flyfishinrock
New Member
Hello everybody,
I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming number of people using store bought organic nutrients these days. My goal in this life is to leave my daughter a better, friendlier earth to live with; with that being said I would like to challenge all of you organic growers to pull out of the cupboard your favorite nutrients, amendments, and additives. Look up where and how these precious items are harvested and post it on here please. My goal is to find out if I can do a good organic crop, while letting my conscience rest. And hopefully open everyone's eyes to the damage we do to the planet. I guess I'll start it off with one of my favorites peat/sphagnum moss
"First, let's review some definitions. Peat is an organic material comprised of dead vegetation (leaves, stems, roots, trunks) that has partially decomposed in a water-saturated, oxygen-poor environment. Peat is acidic, absorbent, and low in nutrients.
Peatlands are wetland ecosystems where peat is formed. Water accumulates or seeps in through rainfall, springs, or surface flow. In cold climates, peat is typically formed from mosses. In tropical climates, peat consists mostly of trees. Other wetland plants, such as sedges, grasses, shrubs, and reeds, contribute to peat formation in both climates. The lack of oxygen and soil microbes in peatlands suspends the normal decomposition that occurs in your garden.
Virgin peatlands contain as much as 95 percent water. They act as huge water filters, removing toxins and metals. They store rainwater and slowly release it throughout the year, which helps maintain flow in streams and rivers during dry times. Conversely, during rainy times their amazing ability to absorb water reduces storm water runoff and downstream flooding.
Peatlands also play a critical role in global warming. They are the largest terrestrial carbon sink, holding more carbon than all forests or grasslands. They cover only 3 percent of the land, but contain 30 percent of the carbon.
Peat is renewable and will regrow if harvested in moderation. But as with many natural resources, peat collection is often done exhaustively. Drainage ditches are cut around the peatlands. Once the water drains, the peat is dug out, leaving pits or empty fields. Some countries fill in the space with agricultural crops, agri-forest, or retention lakes. This irreversibly changes the habitat, reduces the numbers of endemic peatland species, releases carbon into the atmosphere, and alters the hydrology. (Some rivers and streams stopped flowing in Scotland when a peatland was drained for a forestry project, and extensive and expensive restoration efforts are under way.)
95 percent of the sphagnum peat moss available in the United States comes from the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA). This organization emphasizes sustainable harvesting practices and restoration efforts. Canada has 111 million hectares (about the size of Washington, Oregon, and California) of peatlands, but only 17 thousand hectares (comparable to the city of Portland) is actively harvested. Of the 70 million tons of sphagnum peat naturally created every year in Canada, only 1.3 million tons are harvested."
I dont know if thats good enough for me; I'm picturing portland when it was known as stump-town.
I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming number of people using store bought organic nutrients these days. My goal in this life is to leave my daughter a better, friendlier earth to live with; with that being said I would like to challenge all of you organic growers to pull out of the cupboard your favorite nutrients, amendments, and additives. Look up where and how these precious items are harvested and post it on here please. My goal is to find out if I can do a good organic crop, while letting my conscience rest. And hopefully open everyone's eyes to the damage we do to the planet. I guess I'll start it off with one of my favorites peat/sphagnum moss
"First, let's review some definitions. Peat is an organic material comprised of dead vegetation (leaves, stems, roots, trunks) that has partially decomposed in a water-saturated, oxygen-poor environment. Peat is acidic, absorbent, and low in nutrients.
Peatlands are wetland ecosystems where peat is formed. Water accumulates or seeps in through rainfall, springs, or surface flow. In cold climates, peat is typically formed from mosses. In tropical climates, peat consists mostly of trees. Other wetland plants, such as sedges, grasses, shrubs, and reeds, contribute to peat formation in both climates. The lack of oxygen and soil microbes in peatlands suspends the normal decomposition that occurs in your garden.
Virgin peatlands contain as much as 95 percent water. They act as huge water filters, removing toxins and metals. They store rainwater and slowly release it throughout the year, which helps maintain flow in streams and rivers during dry times. Conversely, during rainy times their amazing ability to absorb water reduces storm water runoff and downstream flooding.
Peatlands also play a critical role in global warming. They are the largest terrestrial carbon sink, holding more carbon than all forests or grasslands. They cover only 3 percent of the land, but contain 30 percent of the carbon.
Peat is renewable and will regrow if harvested in moderation. But as with many natural resources, peat collection is often done exhaustively. Drainage ditches are cut around the peatlands. Once the water drains, the peat is dug out, leaving pits or empty fields. Some countries fill in the space with agricultural crops, agri-forest, or retention lakes. This irreversibly changes the habitat, reduces the numbers of endemic peatland species, releases carbon into the atmosphere, and alters the hydrology. (Some rivers and streams stopped flowing in Scotland when a peatland was drained for a forestry project, and extensive and expensive restoration efforts are under way.)
95 percent of the sphagnum peat moss available in the United States comes from the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA). This organization emphasizes sustainable harvesting practices and restoration efforts. Canada has 111 million hectares (about the size of Washington, Oregon, and California) of peatlands, but only 17 thousand hectares (comparable to the city of Portland) is actively harvested. Of the 70 million tons of sphagnum peat naturally created every year in Canada, only 1.3 million tons are harvested."
I dont know if thats good enough for me; I'm picturing portland when it was known as stump-town.
