What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

What is the purpose of rinsing peat?

  • #21
Hi Laura,

Yeah, that would be a lot of hand wringing for a bog for sure. If your bog has drainage (and it should I believe), the rains will do the work over time. I even keep my bale of peat outside where the rain can get to it, and use the top layers first. Some people feel the issue is a tempest in a teacup, but good growing means maximizing all conditions and small increments can lead to big improvements.

Caps is correct: there is no real need to wait 2 weeks, I am just lazy and that much time allows the peat to hydrate without a lot of my effort to moisten it. I too use only the floating matter, avoiding the sludge
 
  • #22
Interesting thread. Since I started growing ('98 or so) I have never rinsed peat. I do get some algae, but that's easily eliminated. Fungus gnats, I think that's a given with wet soils, no matter what. Plus, they make for a good food source. Maybe i've just dodged bullets, but I haven't seen any ill effects on my plants. They've gotten bigger and better looking every year since I started. I don't know how many plants I have now. Including all the weeds (sundews, bladderworts), misc. forbs that have somehow sprouted up (orange milkwort, meadow-beauty, rushes, god knows what else) I would guess over 300. I have lost only 2 plants that I am aware of, ever. And all I use for soil is unrinsed sphagnum peat.
 
  • #23
I don't quite know what I'll do about the big bog but I don't need to worry about that right about now anyway. I was going to consider repotting a few plants but then you just mentioned the obvious above, "the rains will do the work over time".  I don't quite know how to address the drainage issue as most bogs that occur naturally have no drainage. I need to think about that for a while. If I do not rinse the peat being used and get a "loaded" batch, there will be impurities building up over time. That doesn't sound good to me.

As far as plants in pots, I will leave what I have already potted alone. When it comes time to repot, they get rinsed peat. The peat I will use in the future to germinate seed will get rinsed and nuked. Seems as if this is just a plain old good habit to get into

What is so wrong with using the sledge? A few people seem to be removing it.

editing to add-

Oops, I was typing when you were typing. You know Aaron, your sarracenia plants blow mine out of the water, literally. I suspect there is probably leeway in the arena of pots with plants grown outside for just the reasons mentioned above in that over time, the rains will flush the pots. I don't think there is much allowance for trays in which seedlings are being germinated and I really do need to rethink that bog issue because that will for all practical purposes, have no drainage. Perhaps leaving the bales out?

I think the big difference is that growing inside eliminates the ability for Mother Nature to do her thing and it is difficult to recreate what she does so effortlessly. Probably one of the reasons why winter sowing can be so successful. No damping off issues with which to contend no matter what medium you use within reason.
 
  • #24
LauraZ5 I don't have a pond/bog yet.  I was thinknig about putting one in when I coud afford one.  The "coffee water" I was refuring to was when I mix up peat and put it into pots and then top water the water that comes out the bottom is coffee or tea colored.  This was the coffee water I was refuring to.  I;m upset that the pod/bog idea will not work.  What I wanted to do was get a couple of the preformed pond liners and set the pond section flush with the ground and then set the bog section slightly higher in the ground.  Then the only connection between the two was going to be one or two pieces of PVC piping that would run from one to the other and across to the other side of the bog pond.  Then I was going to drill hiles in the PVC piping that is inside the bog pond so that the water equals out and the level of the pond would be the level of the bogs water.  Thats the reason the bog was going to be set a little high than the pond side.  This was to keep the water level high enough of the bog and the bog always had fresh water.  Well atleast enough from the bog/pond water was concered.  The only filters I was planning on using were the carbon filters normaly for bogs.  I understand the PH factor but what is the other factor you were talking about?  It seemed like a good idea and seemed like it owuld work, but I will have to take someone elses experience untill I have some money to burn and give it a try.

Oh and thanks everyone else for your rinsing techniques and reasons for rinsing. Everything makes sence and I will addapt some things into my setups.
 
  • #25
Hey Josh, I did a google and this popped up-
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html
This should help you out a little. Really sorry for using acronyms.

Preform ponds are wonderful. In a few months, you might want to consider being on the lookout for end of season sales. If you pick one up, you can stash it until you have funds to move forward.

Not a good idea to set a preform flush with the ground. You risk chemicals from the lawn getting into the pond. I have my preforms up 2-3" from the ground. The space can be camoflauged with vegetation. After a year or so, you won't even notice that the elevation of the pond is slightly higher once the plants around it start filling in.

Please do not be upset that the pond/bog idea won't work. You don't know for a fact that it won't work for you until you actually try it but the odds aren't exactly stacked in your favor based on the sheer number of people who have already tried it and failed.

Back to the pond/bog deal. Have you ever seen bonsai land/water pots?
http://www.dallasbonsai.com/store/bonsai_landwater_pot.html
They are sort of ying and yang. Why not butt your future pond right up against your future bog? What a tremendous focal point that would be in your yard and if you use a preform for the pond you could create a shape to nestle into it by using epdm for the bog.  Just a thought.
 
  • #26
Thanks for the links Laura.  Interesting to read about the peat used to reduce hardness.  I duno I will start with an independant bog, but I still may try the pond/bog idea after I become a nurse and have more of a cash flow.  The bog may even be postponed that long since I keep hearing slack from the wife about the money spent on plants and things for my GH
smile_k_ani_32.gif
.  Even when the money I spend is only 4 dollars for shipping.  It adds up after you do that 8 or 9 times.  LOL  Oh well.  I have to cool my heals for a little while and get some OT at work and stuff.  I will get there, but its nice to dream and plan it in advance too.  Man why can't I be rich.  LOL  I have to get my invention built I may end up that way.  he he he
smile_n_32.gif
 
Back
Top