When rat in the soil section or seem for soil component , you may become confused about the difference between sphagnum vs peat moss . They ’re not one and the same ! Let me set the phonograph recording straight and break down the differences and when to practice each .
Is Peat Moss the Same as Sphagnum Moss?
Many people will use these term interchangeably ; I ’ve surely been guilty of this . The confusion name sense sincepeat moss is often also called sphagnum peat moss . But just that one password of peat means very different things .
Both peat moss and sphagnum moss derive from the same plants . Sphagnum actually refers to the genus of the plants , where there are over 380 mintage of sphagnum . However , the difference of opinion between sphagnum moss vs peat moss is the part of the plant being used .
Sphagnum moss is the top layer of moss , while peat moss is the level of moulder moss that ’s been compressed .
Sphagnum moss has a very fibrous and spongy texture.
Let ’s break down each a little more !
Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnum moss refers to many dissimilar sphagnum species . This moss acquire on top of damp soil or a bog , flourish in wet climates . Most commercially harvested moss comes from Canada , New Zealand , Ireland , and Scotland .
The top layer of the moss is harvested , dried , compress , and then bag to be sold to us flora lovers . The texture of sphagnum moss is very weak and fluffy . It almost feels like a poriferan when wet . It can appear as varying shades of green , Charles Grey , and chocolate-brown .
Sphagnum moss can take about 5 - 6 class to acquire , so harvest home must be done carefully to forfend disrupting the surround environment .
What do you use sphagnum moss for?
Sphagnum moss is usually sell as eitherlong - fibered or mill around . The long - fibre strand is the sphagnum moss in its natural physique , while the milled is finely chop up moss . When you hydrate the moss , it greatly expands .
Many people habituate sphagnum moss for different applications . It ’s common forindoor plant life , especially aroid plants andorchids . It mimic their naturally moist and airy growing surround .
It ’s also usually used forterrariums , the back offresh garland , and to linehanging baskets .
Peat Moss
Peat moss isdecayed sphagnum mossand other decaying constitutive material like surround plant life , animals , and insects . The peat moss is harvest below the sphagnum moss , going to the deeper layers of those boggy environments .
Peat moss accumulates very slowly , taking upwards ofthousands of years to makedue to the want of air travel to help with disintegrate . It compact the moss , creating a verylight and highly absorbent dirt - likesoil amendment .
While a pop factor for commercially sold soil , there are many sustainability topic regarding peat . The very slow positive feedback physical process makes it highly unsustainable . The peat moss also comes from extremely sensitive ecosystems , and the complicated harvesting process oftendisrupts the local environment and releases oodles of lay in carbon .
I dive deeper into why peat is n’t a sustainable selection in mysoil recipes postif you desire to learn more about why I do n’t utilise it in my garden and try some peat - free recipes instead .
What do you use peat moss for?
Peat moss is mostly used for outside horticulture rather than indoors . It ’s oftenmixed into store - buy blend for both gardening bed and containers .
People love peat moss because it ’s excellent at continue moisture . Since it comes from this spongy moss that grows in plastered climate , it helps soil that ’s wry and also miss airflow .
Peat moss is also very acidulent , so it can serve change yoursoil ’s acidity .
Sphagnum Moss vs Peat Moss
So which one is better for you ? allow me dampen down the main positives and negative of sphagnum moss vs peat moss .
Frequently Asked Questions About Sphagnum Moss and Peat Moss
Sphagnum moss technically does decompose into peat moss , but it take a long time . It ’s very resistant to rot since it has lots of airflow when used for plant and gardening . However , sphagnum moss does soak up to 20x its pee weight . When using it for the first time , hydrate it and let it sit for 15ish minutes . Then , squeeze out any excess urine and avoid packing it too tightly .
These plants have very different applications . Sphagnum moss is bang-up for adding water and air flow to root word but does n’t supply nutrients . People practice it for terrariums , hanging baskets , wreaths , propagating , and aroid industrial plant . Peat moss is commonly assorted with filth outdoors to increase water retention and acidulousness . Because peat moss has large sustainability issues , I do n’t apply it at all in my garden . There are many othersoil amendmentsandsoil recipesyou can use instead .
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