is there a difference between peat moss and sphagnum peat moss

Can I use sphagnum peat moss instead of peat moss?

Sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss (frequently known simply as “peat moss”) are often confused for the same growing material. In truth, they're two different parts of the same plant, but the impact of their use is wildly different. Sphagnum moss is a plant that grows on the surface of soil or a swamp.

Which is better peat moss or sphagnum moss?

Water retention is excellent for both. Peat moss can retain up to 70% water. Sphagnum moss has discernable plant parts, is very pliable, long-fibered, and has a soft spongy texture while the sphagnum peat moss is more decomposed with no recognizable plant parts, has short fibers, and finer texture.

What is sphagnum peat moss used for?

Sphagnum peat moss has a wide range of benefits. Primarily it's used as a conditioner to loosen compact soils, improve aeration and prevent rotting roots, according to Tammy Sons, owner of Tennessee Wholesale Nursery.

Why is sphagnum called peat moss?

Sphagnum is called peat moss because it grows in acidic marshes (bog) and helps in peat formation. The Sphagnum that has been decayed and dried is known as the peat or peat moss.

Why is peat moss being banned?

Why is peat compost bad for the environment and why is it being banned? For peat to be healthy and function efficiently, it must remain wet. Its extraction for human use dries the peat causing the area to degrade and also increases the risk of wildfires.

Which peat moss is best?

“Horticulture grade”, also called “medium/coarse” grade, is the most popular, widely used grade of peat moss. It is a blend of H1-H3 grades and has a fibrous consistency that provides a high degree of water retention and air porosity to help promote plant root development.

Can you grow plants in just peat moss?

Unlike other organic materials such as manure compost, peat moss is very poor in nutrients. It also doesn't contain any helpful microbes. So that means you can use peat moss as an amendment to the soil and other materials, but you cannot use it alone and expect the plants will grow strongly and properly.

Can I mix sphagnum moss with soil?

As a Soilless Potting Medium Depending on the plant, it might be used on its own or mixed with soil or another potting medium. On its own, waterings may need to be more frequent and fertilizers may be required as sphagnum moss does not hold much in the way of nutrients.

Can you put too much peat moss in garden?

There's a downside to that, too. Peat moss can make the soil too acidic for plants that need an alkaline or neutral soil pH. Before using peat moss in your garden, find out if your plants can tolerate acidic soil. Otherwise, you might end up killing them.

What is another name for peat moss?

peat moss, (genus Sphagnum), also called bog moss or sphagnum moss, genus of more than 300 species of moss (division Bryophyta).

What plants can grow in sphagnum moss?

You can use pure sphagnum in containers for growing plants that love a mix of moist substrate and excellent drainage, such as Philodendrons, Alocasia, Anthuriums, even orchids. To further improve drainage, you can also mix sphagnum moss with a soil amendment such as perlite, pumice, or coco husks.

How do I know if I have sphagnum moss?

sometimes grows in small patches, but generally found growing in a thick, dense clump....tiny and sometimes slightly toothed.grow in hair-like tufts close to the stem (no higher than 4 inches)usually light green, but some species have yellow, pink, deep red, or brown leaves.

Does sphagnum moss rot?

Also, the more consistently wet you keep sphagnum moss, the faster this degradation happens. In lay terms…the moss rots and becomes composted as yeast, other fungi and bacteria break down the cells and this changing quality tends to be more drastic than any other potting soil option.

Does sphagnum moss make soil acidic?

Sphagnum peat moss is often suggested as a soil amendment to decrease soil pH. However, most peat moss found in garden centers is neutral or slightly acidic. Only Canadian sphagnum peat moss has a low pH of 3.0 to 4.5 and will effectively reduce soil pH.

Is peat moss good for propagation?

The preferred method of inducing root formation on cuttings is the use of a specially prepared rooting medium. Garden centers, variety stores and nurseries handle these materials in convenient sure packages. Materials used for rooting cuttings are peat moss, perlite, vermiculite or sand.

Does sphagnum moss help with drainage?

Uses for sphagnum moss. Sphagnum moss has several fantastic properties that will help you grow lush, healthy plants. It is moisture-retentive, has a fibrous texture that facilitates drainage, and is less prone to soil-borne diseases compared to most potting mixes.

What is peat moss?

Peat moss is also lightweight, easy to work with and inexpensive. Sphagnum moss is sold in craft stores or garden centers. For plants, it is used to line baskets and help retain soil moisture. It is usually sold in its natural stringy texture, but is also sold chopped up. It consists of shades of green, gray or brown.

What is sphagnum moss?

Well, kind of. Sphagnum moss is the living plant that grows on top of the bog. It is harvested while it is alive and then dried for commercial use. Usually, the living sphagnum moss is harvested, then the bog is drained and the dead/decayed peat moss beneath is harvested.

What is the dead matter of sphagnum moss?

