens if peat is too dry?
If the peat is too dry, the bacteria won't grow well and a significant temperature increase is unlikely. The peat must also be deep enough to insulate the heat-producing bacteria from the surrounding air; if the peat is too shallow, the heat produced by the bacteria will dissipate and won't reach the ignition point.
What is the source of heat in peat?
In peat and other decomposing organic material, the potential internal heat source that can lead to spontaneous combustion is a type of bacteria that feeds on the peat. This bacteria consumes carbon in the organic material by oxidizing it, and the oxidation reaction produces heat. If the bacteria is deep in the peat and isolated from the exterior air, the heat can build up, and the more bacteria present in the peat, the greater and faster the heat build-up. If the peat gets hot enough, chemical oxidation may supplement the bacterial oxidation reaction, resulting in a heat increase great enough to cause ignition.
Is peat moss dangerous?
There is some disagreement over whether spontaneous combustion of peat moss is a real danger in residential gardens, but at best a combustion reaction in peat without an external ignition source is unlikely. The balance of required conditions is delicate and doesn't often occur, especially in typical residential contexts . Peat moss in flower pots or garden beds, for example, is usually not deep enough to hold adequate moisture or insulate well enough to support the reactions that lead to significant internal heating.
What Is Peat Moss?
Peat moss is a soil amendment that is harvested from peat bogs. Many of these bogs are found in wetland areas of Canada. Peat bogs are formed, over the course of very long periods of time, as organic materials partially decompose. Because of the water in these bogs, anaerobic conditions are maintained, conditions that retard full decomposition. The result is that the peat moss is preserved almost indefinitely.
How is peat moss different from sphagnum moss?
How Peat Moss Is Different from Sphagnum Moss. "Peat moss" and "sphagnum moss" are closely related, but the two terms are not synonymous. Here is how the two differ: First of all, "sphagnum moss" can refer to a living plant. There are 120 species of this type of moss plant.
What is sphagnum moss used for?
Like peat moss, sphagnum moss is harvested for the horticultural trade. For example, it is commonly used to line wire baskets for hanging plants, to retain the soil. But the sphagnum moss used for this purpose was a plant growing in nature not that long ago.
What is the best potting soil for plants?
Sphagnum peat moss is widely used in soilless potting mixes. So if you have started plants indoors from seed, then you have very likely already dealt with peat moss. A soilless potting mix is much better to use for starting seeds than regular soil, for the following reasons: 1 Regular soil is too heavy for plants just sprouting from seed. The tender, young roots have trouble pushing through it. 2 Drainage is also generally poorer in regular soil, and seeds may rot in it before they ever get a chance to sprout. 3 Regular soil can also harbor pathogens that could easily kill the young plants.
How many species of moss are there?
There are 120 species of this type of moss plant. Sphagnum moss is native to many countries across the globe, but it is especially prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere. "Peat moss," by contrast, does not refer to something living; it refers to something long dead. Like peat moss, sphagnum moss is harvested for the horticultural trade.
Why is soil so heavy?
Regular soil is too heavy for plants just sprouting from seed. The tender, young roots have trouble pushing through it. Drainage is also generally poorer in regular soil, and seeds may rot in it before they ever get a chance to sprout. Regular soil can also harbor pathogens that could easily kill the young plants.
Can peat moss be planted in a garden?
But peat moss has other uses, as well. Outdoors, it can be tilled into a planting bed where the soil is not sufficiently friable. Peat moss will lighten up the soil in your garden, which may have become compacted over the years, resulting in inadequate drainage.
What is peat moss?
Peat moss consists of decomposed organic materials, typically decomposed sphagnum moss coupled with other organic materials. After decomposition, sphagnum moss and other organic materials form a characteristic dark, fibrous and compact material.
Why is peat moss important?
Peat moss is great because it can easy be re-hydrated and even one application prevents soil compaction for years.
What are the benefits of peat moss?
Here are the most important benefits of peat moss: Peat moss is a highly absorbent material. It can retain water much better than other types of soils.
What plants need acidic soil?
There are many plants you may wish to grow that require slightly acidic soil, such as camellias and blueberries. If your garden soil is not acidic, add a bit of peat moss to make your acid-loving plants thrive. Compaction prevention. Peat moss is not compact, which is a great advantage over other organic materials.
Is peat moss a good starting medium?
