Peat, need some advise please...

[Ben]

In recent weeks the PH in my area (outer Melbourne) has been on the high side and i would like to use some peat in my water aging drums.

Where abouts in Melbourne could i buy non toxic peat poss?
I went to Bunnings but there was nonthing there.

My LFS sells peat, 250 grams for $20-, i know it is specially for fish but was after a larger quantity and a bit cheaper!

Woudl love some help!?

Ben

[Merrilyn]

hmmm Ryan told us what peat to use...................

I'll see if I can find the thread.

[Ben]

Hi Merrilyn,
I done my homework and checked out some of the older threads on peat. As far as i could work out the Canadian is the better one.
I cant seem to find a good supply in the Melbourne area, I will keep looking.
Merrilyn if you come up with anything let me know!
Cheers,
Ben

*This may sound funny, stupid or both but i went to Bunnings today just before work and they had 30 litre bags of compressed peat for $10.60, so i bought a bag and went to work. (happy of my purchase)
Well when i got home tonite i had a good read of the bag and down the bottom in small print is writes
"Derived from heat treated, recycled pine"

I was like what the.....?
Any how, it says that it is non toxin, blah blah...
but pine???

As Written on the bag in large letters, "GARDEN PEAT"

I am pretty sure it would be not good to use!
actually i am convinced i just wasted $10.60!

i think i might start a second hobby and grow some carnivous plants or something!?

[mistakes r crucial]

Hi Ben,

Sunshine Peat is one of the Canadian brands of Sphagnum. I've only found it at one supplier here on the Sunshine Coast so it looks like its not the "norm" in a lot of nursery type places. If you can find it in Melbourne try and get the black bag as oppsoed to the white one, difference being the white one is a retail product and the other professional. I was assured by the processors in Canada that the pro product does not have any natural ammonia in it. If you can't find it give me a hoy and I'll send you some to try but I only have the white bagged stuff. Slight ammonia reading but nothing too scary.
MAC

[Ben]

Cheers Mac, thanks for the help,
I have the next 2 days off work so i will make plenty of phone calls and burn some petrol.

Just one question though, is sphagnum moss the same as peat, but just milled?

Thanks again,
Ben

[mistakes r crucial]

Im not sure what the difference is but it probably has something to do with the peat bogs and where theyre from and how old they are. The lady in Canada did give me a heap of information but I cant remember it all, I think the older it is the more pure it is and different bogs produce different grades. She wasnt sure if the professional stuff was exported to Australia and she has never got back to me to let me know.

If you cant find any let me know because I dont use it anymore, my water is soft enough and I use other products to lower Ph.
MAC

[Ben]

I just bought a 5 litre bag of spagnum moss.
It is a "NATURELAND" product and produced in
Tasmania...
It states on the packaging that it is organic.

Ok, a couple more questions,

*will this be ok to use?

*what should i do with it now?

*any other advise on using Spagnum moss?


Cheers

Ben

[Katie]

Hey Ben, just wondering what does your peat look like? Is it the crumbly stuff or is the strands (like the stuff you use to line planter boxes with). I want to know if I bought the right stuff ;)

[Ben]

Hi Katie, this is what i have learnt in the last 24 hours!

Spagnum moss is the yellow/brown coloured strand stuff that can be used for plant hanging pots.

Peat is spagnum moss that has been milled and aged.

Dont make the same mistake that i made and bought garden peat that is milled and aged pine!

HTH
Ben

[Katie]

hmmm I have a sneaky suspicion thats what I bought. Bloody hell back to Bunnings for me.......

[Ben]

lol Katie!
I thought $10.60 was a bit cheap for a 30 litre bag!

Ben

[Katie]

when you find the right one can you just post the brand name on here, I'll let you do the running around and just sit back and wait :) :)

[Ben]

No wrorries Katie:
This is what i got today,

It cost $7.95 for a 5 litre packet, the brand is NATURELAND and its simply called sphagnum moss.
And its made in Tasmania

I am going to do a trial on a tank or 2 but not all of them just to make sure its all kosher.


HTH

Ben

[Ben]

Ok i was a tiny bit out of the difference with sphagnum moss and peat

here it is:


Sphagnum moss is the living moss that grows on top of a sphagnum bog. The fungus sporotrichum schenckii is known to live in this growing moss.

Sphagnum peat moss is the dead material that accumulates as new live material grows on top and exerts pressure on the peat moss below. The fungus is not known to live in the levels of a sphagnum bog where peat forms. Harvesters of horticultural peat moss remove the top few inches of the live sphagnum moss and only harvest the peat from he lower layer.

[Katie]

where did you buy it from?

[Ben]

Katie,
It was a garden centre, eastern suburbs , Melbourne.

Ben