Once this stuff dries, it is a pain to get it to absorb water.
Any really good techniques for preventing the top inch or 2 from crusting over?
In what context are you using the peat? If it is in the form of pellets for seed-starting, I'd suggest that you use something else. I've read enough from folks who don't like to use this medium for seed starting that I've never even bothered with it.
You can check out the seed starting forum here to get a lot of ideas from others who are growing from seed.
You can check out the seed starting forum here to get a lot of ideas from others who are growing from seed.
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DoubleDogFarm
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
I do use pellets for starting a portion and bottom watering is no problems.
I have a couple plants and a tree that like the soil to dry fairly deep and then a full saturation. The potting mix has a good portion of peat (which I am reluctant to reduce the ratio) that is a royal pain to re-saturate.
I usually heat up the water a bit (80-85 degrees), but is still tends to pool and then rush through any internal "cracks" straight to the drainage holes. The soil does not have time to absorb it, so I pour the drained water back through several times to get saturation. Such a pain!!
I have a couple plants and a tree that like the soil to dry fairly deep and then a full saturation. The potting mix has a good portion of peat (which I am reluctant to reduce the ratio) that is a royal pain to re-saturate.
I usually heat up the water a bit (80-85 degrees), but is still tends to pool and then rush through any internal "cracks" straight to the drainage holes. The soil does not have time to absorb it, so I pour the drained water back through several times to get saturation. Such a pain!!
I use a mulch on top of the soil in larger containers. Sphagnum moss is kind of traditional for that purpose, but I've used other mulches, too. The one thing I have against sphagnum moss is that it tends to harbor insects.
If you can do it, water the containers by immersion once in awhile. That helps keep the peat moistened in the deeper parts of the container, so the water doesn't rush through the spaces so quickly.
(I have really come to dislike peat moss in container mixes. I avoid it whenever I can. I understand not wanting to disturb a plant that is doing well, though.
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If you can do it, water the containers by immersion once in awhile. That helps keep the peat moistened in the deeper parts of the container, so the water doesn't rush through the spaces so quickly.
(I have really come to dislike peat moss in container mixes. I avoid it whenever I can. I understand not wanting to disturb a plant that is doing well, though.
)Submersion...yes, that is "do-able". Great tip. I am getting tired of peat in potting mix as well. Next go around will get some hard thought on eliminating or severely reducing the peat.Kisal wrote:I use a mulch on top of the soil in larger containers. Sphagnum moss is kind of traditional for that purpose, but I've used other mulches, too. The one thing I have against sphagnum moss is that it tends to harbor insects.
If you can do it, water the containers by immersion once in awhile. That helps keep the peat moistened in the deeper parts of the container, so the water doesn't rush through the spaces so quickly.
(I have really come to dislike peat moss in container mixes. I avoid it whenever I can. I understand not wanting to disturb a plant that is doing well, though.
Thanks for the help!