FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Sponsored by FlytrapStore.com

Discuss water requirements, "soil" (growing media) and suitable planting containers

Moderator: Matt

User avatar
By ChefDean
Location: 
Posts:  10221
Joined:  Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:44 am
#456178
Sphagnum moss takes hundreds of years, if not thousands, to decompose into peat moss. What you have is likely just broken down and stagnant due to anaerobic conditions, and is better tossed into your compost heap.
andynorth liked this
User avatar
By elaineo
Location: 
Posts:  1131
Joined:  Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:07 am
#456183
ChefDean wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2024 2:24 am Sphagnum moss takes hundreds of years, if not thousands, to decompose into peat moss. What you have is likely just broken down and stagnant due to anaerobic conditions, and is better tossed into your compost heap.
what's the stage in between LFSM and peat? the mushy, squushy, slimy LFSM. it's just lost its aeration, but that's nothing that a bit of perlite can't fix, right?
As for peat, is that basically its final form? no further decomposition for the next few centuries, I presume. What's the benefit to repotting into fresh peat?

(My local hardware stores have stopped selling peat. I will need to rinse & reuse out of desperation...)
User avatar
By MikeB
Location: 
Posts:  2119
Joined:  Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:13 pm
#456261
elaineo wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2024 7:17 am what's the stage in between LFSM and peat? the mushy, squushy, slimy LFSM. it's just lost its aeration, but that's nothing that a bit of perlite can't fix, right?

As for peat, is that basically its final form? no further decomposition for the next few centuries, I presume. What's the benefit to repotting into fresh peat?
When the peat moss and sphagnum moss are exposed to oxygen in the plant pots, it starts the normal decomposition process. This is what causes peat moss to go "sour" after 2-3 years (loss of acidity may have something to do with it, too).

Turning sphagnum moss into peat moss requires the anaerobic conditions found in bogs.
elaineo wrote: Thu Sep 26, 2024 7:17 am (My local hardware stores have stopped selling peat. I will need to rinse & reuse out of desperation...)
Can you order it online and have it shipped to the store? Or will they refuse to give you what you've paid for?
elaineo liked this
User avatar
By elaineo
Location: 
Posts:  1131
Joined:  Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:07 am
#456263
MikeB wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2024 1:07 am Can you order it online and have it shipped to the store? Or will they refuse to give you what you've paid for?
"This item is unavailable online and in stores."

Home Depot appears to have discontinued it forever. Tractor Supply no longer has it here either. I thought it was a nationwide thing. Are people still able to find it elsewhere?
User avatar
By MikeB
Location: 
Posts:  2119
Joined:  Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:13 pm
#456280
elaineo wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2024 3:33 am Home Depot appears to have discontinued it forever. Tractor Supply no longer has it here either. I thought it was a nationwide thing. Are people still able to find it elsewhere?
This looks like a California thing. The stores in my corner of North Carolina have plenty of peat moss in stock. Do you have an Ace Hardware store in the area? They usually carry SunGro peat moss (good stuff).

The online stores still have it, although this isn't the cheapest option. You might be able to find a nursery that will ship to your house. Also, I see the big bags (2.2 - 3.8 cubic feet) on Amazon and eBay. If you don't need this much, then I recommend the 10-quart bags of Hoffman peat moss. As usual, cross-check the prices to make sure that you aren't being gouged.
andynorth liked this
By Emjef
Posts:  18
Joined:  Wed May 08, 2024 8:52 am
#456297
Peat moss is readily available in MD. I have a huge bale of it that will last me for years
andynorth liked this
User avatar
By elaineo
Location: 
Posts:  1131
Joined:  Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:07 am
#456299
andynorth wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2024 4:13 am Do you have a Lowes near you? If something is going on with peat I might have to go buy a couple bales.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Premier-Premie ... ol/3138855
Thanks! It's a bit of a drive, but I will go and stock up. Ace Hardware does not have peat here either.

I used to go through about a bale a year, but I have been quite wasteful, potting and repotting with reckless abandon. Now if I spill so much as a teaspoon I freak out and start crawling around to save it.
User avatar
By andynorth
Location: 
Posts:  1993
Joined:  Fri May 12, 2023 9:08 pm
#456302
MikeB wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2024 6:16 pm This looks like a California thing. The stores in my corner of North Carolina have plenty of peat moss in stock.
If it's a Cali thing I am going to stock up. WA State seems to follow suit with them in many things so it would not surprise me if they do the same here. And if Cali is doing away with it would that be due to a law? if so I would think it would not be available online to them either.
User avatar
By MikeB
Location: 
Posts:  2119
Joined:  Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:13 pm
#456306
andynorth wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2024 9:33 pm And if Cali is doing away with it would that be due to a law?
I have no confirmation on this, but I suspect it's an attempt to help preserve the bogs where peat moss is harvested. Something similar was done in the UK.
andynorth liked this
User avatar
By elaineo
Location: 
Posts:  1131
Joined:  Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:07 am
#456323
andynorth wrote: Sun Sep 29, 2024 9:33 pm If it's a Cali thing I am going to stock up. WA State seems to follow suit with them in many things so it would not surprise me if they do the same here. And if Cali is doing away with it would that be due to a law? if so I would think it would not be available online to them either.
No way, WA state is a bastion of freedom compared to Cali! We ban soooo much stuff: public smoking, plastic bags, ketchup packets, drinking straws, gas-powered lawnmowers, and on and on and on :roll:
By htbm
Location: 
Posts:  51
Joined:  Sun Aug 06, 2023 10:26 am
#456422
The local Home Depot here in my corner of California (~2 miles away) still has peat in stock. They also have peat seed starting pellets, etc. Over 100 bags worth of peat in stock. But it's Miracle Grow stuff with fertilizer in it thus not useful for us anyway.

Lowe's 25 miles away also has hundreds of bags among different brands, both the useless Miracle Grow stuff and a couple plain-peat brands.

So I dunno about this alleged "California thing".
Chuck E Cheese Giveaway

wait what??? your mosser lee moss had a VFT hitc[…]

This request is at or past the two week point. If […]

Ok so I seem to have started growing more than th[…]

Seedbank giveaway XVII, The Gross One

1) Shadowtski - How could I pass up such a gross e[…]

Seed grown favorite

Sorry, hang on. Labels facing away from the ligh[…]

Request received. Your request number is 1858. I'l[…]

Nepenthes0260's growlist

When will you hold another sale? You have a few […]

I am thankful for the forum, and the inspiring, he[…]

Support the community - Shop at FlytrapStore.com!