It is actually the dead, decayed plant matter of sphagnum moss that settles at the bottom of the sphagnum bogs. Many of the sphagnum bogs that are harvested for commercially sold sphagnum peat moss have built up in the bottom of bogs for thousands of years. Because these are natural bogs, the decayed matter known as peat moss is usually not purely ...

Where does sphagnum moss grow?

There are over 350 species of sphagnum moss, but most of the varieties harvested for sphagnum moss products grow in wetlands of the northern hemisphere – mainly Canada, Michigan, Ireland and Scotland. Commercial sphagnum peat moss is also harvested in New Zealand and Peru. These varieties grow in bogs, which are sometimes drained ...

Is sphagnum peat moss good for soil?

It is a light brown color and has a fine, dry texture. Sphagnum peat moss is usually sold in compressed bales or bags. It is a very popular soil amendment because of its ability to help sandy soil hold moisture, and helps clay soil loosen up and drain better. Because it has a naturally low pH of about 4.0, it is also an excellent soil amendment for acid-loving plants or highly alkaline areas. Peat moss is also lightweight, easy to work with and inexpensive.

Is sphagnum moss a soil amendment?

In one form or another, most plant owners have dealt with sphagnum moss at some point. In spring, when it’s time to plant the garden, bales or bags of sphagnum peat moss fly off the shelves of garden centers. This popular soil amendment is lightweight and inexpensive. However, when perusing a craft store, you may see small bags labeled sphagnum ...

Are Sphagnum Moss and Peat Moss the Same?

The products known as sphagnum moss and sphagnum peat moss come from the same plant, which is also known as sphagnum moss. There are over 350 species of sphagnum moss, but most of the varieties harvested for sphagnum moss products grow in wetlands of the northern hemisphere – mainly Canada, Michigan, Ireland and Scotland. Commercial sphagnum peat moss is also harvested in New Zealand and Peru. These varieties grow in bogs, which are sometimes drained to make harvesting the sphagnum peat moss (sometimes called peat moss) easier.

What is peat moss?

Peat moss or sphagnum peat moss is the dead form of sphagnum moss. Once sphagnum mosses are dead, they decompose at the bottom of the bog as peat mosses. Peat mosses are widely used as a soil amendment because they retain a large amount of water and are a much finer-grade potting material. Unlike in live sphagnum, fungal spores are rarely found in peat moss. In certain countries, some convenient harvesting methods are used to take peat moss from the bottom of the bog without disturbing the live sphagnum layer at the top of the bog.

What is a sphagnum moss?

Sphagnum mosses are coarse-textured mosses that form flat colonies in freshwater bogs. They are slow-growing plants that form a layer of fresh green growth each year in fresh water habitats. The old sphagnum gets darker and decomposes as peat mosses at the bottom of bogs. Sphagnums are important for the bogs to thrive.

What is moss in biology?

Mosses are a botanical division which is commonly referred to as Division Bryophyta. Bryophytes include most primitive plant species that typically grows up to 10 cm tall. These tiny plants do not have flowers and seeds. Their stem is covered with simple leaves. There are about 14,500 species of bryophytes found in the world. Since, mosses are very primitive plants, they always prefer habitats which contain abundant moisture and shade. Sphagnum is a bryophyte genus which is widely distributed and includes more than 300 species.

What is the difference between Peat Moss and Sphagnum Moss?

Sphagnum has a neutral pH, which makes it a good choice for a variety of purposes. Peat sphagnum is an acidic moss, and its use as a soil amendment is limited in parts of the world where clay is common.

Sphagnum Moss is a Living Plant

It is harvested by peat harvesting companies. The peat is then screened, compressed, and sold commercially.

Sphagnum moss is a lighter version of peat sphagnum moss

It is often sold in compressed bags or bales. The latter is more expensive but is more commonly used in gardening. It is a great choice for gardeners as it is relatively easy to work with, lightweight, and inexpensive.

Peat Moss is Popular

Peat moss is the most widely used, and the sphagnum variety is most often available in home gardening supplies. Sphagnum moss is more commonly available in hardware stores and is often labeled as peat moss.

Sphagnum moss is a great option for potting plants

Its high water holding capacity and low pH level makes it a great choice for Orchids and seed starting. Sphagnum consists of long fibers and is available in the milled form. It is often used as a potting medium for terrariums.

How is Sphagnum Moss Harvested?

Sphagnum moss is harvested from the remains of dead sphagnum fungus and is often referred to as Sphagnum peat moss. It is a plethora of uses, from bog regeneration to landscape landscaping.

Sphagnum moss is often harvested for its high acidity

It does not require digging up bogs and can be harvested without killing plants and their habitat. Sphagnum mosses have many uses in the garden, including as a growing medium for seeds. It is also used to create potting mixes.

what is the difference between sphagnum moss and peat moss?

