THE BENEFITS OF PEAT AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ITS USE
- Peat itself does not nourish plants, but it helps them to better absorb other fertilizers.
- Soil containing peat becomes more structured, consisting of blocks and pores like a sponge. ...
- It only makes sense to use peat on poor, infertile, or depleted soils.
Is peat soil good for planting?
The majority of peat soil in the United States comes from peat bogs in Canada. Peat soil is a useful soil amendment for potting soil, but it comes at a high cost. 1. Peat soil prevents compaction. Peat soil can increase aeration in your organic soil mix and allow your plants’ roots room to breathe. 2. Peat soil is pathogen-free.
What does peat moss do for soil?
Peat moss has been used as a soil amendment for so long because it has a lot to offer. For clay and heavy soils that get compact easily, it softens the soil structure and improves the drainage. For sandy soil, peat moss helps retain moisture and nutrients for plant roots.
Is peat soil acidic or alkaline?
Peat soil is acidic. Peat soil has low pH levels and it can improve soil conditions in alkaline soils—especially for plants that thrive with higher levels of acidity like blueberries and azaleas. 5. Peat soil is a non-renewable resource.
What is peat and why is it important?
The official definition of peat comes from the International Peatland Society: Peat is the surface organic layer of a soil that consists of partially decomposed organic matter, derived mostly from plant material, which has accumulated under conditions of waterlogging, oxygen deficiency, high acidity and nutrient deficiency.
What is peat used for?
2. Peat is used for fuel to generate electricity. It is also sold as briquettes for heating homes in cold climatic regions.
Why is peat used in agriculture?
Peat use for forestry and agriculture are beneficial but it alters the natural peatland hydrology. This causes oxidation of stored carbon therefore declining its organic matter content. During peat extraction, peat is drained and dried before storage or transportation for sale. These processes reduce the water content and encourage microbial decomposition of organic matter. The result of this is the release of greenhouse gasses such as CO2 and N2O.3, 4
What is the purpose of paludiculture?
It has multiple benefits; it reduces peat oxidation, greenhouse gas emission and at the same time supplies biomass used for combustion.
How is peat soil formed?
Peat soils are formed from partially decomposed plant material under anaerobic water saturated conditions. They are found in peatlands (also called bogs or mires). Peatlands cover about 3% of the earth’s land mass; they are found in the temperate (Northern Europe and America) and tropical regions (South East Asia, South America, South Africa and the Caribbean) 1.#N#Peat soils are classified as histosols. These are soils high in organic matter content. Peat formation is influenced by moisture and temperature. In highly saturated anaerobic soils, decomposition of plant material by micro organisms is slowed down, resulting in high carbon accumulation. In colder climates decomposition of plant material by micro organisms is slowed down leading to quicker peat formation. The carbon content of peat soils makes peatland a major storage of carbon on the earth surface. This is why its importance in fighting climate change can never be overemphasized.
Why are peatlands important?
Peatlands bring enormous economic benefits to regions where they are found. 1. Peat is extracted for use as horticultural compost. It is highly sought after in commercial horticulture because of its high water retaining ability and flow of air.1. 2.
What are the causes of the decline of biodiversity in peatland?
1. Drainage of peatland causes decline in biodiversity because its natural hydrological habitat is disturb ed. Peatlands provide habitation for diverse species of meadow birds, animals, vegetation and insects. 2. Peat oxidation can lead to release of dissolved organic matter and peat particles into surface waters. 3.
Why is peat soil more vulnerable to erosion?
Peat soils drained for agricultural purposes are more vulnerable to wind and water erosion when the topsoil is severely dry. 5. Drainage of peatland can lead to peat fires which destroy forestland and habitation and further increase the emission of CO2 to the atmosphere.
What is the purpose of peat in a garden?
Therefore, the main function of peat as a fertilizer is to improve the quality of the soil itself, not its nutrition. In this case of peat fertilization, the roots of the plants are better able to extract all the necessary nutrients that are already present or that we make in the form of organic or mineral fertilizers. And this is probably the main characteristic of peat application in the garden.
What is the acidic peat used for?
When organizing planting sites or flower beds for such plants, it is the acidic permaculture peat that is used as one of the components of the soil mixture. In addition, the same acidic peat regularly covers these plants, supporting acidity at the right level.
WHEN DO YOU NEED PEAT?
And you shouldn’t expect peat to immediately increase soil fertility. In fact, peat does not contain many nutrients.
HOW MUCH PEAT SHOULD I PUT IN THE SOIL AND HOW SHOULD I PUT IT?
In principle, plants can be grown in pure peat as long as they are regularly fertilized. Incidentally, this is how plants are grown for sale in container production because the cost of transporting plants depends directly on the weight, and pure peat is much lighter than a fully nutritious soil mixture. But, again, this is only possible with conventional artificial plant nutrition.
How to use peat as a ground cover?
Therefore, in order to properly use peat as a ground cover, lay it on the surface during the wet season, and when the heat and drought begin – immediately dig it thoroughly over a depth of half a bayonet and mix peat and soil evenly. Only then can the peat function as a mulch.
