Sphagnum moss is a non vascular plant that grows on rocks & tree branches in moist climates. Sphagnum moss is used in horticulture for various purposes, they include:
- Creating moss baskets where the plants can grow out from all around the basket through the moss.
- Planting or mounting epiphytic plants like Orchids, Bromeliads, Staghorn Ferns onto branches or in well drained potting mixes.
- For creating an attractive decorative ground cover for potted house plants.
Peat Moss is harvested from bogs that have been drained of their water. The peat is finely ground up decomposed mosses & other bog plants. This product is used as a soil amendment, it is often added to soil to help it hold water & to increase the soils porosity. Peat is very acidic & is good at neutralizing strongly alkaline soils. Peat is however a nonrenewable resource in that a bog essentially has to be destroyed in order to harvest the peat moss. Many bogs like the forest are home to unique & rare plants & animals. Coir which is ground up Coconut shells is an alternative to Peat Moss. It is neutral so it does not offer any acidity. Coir decomposes slower than Peat Moss. Both products are hydrophobic when dry so they need to be kept from becoming completely dessicated.
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