Potting soil is available in specialty stores with or without peat. For both types of potting soil there are users who praise the respective advantages. Which positive and negative aspects can be mentioned?
Peat comes from bogs and is good for flowers but bad for the environment
What is peat?
Peat is an organic sediment formed from dead plants that stand in shallow water. In the course of a year, only a layer of 1 mm is formed in the bog. One can therefore imagine how long it takes for a layer of peat to develop that can be broken down. The moor landscape also disappears during mining, as the soil dries up and the moor plants die off. Environmentalists are pushing for the use of low-peat or peat-free soils in horticulture.
Potting soil contains up to 90% peat. It is well tolerated by most plants and does an excellent job of storing water and rainwater. Nutrients are minimal, so it's almost free of unwanted weed seeds, bacteria, and other pathogens.
The alternative: peat-free and peat-reduced soils
If you want to do without peat for the benefit of the moors, you can replace it with:
- compost
- wood fibers
- coconut fibers
- bark humus
However, the substitutes do not store water as well, so watering has to be done more frequently. The nutrients are also used up more quickly, which makes additional fertilizer applications necessary. Nevertheless, flowers, herbs and vegetables thrive best in peat-free soil.
Compost as a peat substitute
As an organic waste product, compost is full of nutrients. It takes care of the plants and loosens the soil. However, you should make sure that it does not contain any plastic.
Bark humus as a peat substitute
The bark of coniferous trees is crushed, fermented and enriched with nitrogen. Bark humus has a good storage capacity for water, relatively few nutrients and promotes root growth in cultivated plants.
Coconut fibers instead of peat
Coconut fiber is a waste product that is produced when coconut is extracted. Since it is not a domestic product, there are long transport routes. In addition, salt has to be removed from the material with a great deal of energy, as our flowers and vegetables cannot tolerate it…
wood fibers instead of peat
The properties of wood fibers are similar to those of peat. Since it is a domestic product, the extraction is sustainable. They allow the plants to root well and ensure a good oxygen content in the soil.