Why are there different types of peat?
But there are various kinds of peat because the process is ongoing: part of the remains was “processed” and decomposed a long time ago, i.e. thousands of years ago, while the remains of the upper part are still in the process of “processing”.
What is the top layer of peat?
top layer of peat – “top” – poorly decomposed, in which there are strong physical and chemical transformations. It is distinguished by its high acidity (pH 2.5-3.2), fibrous structure, and low content of mineral elements.
What are the uses of soil?
22 Uses of soil – Functions, Rolls, and Benefits of Soil. The uses of soil spread far beyond just gardening. Soil from the Earth can help create the foundations in construction, act as an organic ingredient in cosmetic products, or even transform into an alternative source of energy.
What is red clay soil used for?
Red Clay Soil Uses. Red soil is the most ideal for crops such as rice and sugarcane. Red soil, much like other thick clay soils, can compact easily. Some plants prefer the compact soil over loose dirt and utilize the sturdy soil bed to grow their roots better. Not all plants grow well in red soil.
Why is silt soil good for growing crops?
Silt soil compacts easily, and according to the National Geographic Society, it is suitable for growing crops because of its formidable structure. Silt has many benefits and uses in nature. Silt clusters at the bottom of water sources and usually forms from minerals eroded by water. Some organisms thrive in the layer of silt in rivers because ...
Why is brown soil better than black soil?
Brown soils get their color from decaying plant material. Black soil is better for planting, while brown soil is dry and functions primarily as a home for organisms such as earthworms. With the correct care and maintenance, brown soil can be beneficial to plants but provides very little without human interference.
What is soil made of?
Soil is the naturally occurring minerals and decomposed plant matter that make up the ground’s surface. The Natural Resources Conservation Service defines soil as “a natural body comprised of solids (minerals and organic matter), liquid, and gases that occurs on the land surface…”.
Why is black soil good for skin?
The black soil in skin products can reduce the signs of aging, improve circulation, shrink enlarged pores, remove blackheads, and clear acne if used correctly.
Why is alluvial soil important?
According to Science Direct, alluvial soil has “the highest productivity with respect to other soils.” When alluvial soil occurs naturally on land, it creates flat fertile valleys that can grow rice, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, corn, cotton, soybean, jute, and other sustainable foods. Alluvial is useful for these crops because of the minimal water it requires.
What is peat moss?
People commonly call peat as peat moss even though they are somewhat different. Peat is the product created from organic matters that submerged into the bogs. Peat can be formed from different materials, but a large percentage of the peat harvested is composed of sphagnum moss. And hence the name peat moss.
What are the commonalities of peat moss?
It has a lot of commonalities with peat moss like excellent water holding capacity, and great material for soil amendment.
What is the ratio of peat moss to soil?
For clay and heavy soils that get compact easily, it softens the soil structure and improves the drainage. For sandy soil, peat moss helps retain moisture and nutrients for plant roots. It is often applied with the ratio 2:1. 2 parts of soil per 1 part of peat moss.
Why doesn't peat moss decompose?
It doesn’t really decompose because peat moss is so anaerobic and this process takes very slowly. The decomposition process happens without the presence of air, which slows the development rate. It only gains less than one millimeter in depth each year. One day, the producers show up.
How to mine peatland?
First, dig a network of ditches along the peatland to drain the water. Second, remove the surface vegetation to get the peat exposed. Third, level the harvest field to prevent drainage of the surface runoff.
Why is peat moss compaction bad?
The problem with compaction is that it makes it hard to create any space for the water and the air to pass through. By introducing peat moss to any compact material, the compaction problem is solved and makes the growing mix drain better.
Where does peat moss come from?
Almost all of the peat moss sold in the US come from the vast sphagnum moss area in Canada.
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.
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 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.
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.
Is sphagnum moss good for potting soil?
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:
What is good for growing in peat soil?
Summary – What Grows Well In Peat Soil. Peat soil has traits/properties that make it different from other types of soils. These traits/properties mean that different plants, fruits, vegetables, and other things are going to be more suitable for growing in peat soil than others. There’s different materials that can be added to a peat soil in order ...
What is an example of a soil that might contain peat?
In terms of the different soil orders, an example of a soil that might contain peat, is a Histosol soil.
What are the factors that affect peat soil?
This is just a guide on peat soils in general, without going into extreme depth about all these other factors (factors like soil fertility, soil health, soil quality, fertilizer added, top soil added, pesticides added, tilling practices and so on). It would do you well in the long term to get information on the soil in your location ...
What is soil fertility?
Soil fertility is a major factor tied to soil’s physical, chemical and biological traits, that can impact soil productivity and yield. Some soils have high natural fertility, but it’s also possible to modify or increase the fertility of some soils
What can you use to raise pH in acidic soil?
You can also use soil amendments such as glacial rock dust to raise pH in acidic soils.
What crops do well in peaty soil?
Vegetable crops such as Brassicas, legumes, root crops and salad crops do well in well-drained peaty soils.
What are some examples of external factors that affect soil?
There are also different external factors acting upon the soil in each geographic area. Climate and weather are a major example of this