Sterile medium. Peat moss provides a sterile medium, which is ideal for planting and growing your plants. It doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals, weed seeds and other bad thing you don’t want for your plants. This is why peat moss is ideal starting medium, particularly for tender, vulnerable plants that require a lot of care. This is why it’s a good practice to add a bit of peat moss to any starting mix.
Is peat moss a homogeneous material?
It makes the decomposition process very slow but results in a more homogeneous material. Peat moss is an absorbent material so it’s ideal for many different garden uses, such as creating fertile soil and helping plants grow faster and healthier.
Can you make peat moss from compost?
This is a process that happens in nature but you can also create your own peat moss to use in the garden. There are certain similarities between peat moss and compost. Compost consists of decomposed organic matter, but this decomposition happens with the help of air. To create peat moss, the air has to be absent.
What Should You Use Instead of Peat Moss?
These unique qualities have made it a soil amendment for hundreds of years and are why there is still a demand for peat. We can use other products in the garden that are better for the environment and better for your lung health. In order to reduce the use of sphagnum peat moss in your gardens, it is as simple as utilizing peat-free soil and compost.
What is Peat Moss?
The product we refer to as “peat moss” is actually the dead remains of a plant called sphagnum moss. Most sphagnum moss comes from deep wet marshes known as peat bogs. There are approximately 1.6 million square miles of peat bogs worldwide. That is 3% of the world’s surface. They formed thousands of years ago, particularly in high latitudes, after glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age.
Why is Peat Moss Important to the Environment?
Harvesting vast quantities of this very slow-growing natural product for garden compost and soil means that it does not have time to regenerate . Harvesting is part of what is destroying the peat bog ecosystem. Peatlands hold enormous quantities of carbon. Sphagnum cannot be recovered quickly. This means that removing the peat disrupts the global carbon cycle.
Why are peatlands important?
Another difficulty for the worldwide peat bog ecosystem is fire. Climate change threatens peatlands.
Where does peat moss come from?
Most sphagnum moss comes from deep wet marshes known as peat bogs. There are approximately 1.6 million square miles of peat bogs worldwide. That is 3% of the world’s surface. They formed thousands of years ago, particularly in high latitudes, after glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age.
How does a peatland fire affect the environment?
Fires stretch across thousands of miles. Peatland fires affect climate change . The air quality in zones where the tiny particles float in the air is poor.
What happens when peatlands store more carbon than they lose in any given year?
When peatlands store more carbon than they lose in any given year, they serve as a net carbon sink and offset a portion of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions in carbon sequestration.
What is peat moss used for?
By harvesting and processing the compacted dead layers, garden supply companies provide peat moss for use by gardeners. Once mixed into soil, the peat brings its soil-enhancing traits to the garden.
How to separate burning peat from a garden?
In a garden bed, use a rake or shovel to separate the burning peat for thorough dousing. Smokers should discard butts and matches in appropriate disposal containers, rather than planters or garden beds.
How does peat help soil?
Peat holds about eight times its own weight in water, according to the Forest Commission of Scotland. (See Reference 1) Peat improves the consistency of dense soil by adding a light, sponge-like quality to the soil. As it decomposes peat adds acidity to soil, providing a natural source of pH adjustment where needed.
How can landscapers reduce the danger of smoking?
Landscapers can reduce the danger by providing receptacles for smokers. Gardeners should keep planters well watered to reduce flammability and remove dead plants to lessen available potential fuel for a fire. Planters should not rest on or against flammable surfaces such as wooden decks or siding.
Is peat moss flammable?
Gardeners prize the ability of peat moss to hold moisture for use by plants. The presence of peat moss in planters and flower beds provides a flammable medium in many homes which may not be considered ...
Is peat moss a fire hazard?
Peat moss, a common organic ingredient in potting so il and soil conditioning products, presents a fire hazard under certain conditions. As it decomposes peat adds acidity to soil, providing a natural source of pH adjustment where needed.
Can a fire start in a planter?
Home and apartment fires which begin in planters can burn unnoticed for several hours . Peat smolders rather than bursting into flame and can burn down to the base of the container with no more evidence than a thin smoke plume and pungent odor. Any flammable materials near the container can help spread the fire. Decks and other wooden structures present a rich source of fuel, says Robert Harper of the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall, citing damaging structure fires in his jurisdiction. (See reference 4)
