- Pros of peat moss for the garden<\/a>
- \u2713 Absorbs and retains water<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Prevents soil compaction<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Holds soil nutrients<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Free of bacteria, fungi, and weed seeds<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Lasts several years\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Perfect for acid-loving plants<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Cons of peat moss for the garden<\/a>
- \u2717 Non-renewable resource<\/a><\/li>
- \u2717 Contributes to climate change\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- \u2717 Expensive\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- \u2717 Poor in beneficial nutrients<\/a><\/li>
- \u2717 Too acidic for some plants<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
- Uses for peat moss<\/a><\/li>
- Peat moss alternatives<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ about peat moss<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
Pros of peat moss for the garden<\/span><\/h2>
Peat moss is a common ingredient in potting mixes, and many gardeners add it to their garden soil, too. Its popularity is all thanks to the many benefits of peat moss for improving soil quality. <\/p>
\u2713 Absorbs and retains water<\/span><\/h3>
Peat moss can hold several times its weight in water. It helps soil retain moisture longer. What does that mean for you? You don’t have to water your plants as often<\/a>, and they’ll still have all the water they need. <\/p>
Even though it retains water, peat moss prevents soil from becoming too water-logged because it releases moisture slowly. Peat moss has the best of both worlds: It holds sufficient water for plants while still having good drainage. <\/p>
\u2713 Prevents soil compaction<\/span><\/h3>
![\"illustration](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/rsz_lawnlove-compacted-soil-illustration.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div> Peat moss is lightweight and has a loose texture, so it doesn’t get compacted over time as heavy soil does. <\/p>
When soil becomes compacted, water and nutrients can’t get through to your plants’ roots. Your plants can die as a result. One way to solve this problem is lawn aeration<\/a>. But with peat moss, your soil will be looser, and you won’t have to aerate as often. <\/p>
\u2713 Holds soil nutrients<\/span><\/h3>
Did you know essential nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) can leach out of your soil when you water your plants? Peat moss helps prevent this nutrient loss. Just like it holds water, it holds onto those nutrients better than soil does on its own. <\/p>
If your soil retains more nutrients, plants can grow strong and healthy without as much fertilizing<\/a>. <\/p>
\u2713 Free of bacteria, fungi, and weed seeds<\/span><\/h3>
Before they ship peat moss to stores, producers have to sterilize it. Because peat moss is completely sterile, it’s free of bacteria, fungi<\/a>, and weed seeds<\/a> that could harm your plants. Other organic matter (compost, for example) carries the risk of contaminating your soil with these pathogens.<\/p>
Sterility is a great quality in a seed starter. Seedlings are extremely vulnerable, and they need a clean, safe environment in which to establish themselves. Peat moss provides that environment.<\/p>
\u2713 Lasts several years <\/span><\/h3>
The process of peat moss decomposing takes place in a bog, underwater, without oxygen. In these anaerobic (oxygenless) conditions, peat moss takes centuries to break down.<\/p>
Peat moss continues to break down at this slow pace in your soil, which means it lasts a lot longer than other organic materials. One application of peat moss will benefit your soil for two years or more. <\/p>
\u2713 Perfect for acid-loving plants<\/span><\/h3>
Peat moss is acidic, and adding it to your soil will make the soil more acidic, too. That’s great news for any plants that thrive at an acidic pH. <\/p>
Plants that need acidic soil and could benefit from an application of peat moss include (but are not limited to):<\/p>
- Blueberry bushes<\/li>
- Azaleas<\/li>
- Camellias<\/li>
- Hydrangeas <\/li>
- Irises<\/li>
- Dogwood trees<\/li><\/ul>
Cons of peat moss for the garden<\/span><\/h2>
If peat moss sounds too good to be true, that’s because it just might be. There are some things peat moss can’t do for your soil. Plus, many gardeners refuse to use it because peat moss mining is bad for the environment. <\/p>
\u2717 Non-renewable resource<\/span><\/h3>
In nature, peat bogs are a type of carbon sink<\/a>, which means they absorb more carbon than they release. Carbon sinks help regulate the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and slow global warming.<\/p>
When humans mine peat bogs for peat moss, they take away from that carbon sink effect. And since peat bogs gain less than a millimeter in depth every year, they’re considered a non-renewable resource. That means once we mine the last of them, they’re gone (at least for several human generations). <\/p>
Even if peat moss producers try to repair some of the damage after mining, a mined peat bog may never return to its former, natural self<\/a>. Every time peat moss is mined, we inch closer to running out of this valuable resource for our planet. <\/p>
\u2717 Contributes to climate change <\/span><\/h3>
Peat moss mining is bad for the environment in another way: It releases carbon emissions into the air. Carbon emissions contribute to climate change and global warming. <\/p>
According to the United Nations<\/a>, peatlands (another word for peat bogs) are the world’s largest holder of organic soil carbon, and they contain almost 100 times more carbon than tropical forests. When peat moss producers drain peatlands, they release a lot of that carbon into the atmosphere.<\/p>
\u2717 Expensive <\/span><\/h3>
Most peat moss sold in the United States comes from peat bogs in Canada. Since it has to be shipped internationally, peat moss is more expensive than other organic soil amendments such as compost or pine bark. <\/p>
Compare these prices of organic soil amendments (based on pricing from Lowe’s at the time of this publication):<\/p>
- \u2717 Contributes to climate change\u00a0<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Prevents soil compaction<\/a><\/li>
- \u2713 Absorbs and retains water<\/a><\/li>