Re: CULT: antibacterial organics?

Re: CULT: antibacterial organics?
       Date: 
            Sat, 27 Sep 1997 06:34:22 -0700
Anner Whitehead said:
> I really don't understand the difference between spagnum and regular peat and
> I hope someone can explain.

"Peat" moss includes various species of Sphagnum moss and peat is a type
of 'soil' that forms in bogs from dead and living plants of various
kinds.  So if it is a Sphagnum bog, the peat would presumably be
Sphagnum peat.

My plant propagation book mentions various types of
commercial peat - I have no idea which ones are still sold.  It says
"Peat moss, which varies in pH depending on its origin...", but they are
clearly referring to the "peat moss" product, not the Sphagnum plant
itself.  It says there are 4 kinds of peats 1) sphagnum types, 2) Hypnum
types (another moss genus), 3) reed-sedge types, and 4) tree/shrub types
(formed from things like blueberries, alder, or willow).  Hmm, I guess
that 
means "peat moss" includes both Sphagnum and Hypnum species.  

Even though the authors go on to use "peat" and "peat moss"
interchangeably for
several paragraphs, they then talk about Sphagnum moss in a separate
section (including the paragraph about its antibacterial properties). 
No wonder the distinction isn't clear.

This is all straight book-larnin' - I have no personal knowlege of the
topic other than to have bought a bale of something or other many years
ago and I know a very very tiny bit about mosses and wetlands.  In our
part of the world, Sphagnum species are very uncommon.  More of a cool
weather genus, where they thrive in still water.  I fell through a
floating bog once. 

Linda Mann east Tennessee USA
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