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[SG] Peat Moss Alternatives, part 2

Most frequently however, people use peat moss as a soil
amendment.  Many garden writers recommend it.  I simply am
unable to find any benefit whatsoever from peat as a soil
amendment.

Tilth is better improved by the addition of leaf mold, good
humus, compost, coffee grounds and wood chips.  With the
exception of coffee grounds, each of these materials have far
more nutrients for plant growth than peat, which is a nearly
sterile material nutritionally speaking.  Further all of these
materials improve soil drainage at the same time as they improve
the moisture holding ability of soil.

If peat is desired for soil acidification, there are a number of
methods of acidifying soil that are more effective than peat.
Changing the pH of soil is a difficult matter under any
circumstances.  Aluminum sulfate is an excellent amendment for
the purpose and very little is needed even for growing
blueberries.

Composting is not necessary in order to amend soil.  Tom
Clothier's article on manufacturing soil ( ) is an
extraordinarily good article and is well worth reading.  I have
added well over one hundred cubic yards of organic material to
my clay & rock soil over the past 4 years and only in an
experimental plot did I add peat moss.  My sticky yellow,
sometimes grey clay and super-compressed soil has become
positively magnificent stuff over that period of time.  My major
admendments have been wood chips (all free) and municipal
humus/leaf mold (extremely reasonably priced).  I have not
noticed a nitrogen depletion problem from the wood chips mixed
into the soil.  If or when I do, it is easily remedied.

Free organic soil amendments:
(Part of this list is from Kay Lancaster's methods as well as my
own; we are both relatively cheap & our minds obviously work in
similar ways. :)

+  Stop any landscaping company or tree service in your area and
ask for the chips, grass, leaves.  They will most always be more
than delighted to give them to you.  If you don't want to
compost or don't have a chipper, just take the grass clippings
(great mulch) and chips.  [The other day when I was writing on
this same topic, I had to walk up to town.  I saw a heretofore
unknown landscaping company with two trucks, one hauling a
large commercial chipper.  I looked and both trucks were filled
with chips.  They were eating lunch at the deli.  I stopped and
asked them what they were planning on doing with all those
lovely chips.  They were in my driveway by the time I got back
home.]  I now have 6 tree service/landscaping companies that
regularly drop goodies in my driveway whenever they are in the
vicinity.  :)

+  Most municipalities now compost "yard waste" aka "garden
gold".  My country will deliver a finely screened 4-5 cu. yd.
truckload of rich, black humus/leaf mold for the cost of the
guy, the truck & fuel.  Plus it helps to provide ongoing funding
for the composting operation ~ better than raising taxes to do
it.  Check with your local recycling center, shade tree
commission, park service or similar organization.  I have heard
reports of viable seed in this type of material.  I can only say
I have not experienced it.  Solarizing a neat pile of humus is a
pretty simple task if you have those concerns.  I will say that
this sort of material is a weed seed magnet, so I keep mine
covered.

+  With all the coffee bars around, many will save the grounds
for you.

+  Many grocery stores, produce stores will save the spoiled
stuff if you do compost.  Not many quicker, easier ways to get a
lot of green stuff for your compost heap.

+  For those of you living near a shore, seaweed that has
washed ashore is free for the taking.  Simply rinse it off to
get rid of the sand and salt.  This is FABULOUS stuff.

I could go on in this vein ad nauseum, but I'll stop here.  All
you need to do is think about it to come up with great ideas of
things to add to soil.  Oh yes, I always forget about gypsum ~
drywall leftovers are wonderful additions to soil.  See your
local drywall guy, he'll most likely be tickled to give you the
tailings.

I've rambled on ... I'm sure I'm forgetting things, but I think
this is probably an adequate start for a discussion on
alternatives to peat.  I have to scoot off to work now, but I
did want to dash off something since you were waiting.

Best regards,
Jaime

Cheryl Sandersfeld (list owner) wrote:
> Hi Jamie and all:
>
> Thank you for reminding us that peat moss is a nonrenewable resource.  Now
> I'd like to understand better these "alternatives" to which this post
> merely alludes.
>
> I'm of the mind-set to reject "don'ts" without alternative "dos".  Let's
> have some discussion of the alternatives.  I'll be waiting to hear about
> them.
>
> Thanks very much,
>
>
>
> Sherryl Sandersfeld (list owner)
> Norman, Oklahoma zone 7a
> s*@ionet.net
> http://www.lehnherr.com/shadegardens
>
>
jknoble@warwick.net
Z6/5, NW NJ
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