Neighbours talking over the garden gate has long been a tradition. They share gardening tips, complain about the weather and pests yet are ever eager to discuss their gardens. That is what I had in mind when creating this blog. So stop by my garden gate to find out the latest happenings in my garden.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
"All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child." ~ Madame Marie Curie"

Saturday, March 03, 2012

The Negative Side of Peat Moss

Some plants come in peat pots and the home gardener can start plants in peat pots or use the Jiffy peat pellets.  The premise is peat pots are biodegradable and it is as well as being a nice soil amendment.  They are biodegradable but my experience like many home gardeners is peat pots do not break down over the course of a year.  They definitely do not break down in the turn over time when using the square foot gardening method.  

I personally avoid peat pots if at all possible in preference of fiber pots or reusable/recycled pots.  I have used the Jiffy peat pellets in the past but moved away from using them as well.  My experience with them has been hit or miss with the most common problem being seedlings drying out quickly once they are big enough to have the humidome of the seed starter flat removed.  I also limit the use of peat moss in my gardens.  Peat pots and the use of peat moss is not environmentally friendly as they help to deplete our global peat bogs.  Using reusable/recycled pots and even recycled containers (eg. yogurt cups, toilet paper rollers) is eco-friendly as is using fiber biodegradable pots that do not deplete peat bogs.   They also help with water retention once the humidome is no longer needed.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2012


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