Today we will look into What is Sphagnum Peat Moss in gardening. Peat is a product that is created from organic materials. The most common use for peat moss is for producing professional and consumer growing media to grow plants. It comes from a wetland. There are almost 400 species of peat moss. The survival uses for moss are many and varied. Peat Moss and Gardening. Whether the type of moss is sphagnum, Spanish, reindeer or excelsior, the crafts made are basically the same for each type and can be used interchangeably. Generally, people use the terms peat and peat moss alternatively. And although this moss has been used as an antiseptic and antifungal agent for about 1000 years, its “secret ingredient”has recently been revealed. What are the uses and Benefits of peat moss in your garden. Sphagnum Peat Moss. This is a field of sphagnum peat that is in the process of being harvested. As it grows, it spreads onto drier areas and turns those into bogs as well. It usually gets submerged into the peat bogs. Peat moss is used by professionals and consumers to make growing media or to incorporate into a garden or landscape as soil conditioner. Sphagnum moss also makes a good packing material for protecting delicate items in transit, it can be used as a cotton wool substitute and as a potting material for many species of orchid. There are approximately 12,000 species of moss, but it’s only the 380 species of sphagnum moss that create peat. However, these two things are not the same. Peat moss is an excellent soil amendment for your acid-loving plants. They are dead and decayed moss that accumulate over time at the bottom of bogs. Difference Between Peat, Peat Moss, and Sphagnum Moss. Sphagnum moss has long been used for medical purposes. Because of the high acidity and the antibacterial properties of sphagnum moss, it can be included in your filtration system to help filter your water. It was a real lifesaver for cuts and other injuries with skin disorders, as well as burns, frostbite, fungal lesions, psoriasis. Florists use sphagnum moss to line wire baskets or add a decorative touch to potted plants. They are the remains of the dead materials of wild mosses that have been piled up in a peat bog over a thousand years. You Can Use Sphagnum Moss to Filter Water. Approximately 99 percent of Canada’s total national production comes from the combined operations of the 20 corporate groups that form the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association (CSPMA.) Interesting fact: Up to 80% of the peat moss used in the US comes from Canada. Bogs and fens form where sphagnum grows because both living and dead moss absorb and store water. The semi-decomposed plant, excavated from bogs, is a first rate soil conditioner and is also used in seed and potting composts. A surgical bandage made of Sphagnum moss, like those used in WWI. 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