Coconut CoirĬoconut coir, also known as coco peat or coir peat, is rapidly gaining popularity and is the best-known alternative to peat moss. Luckily, there are better, more sustainable, and locally sourced alternatives you can use to amend your soil. Thus, exploiting this valuable flora is a valid cause for concern. Scientists consider peat bogs to be as fragile and important as the rainforests. It is being harvested faster than we could ever grow it, essentially making it non-renewable.Īdditionally, peat bogs provide a unique ecosystem, which supports numerous insects, birds, and plants. And while peat moss is technically renewable, the rate of growth is extremely slow, taking centuries to fully develop. Once harvested, the harmful carbon dioxide is released back into the environment. Peatlands store nearly a third of all the world’s soil carbon. A majority of the world’s supply is grown in Russia, however, most of the peat moss used in the United States is harvested from the sphagnum bogs of Canada. Peat moss is grown in marshy bogs and wetlands in the northern hemisphere, covering two percent of the land on earth. Why Is Peat Moss Bad For The Environment?ĭespite its benefits in the garden, the growing and harvesting practices of peat moss have come under scrutiny as environmentally unsound practices, deeming it an unsustainable option for gardeners. Peat moss is used as a soil amendment for acid-loving plants, such as blueberries, and is also added to potting soils to create water retention and aeration. The plant’s cell structure allows it to hold almost 20 times its dry weight in the water, making it an extremely effective material for other plants to maintain hydration. Sphagnum moss is often referred to as peat moss because it is marketed and sold in this decayed state. Peat moss consists of various sphagnum moss species that have decomposed.
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