Shoultsy11 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Hi all, I've just bought a sarracenia flava and a sarracenia minor. I've been told to use 2:1 peat and Quartz sand. Is there anything I could use instead of peat that is cheaper and above all a bit more plentiful and less damaging to bogs? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 Moorland Gold is peat harvested sustainably do you could try that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud357 Posted June 16, 2015 Report Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) Hi all, I've just bought a sarracenia flava and a sarracenia minor. I've been told to use 2:1 peat and Quartz sand. Is there anything I could use instead of peat that is cheaper and above all a bit more plentiful and less damaging to bogs? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk No. Get some Peat. Look at it this way ... Peat is still fairly plentiful and cheap but your plants are not. Anyone questions your Peat purchase ... Just tell them that you are maintaining populations of CITES I/II species and so they should mind their own business and get off your back. Peat consumption was a problem when everyone and his dog made 'potting compost' out of the stuff. This is no longer the case, most companies make a big deal out of not using Peat ('Peat free'). I struggle to find decent raw Peat these days. I will also not appologise for using the Peat I do find for maintaing Sarracenia. As with most questions, it is one of balance. Digging up SSI's to make 'compost' for customers of XYZ superstore is not a good idea (which is why most don't anymore). You buying 100L of (non SSI) Irish Moss Peat every three years and using it to maintain rare and possibly endangered species is a different matter. Don't appologise, fight your corner! Edited June 16, 2015 by Hud357 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoultsy11 Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 I went into the garden centre and asked for peat. They say "we don't sell peat anymore, no one does." Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 You'll usually only find it from independent garden centres, not big chains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 None of my local independent / family-run garden centres sell it any more either - they did up until a year or so ago. I think that, if we want CP-growing to continue to be viable (to the "general public" - who won't be willing to order bales / pallets of peat for a small windowsill collection), then we really need to find a readily available and viable alternative to sphagnum-based peat. Maybe the cultivation of sphagnum itself would be a start - hmm, maybe I should start up a "Sphagnum farm", rows of polytunnels to cultivate the moss en-mass! I am starting to trial "Fertile Fibre" Organic Coir (see: http://www.fertilefibre.com/coir-products/organic-coir/bales.html?SID=6hll7geuaclsde1vih5gj3kn05) as an ingredient in the various mixes for my Drosera, Utricularia and Pinguicula plants (those are the genera I am most interested in). Maybe something like a mix of live / chopped Sphagnum and washed salt-free organic Coir would act as a suitable replacement for peat. Had the CPS got any further in its trials of peat-free compost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike King Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 I have had good success with a few hundred plants in a milled pine bark, granite grit sand and perlite blend. If you are coming to my open day, come and see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamH Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Hi Mike, Yes, thanks - I'm *hoping* to be there a week on Saturday - fingers crossed! Will be very interesting to see your results. Is that the Melrose Bark? I've used their orchid-grade bark (for orchids of course!) before.I'm hoping we'll finally get a good peat substitute in the not too distant future. (I'm now thinking - equal parts organic salt-free coir, milled pine bark & chopped live sphagnum, to substitute for peat - sounds about right!). Hopefully I'll see you soon Mike - will be good to catch up with everyone! All the best, Adam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejiro Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I'm with Mike on this. I lost a season last year due to Moorland, I switched to the same milled growbark pine mix Mike is currently trialling and the results so far are very impressive, even with smaller recent divisions, in short its been like night and day for me. Interestingly, I noticed a fair amount of largish (40mm size scalpings ) stones in the Moorland compost when it arrived, hence, whilst it might contain peat who knows what the stones were, potentially buffering the water and don't get me started about the weed growth! On the flip of that, I know some people use it without issues though! The milled pine mix on the other hand is weed free, a much more open mix when combined with 2-4mm grit & perlite, resulting in a cleaner, fresher media all-round. Time will tell, but certainly a very promising mix and I won't be using anything else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Can you tell me where to get the milled pine bark from and is it more expensive than irish moss peat? Went to Mikes yesterday and was very impressed with the plants in the peat free mix Thanks for a great day Mike Any help appreciated Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike King Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hi Trish (and anyone else), please send me an email. Trish, I can't remember who you were. Next time, please introduce yourself when you come along next time and I will show you the mix. Hi Trish (and anyone else), please send me an email. Trish, I can't remember who you were. Next time, please introduce yourself when you come along next time and I will show you the mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ada Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Mike,what are your seedlings under the benches in? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 No. Get some Peat. Look at it this way ... Peat is still fairly plentiful and cheap but your plants are not. Anyone questions your Peat purchase ... Just tell them that you are maintaining populations of CITES I/II species and so they should mind their own business and get off your back. Peat consumption was a problem when everyone and his dog made 'potting compost' out of the stuff. This is no longer the case, most companies make a big deal out of not using Peat ('Peat free'). I struggle to find decent raw Peat these days. I will also not apologize for using the Peat I do find for maintaining Sarracenia. As with most questions, it is one of balance. Digging up SSI's to make 'compost' for customers of XYZ superstore is not a good idea (which is why most don't anymore). You buying 100L of (non SSI) Irish Moss Peat every three years and using it to maintain rare and possibly endangered species is a different matter. Don't apologize, fight your corner! I'm with you on this one, luckily the garden centre down the road sells 100L bales quite cheaply ! Go Hud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 I'm with you on this one, luckily the garden centre down the road sells 100L bales quite cheaply ! Go Hud. I can get peat quite easily but this year it is just full of weeds so thought I would try a few plants peat free as an experiment but have no idea what materials to use and then I remembered Mike was experimenting and getting good results. So thought I would just ask for advice. Trish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Hi Trish (and anyone else), please send me an email. Trish, I can't remember who you were. Next time, please introduce yourself when you come along next time and I will show you the mix. Hi Trish (and anyone else), please send me an email. Trish, I can't remember who you were. Next time, please introduce yourself when you come along next time and I will show you the mix. Have sent you an email Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casca Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 In Belgium it's not so hard to get peat, almost all the garden centre's I contact have it in stock (small portion up to 300L) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogster Posted July 14, 2015 Report Share Posted July 14, 2015 I do wonder about the suitability of wood based substrates long term. I've had sarracenia potted into the same peat mixes for 10 years or more, my orchids require re-potting every year or so as their bark medium starts to break down. Surely in water the breakdown would start much earlier? Most of the CP retailers sell peat or peat/perlite mixes online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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