I came across a section about peat moss in the book I’m reading. It mentioned the fact that peat bogs and wetlands are slowly being destroyed to provide peat to the horticulture industry. In college one of my professors mentioned that they were basically producing peat as quickly as they could harvest it. So is peat environmentally good or bad?

If my professor was right, I can buy my potting soil without having nagging guilt about destroying endangered environments. Replacements like coir, that are inferior to peat (see this), can sit on the store shelf. But it seems like common knowledge that harvesting peat is destroying environments that are irreplaceable. I’m a little confused…

With further research, I realized that this is a very complex question. It appears that in some locations, they are farming away at peat bogs and are taking away a unique, irreplaceable environmental. But others have become aware of this situation. The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association and International Peat Society were formed to help find ways to sustainably harvest peat. New methods have been researched, and it turns out that peat doesn’t have to be a finite resource if managed properly.

Harvesting peat does impact the environment. It is no different than any other farming practice. But after harvesting peat, restoration efforts can be put in place to restore the land back to what it was. I’ve come to the conclusion that both my book and professor were right. There are places where harvesting peat is destroying a unique environment. But elsewhere, they realize the environmental impact and take steps to counter it. Canada is one such area leading the movement to create sustainable practices while harvesting peat.

Next time I go to buy potting soil or peat moss, I won’t look for alternatives.  As said in this article, “Peat moss still can be considered a safe, environmentally friendly growing medium.”

I’ve worked at my local extension office for the past several years as a part-time intern/educator. I just finished up teaching a free community education class, and a large part of that class is answering people’s questions.

First, I would like to say that one of the reason’s I like Extension, is the opportunity it allows to answer questions. I feel I am helpful to others, it helps me be a lot smarter and learn more about gardening, and I get to apply all the knowledge I have to real life situations.

With all that said, I know I often give less than great answers. Over the years, I’ve started to learn how to say “I don’t know” when I really don’t know. Other times I do know but my knowledge improves or changes.  I’ve also found that I can give a pretty good guess at some things, without any real knowledge of it. So, how do you get the best answer, the one based on evidence, experience and actual knowledge?

I think the best way to get a good answer is to allow the person answering the question time to research it. I know my best answers tend to be messages that I respond to or ones that I tell the person I’ll get back with them. I don’t think anyone can answer every question of the top of their heads. At my gardening class I need to give spur of the moment answers. I’m a little nervous and not as sharp as I might be otherwise. (I think anyone in front of a group as experienced the situation of being unable to access the knowledge that you know is inside of you somewhere). But give me five minutes with my books and a computer, and you’ll get the answer you are after.

Other ways to get the best answer include asking for additional information or sources. That way you know the person isn’t just making up something weird, but it’s based on real research or otherwise good sources. I would be much happier to give you a factsheet on codling moths than try to explain all control methods myself.

Finally, feel free to ask multiple people in different positions. The Extension service is a great tool, but often they don’t have the experience that someone who has done landscaping for 30 years might have. Garden centers tend to have better knowledge of availability because they are selling the products, but sometimes offer wife’s tells instead of good advice. Everyone has strengths and weakness, so ask around and compare answers.

I was reading another blog today, and came across the advice to put gravel at the bottom of a planting hole to increase drainage. It makes sense–gravel has better drainage then clay, so put it at the bottom of a hole and its gotta help.

Well several soil classes, and a job at the extension service have taught me differently. It’s doesn’t help at all: it makes it worse. I’m now going to explain the science behind it. If you want to just trust me you can stop reading.

Soil texture refers to the size of soil particles. Clay particles are small, sand particles are large. Usually, across a soil profile there is little difference, or a very gradual difference in soil texture.

Now move into an urban soil. We disrupt it so much, many times there are drastic changes in the soil texture. That drastic change is made when we put gravel at the bottom of a planting hole. When there is a change in soil texture like that, and you procede to put water on it, an interesting thing happens. Say you have a clay soil, and then a layer of gravel. Instead of the water draining into the gravel, it collects in the layer of soil until all the pore space is filled with water. The water collects in the clay, not drains in the gravel. Once it does spill over into the gravel layer, the gravel layer also will collect water until all the pore space is filled with water before spilling out to the next layer of soil.

Confusing?

To get a better idea, imagine a sponge next to anything that isn’t a sponge. You put water on it, and it doesn’t start draining until it is absolutely full. Same concept with soil: the gravel acts as a sponge.

There are ways to get better drainage, and gravel is usually involved. The key is to allow drainage from the gravel layer, usually by a piper or other method. This site has some good illustrations.