Sphagnum moss and peat moss are not the same thing, but they are commonly lumped together and easily confused. Both actually do come from the same plant: sphagnum moss. This changes their properties and uses immensely.

What color is sphagnum moss?

It retains water well and has a green, gray, and brown color that makes it a favored choice for hanging baskets or the topping of large pots. You can buy it in both long (natural fibers) or as milled (chopped). There are some instances in which you can use sphagnum moss as planting material in and of itself.

What is sphagnum moss used for?

Sphagnum moss is used as a decorative item to line the top of pots, while the second is a component of potting soil and mixes. Do not let the similar names fool you! Sphagnum moss and peat moss have some commonalities, but are ultimately different substances used for different things. Keep reading to learn how these two mosses differ ...

Why does sphagnum moss take so long to form?

Because sphagnum pe at moss is dead and decayed layers of the plant, it takes some time to form. As part of the living plant, sphagnum moss can be harvested as quickly as new plants can sprout, but peat moss takes hundreds of years to die, decay, and become compacted into what we use in our gardens. What this means is that we can run out ...

Why is peat moss good for plants?

Peat moss is added to the soil to make it better for gardening. Because of its low pH, it is an excellent choice for acid-loving plants. When used with plants that are not fond of an acidic environment, it is typically balanced with a more basic substance like lime.

What is the purpose of peat moss?

Peat moss’s primary purpose as a soil amendment is to improve water retention while adding density that does not disrupt airflow. In other words, it holds water well, but it does not pack together as much as soil, making it an ideal choice to keep plants well-watered without choking them.

Can you replace sphagnum moss with coconut coir?

Remember that sphagnum moss does not have the same properties as sphagnum peat moss, and so it is not a suitable replacement for it even though it is more sustainable. Coconut coir, however, performs a similar job to peat moss and in time may come to replace it more fully in gardening as peat bog continue to shrink.

What Is Peat Moss

If sphagnum moss is the moss that grows on the surface of a swamp or bog, then what is peat moss?

Final Thoughts

Who would have thought that the same moss in different stages would have two very different uses?

What is peat moss?

Peat Moss – Technically called Sphagnum Peat Moss. This is the stuff you see most often in bags at the nursery, sold as a soil amendment. It is comprised of decaying material harvested from bogs. It is the dead material underneath the living part of the plant (we’ll talk about that in a second).

What is sphagnum moss used for?

Sphagnum Moss – This is also found at nurseries or craft and hardware stores, and is used to line hanging baskets. It’s often used to cover the soil in decorative topiaries. This is the living part of the plant that dwells above ground. It covers the bog and without it the bog can not thrive.

How to get rid of algae in raised beds?

Add lime if the soil is too acidic (another happy breeding ground for algae). Add compost – to improve drainage, or create raised beds. Cut back on watering – the presence of algae or moss is a sure sign that the soil is too wet. Let the soil dry out between waterings if possible and see if that doesn’t improve things.

Where does green moss grow?

That other moss – Green moss or algae (and it could be either) that appears on the soil surface usually crops up in places where soil has poor drainage and more shade. In reading about the possibilities, I came across this helpful guide from University of Georgia:

Can algae grow in soil?

Check soil pH and fertility – algae tends to grow in infertile areas where there is light, so check your soil and amend with organic fertilizer as needed.

Can sphagnum moss get under your nails?

Sphagnum moss can contain some pretty nasty fungal spores, which if not handled properly (or sterilized before being sold) can get under your nails and cause major health issues. It is recommended to use gloves when handling decorative sphagnum moss.

What is the difference between peat moss and peat moss?

However, peat moss consists of an absorbent moss that increases the acidity level of soils when added to it. Peat moss helps retain water in the soil, adds body to sand soils and loosens soil containing a high amount of heavy clay.

What is the brown material that grows in acidic soil?

Peat . Peat is a brown material with a soil-like composition that is generally found growing in acidic and boggy soils. Peat consists of decaying vegetable matter and -- when added to soil -- enriches the area for better plant life.

Can peat moss be used as mulch?

Both peat and peat moss can be used as a soil amendment or as an organic mulch. Since both peats are acidic, adding them to alkaline soils will lower the pH level. Peat is generally sold in bags and used as an alternative to topsoil since it provides better aeration and helps prevent soil erosion.

Is peat moss a good fertilizer?

Peat and peat moss are both natural, organic materials that improve soil and protect plants without harsh and toxic chemicals. However, peat and peat moss are not suitable substitutes for fertilizers and you should always use the appropriate type of and proper amount of fertilizer for your particular plant. Before using peat moss as a soil amendment, thoroughly moisten it with water and then mix with the soil thoroughly using your hands.

Can you plant peat moss in a pot?

Peat is also formed into peat pots that let you plant seeds and seedlings into the pots, which you can then plant directly into the ground, peat pots and all. Peat moss can be used in the same manner as peat and works as a dry storage medium for bulbs.