Does anyone know why peat moss doesn’t hold much water?

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-23-2020, 07:37 PM

Does anybody happen to know why peat moss doesn’t hold much or any water at all? I’m only asking b/c I am only using peat moss and nothing else mixed in with it for my plants over the winter! I thought it would keep them dry and not over water them! Oops! I ended up getting too dried out plants instead!

Any ideas or comments? Thanks in advance!

edwmax · 11-23-2020, 09:06 PM

Read this : https://michigansoilworks.com/rehydr...rmicomposting/

edwmax · 11-23-2020, 09:10 PM

Now you can go from one extreme to another .... being toooo wet & too much water.

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-24-2020, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

Read this : https://michigansoilworks.com/rehydr...rmicomposting/

Hey! Thanks so much for that article! Very interesting! I am genuinely going to go out and do that ASAP! I am so glad to know that there is something I can do!

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-24-2020, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

Now you can go from one extreme to another .... being toooo wet & too much water.

Yeah! Very cute and funny!

ammoun · 11-24-2020, 06:33 PM

I don't think it's a good idea to use 100% peat moss, how long have you been doing that for?

cincinnana · 11-24-2020, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

Does anybody happen to know why peat moss doesn’t hold much or any water at all? I’m only asking b/c I am only using peat moss and nothing else mixed in with it for my plants over the winter! I thought it would keep them dry and not over water them! Oops! I ended up getting too dried out plants instead!

Any ideas or comments? Thanks in advance!

If you do an internet search with that exact question a lot of good info pops up.
There are many reasons this could happen depending on your specific issue.

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-25-2020, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ammoun

I don't think it's a good idea to use 100% peat moss, how long have you been doing that for?

I think I’ve been using peat moss only since about October or possibly very late September! So actually not that long now! Yeah I am beginning to think it was a mistake! Thanks for the reply!

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-25-2020, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

If you do an internet search with that exact question a lot of good info pops up.
There are many reasons this could happen depending on your specific issue.

Thanks for letting me know! I’ll go and check it out! Oh I see. So there are a lot of reasons that could be happening to me then! Thanks so much for the nice reply!

cincinnana · 11-25-2020, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

Thanks for letting me know! I’ll go and check it out! Oh I see. So there are a lot of reasons that could be happening to me then! Thanks so much for the nice reply!

Do some reading and sort your issue out..

Peat based soilless mixs are somewhat tricky for the new grower.

Good luck!!

edwmax · 11-25-2020, 08:40 PM

Peat is the original soil moisture enhancer vs. the new moist crystals now on the market. I wouldn't recommend using more than 25% peat in your soil mix. Add perlite if you need the soil to be more airy or fluffy or bark.

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-26-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

Do some reading and sort your issue out..

Peat based soilless mixs are somewhat tricky for the new grower.

Good luck!!

Yeah I still have to actually start reading! Well, it was a holiday you know!

It was very sweet of you to wish me luck and being nice enough to say that peat based mixes can be tricky! So it’s not just me then! Yeah I think this might be my one and only time I do this!

Thanks!

*Dearly Depotted* · 11-26-2020, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

Peat is the original soil moisture enhancer vs. the new moist crystals now on the market. I wouldn't recommend using more than 25% peat in your soil mix. Add perlite if you need the soil to be more airy or fluffy or bark.

Oh sure. Where were you when I decided to use only peat moss!

I knew I should have asked ahead of time!

So in other words just use garden soil with a few amendments like perlite! Oh well at least I now know what soil to get for this coming spring! Thanks again for the help!

Nicolas Naranja · 12-05-2020, 10:59 PM

One of the better performing mixtures during my PhD growing Williams in a greenhouse was 55% Berger peat moss, 27.5% perlite, and 27.5% vermiculite. Some peat moss is hydrophobic at first. I know a guy who starts plants in mixture of filter sand and perlite and the plants look phenomenal.

*Dearly Depotted* · 12-06-2020, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolas Naranja

One of the better performing mixtures during my PhD growing Williams in a greenhouse was 55% Berger peat moss, 27.5% perlite, and 27.5% vermiculite. Some peat moss is hydrophobic at first. I know a guy who starts plants in mixture of filter sand and perlite and the plants look phenomenal.

Yeah I’m definitely going to have to remember this for when I need to buy more soil this coming spring! It’s pretty interesting about the guy who uses filter sand and perlite! How about that! Well, thanks so much for very kind reply!

11-23-2020, 07:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
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11-23-2020, 09:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
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11-24-2020, 06:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
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11-25-2020, 08:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
edwmax Location: Cairo, Ga Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2,891 BananaBucks : 111,930 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,740 Times Was Thanked 4,437 Times in 2,093 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 414 Times	Re: Does anyone know why peat moss doesn’t hold much water? Peat is the original soil moisture enhancer vs. the new moist crystals now on the market. I wouldn't recommend using more than 25% peat in your soil mix. Add perlite if you need the soil to be more airy or fluffy or bark. __________________

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12-05-2020, 10:59 PM	#14 (permalink)
Nicolas Naranja Muck bananas Nicolas Naranja 's Photo Gallery Location: Pahokee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Nick Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,217 BananaBucks : 588,831 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 66 Times Was Thanked 5,665 Times in 1,563 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: Does anyone know why peat moss doesn’t hold much water? One of the better performing mixtures during my PhD growing Williams in a greenhouse was 55% Berger peat moss, 27.5% perlite, and 27.5% vermiculite. Some peat moss is hydrophobic at first. I know a guy who starts plants in mixture of filter sand and perlite and the plants look phenomenal. __________________ Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

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