Peat Moss & Why I’m Going Peat Free
Getting into gardening for me started out with a trip to Home Depot, asking the nearest nursery employee if the pot of six-vegetables-in-one would ever need to be repotted (she said no, and she was very wrong). I had not a single clue about sustainability in the industry, best practices, or even troublesome ingredients. I had no idea what peat moss was. At all.
As I ventured deeper and deeper into gardening and research, there still weren’t really any people or books talking about Peat that made it into my purview. I just didn’t know what I didn’t know. At around year three, thanks to Instagram, a flower gardener mentioned how she doesn’t use peat because of the environmental ramifications. That perked my ears up and I started doing research.
Next, a few high-profile gardeners started talking about it as well (thank you, Monty Don!). While I typically don’t take hard stances on many things in life, this one felt natural for me. I realized that I get to be in a place of influence in the gardening world and that if I can spread the word, we can make a change – even just a tiny one.
I’m excited to share with you what I’ve learned about Peat Moss and why I’ve chosen to abstain from purchasing products with it. My hope is that I can make this simple to understand so that you can simply become aware. I have some articles linked for you at the bottom as well. I encourage your own deep-dive if you feel inspired.
What is Peat Moss?
Peat moss belongs to the genus, Sphagnum, which is home to over 300 species of mosses. This moss absorbs and stores water when both alive and dead. It can hold 16 to 26 times as much water as its dry weight. This is why gardeners love it. Peat Moss holds water, creates air in the soil, and can help retain life within the soil.
In its natural habitat of wetland bogs, peat moss is home to many species of rare plants. It releases hydrogen, but takes up calcium and magnesium, acidifying its surroundings, which is good for so many plants. Peat is also is a huge carbon-sequestering source, meaning it stores carbon which reduces global warming.
Peatlands store almost a third of the soil on earth’s carbon! Once it’s harvested, carbon dioxide is released, which is what we’re working so hard to prevent when it comes to climate change.
Why is peat moss in danger?
Here’s the catch, it can take over a century in some cases for peat moss to regrow and regenerate. So many things come into consideration like re-seeding, impacting the water table, how gently harvesting is done, etc. As gardeners in our own backyards, we know that disturbing the soil web in any form strips nutrients. Peatlands are no different.
What scientists are seeing is the over-harvesting of peat moss, and destruction of biodiversity that just can’t be fixed by man. Even well-managed wetlands won’t be as healthy as natural ones. We can’t replace peat in its ecosystem like we can replace it in ours by using other ingredients.
The real clincher is that the rate that peat moss is being harvested is much faster than the regeneration rate, making it essentially non-renewable. It’s becoming clear that there could be a hugely debilitating cost for the earth, and you guessed it: us.
My soapbox
At what point does putting nature in jeopardy, even if just on a hunch, not become an option? It seems there are few lines that people will cross to make a buck. So as consumers, we get to vote with our dollars.
The research is evolving around peat moss, but over 90% of bogs in England have been destroyed – same for New Zealand. The trend isn’t looking good.
In my own life, I was recently asked by a brand if I would do a campaign with them. They offered me a five-figure contract to share a picture of me using their soil. I asked if peat moss was in it, and they said “yes, but we source only from a well-managed bog in Canada”. I declined. There is no management that I believe is healthy enough when a species is in danger to allow for the perpetuation of its decline.
I was proud to draw the line.
What to do?
There are options for swapping out peat moss, and I’ll inform you of the ones that I know.
Much like reading labels on our grocery products, we may need to start reading the labels on our soil bags. I can tell you that most seed starting mixes have peat in them. Just an FYI.
- One thing to do is make your own seed starting mix! Or, you can buy peat-free seed starting medium.
- You can work on your own home composting. Compost is the best material to add to soil because it takes waste and makes it useful, adding to the lifecycle as nature intended it.
- Create a demand for peat-free. If there isn’t a soil option at your local nursery, ask for one. Many nurseries can source products for you.
What products replace peat moss?
The great news is that there are options for replacing peat moss, and the options are sustainable (that I know of)! As we know better, we do better. I’m excited to know more about the below materials and to support their use as a swap for peat. I will note that we are learning about the water usage for some of these materials, like coir, as well as the pollution that is caused by transporting it, making it also not completely sustainable. There is no perfect solution, so I encourage you to do more research if you’re interested.
Many articles that I have read are recommending soilless compounds, as well as peat reduction being a goal to get us on our way to being peat-free.
Here are some peat moss alternatives:
- Coconut Coir
- Wood-based materials like composted bark
- Compost
- Pine Needles
- Rice Hulls
- Leaf Mold
As mentioned, this is my opinion based on research, chatting with friends in the industry, and a personal goal to keep the garden as sustainable and natural as possible. In life, there are rarely perfect solutions, but inching closer and closer each day to better ones.
I have found a bagged soil option, Beyond Peat, that I adore. It’s new to me and available all over the country. I personally believe it to be the beginning of a new era and a really accessible way for home gardeners to make better choices.
Tackling environmental issues usually will require more work, more research, and eventually consumers demanding new options. Stay informed, take a pause if you feel overwhelmed, and as always, thank you for your support here!
I’ll be working with Beyond Peat soon, and gratefully. I’ve loved testing their soils and find their product to be the perfect solution.