Sphagnum Peat Moss + Perlite
- Thread starter mike1105
- Start date
iwltfum
New Member
There are a couple of differences that this author puts in better words than I could:
"Peat moss is acidic, with a pH level of about 3.3 to 4.0. This is too acidic for anything but acid-loving plants, and could cause harm to plants that are less tolerant of low pH levels. Because of its low pH, peat moss is often used to acidify soils that are too alkaline. For most planting purposes, a neutral pH is more desirable, so lime is often added to peat moss before planting. Most peat moss-based potting soils include lime. Coconut fiber, on the other hand, has a pH range of 5.2 to 6.8, which is more acceptable to a wider range of plants."
"Coconut coir wets more easily than peat moss, which tends to shed water when first wetted. Coconut coir requires less time to become saturated, so it needs less water. Sphagnum peat moss holds 10 to 20 times its dry weight in water, while ground coconut fiber -- coir -- holds an average of 8 to 9 times its dry weight, despite reports that coir has a much greater water holding capacity than peat moss. Peat moss and coconut fiber can come in varying textures and the product's coarseness may affect its ability to hold water."
Peat Moss vs. Coconut Fiber | Home Guides | SF Gate
"Peat moss is acidic, with a pH level of about 3.3 to 4.0. This is too acidic for anything but acid-loving plants, and could cause harm to plants that are less tolerant of low pH levels. Because of its low pH, peat moss is often used to acidify soils that are too alkaline. For most planting purposes, a neutral pH is more desirable, so lime is often added to peat moss before planting. Most peat moss-based potting soils include lime. Coconut fiber, on the other hand, has a pH range of 5.2 to 6.8, which is more acceptable to a wider range of plants."
"Coconut coir wets more easily than peat moss, which tends to shed water when first wetted. Coconut coir requires less time to become saturated, so it needs less water. Sphagnum peat moss holds 10 to 20 times its dry weight in water, while ground coconut fiber -- coir -- holds an average of 8 to 9 times its dry weight, despite reports that coir has a much greater water holding capacity than peat moss. Peat moss and coconut fiber can come in varying textures and the product's coarseness may affect its ability to hold water."
Peat Moss vs. Coconut Fiber | Home Guides | SF Gate
- Thread starter
- #3
It seems that lime doesn't wash out all that easily- so for that reason and others, I would treat it like promix, which is pretty much what it is, so ph 6.5 -7.
I happen to live in a huge sphagnum peat bog. Also called an 'acid bog'. It's very beautiful and has some amazing little bog plants, but really, not much grows that well in it- except all sorts of sphagnum. It's an ecosystem that slowly spreads -by stunting and eventually killing off the forest and bush at its edges.
Much too acidic for cannabis.
I happen to live in a huge sphagnum peat bog. Also called an 'acid bog'. It's very beautiful and has some amazing little bog plants, but really, not much grows that well in it- except all sorts of sphagnum. It's an ecosystem that slowly spreads -by stunting and eventually killing off the forest and bush at its edges.
Much too acidic for cannabis.
iwltfum
New Member
I'd run with it the way it is and test the pH of the run off every once in a while. Sounds like the lime buffer will stay in there for a while, but I'm assuming it will eventually run out of buffering power and you'll either have a neutral medium similar to coco or a very acidic medium that will be hard to adjust for. Depends on how long the acidic agents last in the peat.
