FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

hi i live in canada and i want to ask is it mandatory to wash the peat moss and what brands of peat moss do you use?

I don't know anything about brands but I know all about washing... Strictly speking washing the peat isn't that necessary... But I know there are alot of benefits- 1) No residual nutrients 2) No algal and or fungal growth - by washing out all the residual nutrients and washing out remaining spores you remove the ability for these things to grow 3) Removing any eggs from pests in the peat - the milled peat still contains viable eggs of many creatures that dwell in the bogs such as spring-tails.... I have not washed my soil before, then from the algea and other stuff that grows in the peat you get a hectic bog smell coming from the peat, this isn't so much a problem if your plants are outside, but when thet're inside it really sucks, especially when you repot, that smell overpowers, and something in me tells me that rotting soil can't be the best thing for your plants. When I started washing the soil properly I noticed that it stayed algea free and fresh, it didn't degrade and become mushy as quickly (forgot to mention that benefit) allowing you to keep your plants in the same peat for much longer before repotting... Now many people don't wash the peat, but I believe that its much better for your plants, it looks and smells better and it lasts much longer... Up to you...

I am a firm believer in washing peat and letting it soak to separate the good fibers (floating) from the fines and silt(sinking). The bales of peat I had back in Oregon were of terrible quality ranging from half to nearly 90% fines and silt. I just moved to South Carolina and now have a much better grade available, the brand name is Premier Pro-Moss. It is about 95% good fiber, very little waste was produced during the soaking process.

Also how do you wash peat and what mixture do you use for your vft is pure peat good for vfts

I have never "washed" either of them. Not needed.

I just moved to South Carolina and now have a much better grade available, the brand name is Premier Pro-Moss.

I personally have never tried rinsing peat moss prior to potting, so I cannot comment whether it is better or not to do so. I just use it straight out of the bag without any problems

Pieguy what brand of peat moss do you use?

Pieguy what brand of peat moss do you use?

Well the stuff I get in S.A is fair grade... Initially about half floats and half sinks. But I don't seperate it at all and haven't had problems.

I found that the easiest way to wash peat and get rid of the really fine stuff, eggs, spores ect is an old t-shirt. I tie the top (neck, arms) off with an elastic or two, pur my peat in there and initially rinse for a few minutes using plain tap water (until the water isn't dark brown anymore. Then I squeeze out all the water and put it in a large bucket, fill with RO or ditilled or rain water up to about 2-3x the original peat volume. I leave this outside in the sun for about 3days. Sometimes I stop here and pour the wet peat into a t-shirt, strain out all the water and use as is. But for seedlings I put this peat in a t-shirt, squeeze out all the water, put it back in the bucket and add RO or distilled water again and just leave it outside for another few day (sometimes I forget for week, but thats better... I have found that after a week of soaking ALL the peat sinks to the bottom. But This peat is a nice texture when I dry it out and use it for my plants, plus it stays that quality for a long time... I have had one pot of VFT's in this soil, not only are they growing vigorously, but the pot is algea free and still looks in the same condition as the day I repotted.

I use premier brand sphagnum peat moss, the quality of it is great as already stated

I use Premier also but I have other little plants growing in the pot but as a nice surprise I actually have three sundews growing in three different pots around some of my purpurea. I am going to wash some of the last bale I have and pot my new eaters when they arrive, won't be for a week but long enough to get most of the crap out of it if there is any left, I wonder if I would get more sundews if I don't wash until next year.