A lot of folks consider sphagnum moss and peat moss as the same thing, but they ain’t the same thing.
They’re really two different stages of the same plant and have much different qualities.
So, which one should you use; peat moss or sphagnum moss?
Before you purchase either type of moss, you should know exactly what you’re growing, and what method of growing you want to do. Sphagnum moss is better to use as a growing medium for seed starters, and soilless growing, overall, but peat moss is better for a soil amendment, and for growing plants that love acidic soil.
What Is Sphagnum Moss
Sphagnum moss occurs on the surface of a swamp.
It is commonly found in wet areas and is harvested in:
- Michigan
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Scotland
Only 3% of the Earth’s surface is covered by moss bogs, and some of them took thousands of years to form.
After harvest, it takes a bog between 5 to 20 years to return to balanced ecosystem.
This is why it is important to harvest responsibly, so that the ecosystem is preserved and the sphagnum moss can grow again.
After sphagnum moss is harvested, it is dehydrated and packaged.
You can purchase sphagnum moss at:
- craft stores
- gardening supply stores
- greenhouses
- or from an online retailer
You can purchase sphagnum moss in its natural spongy, long fibered form or shredded.
Sphagnum moss is easy to find in small bags just about anywhere.
Sphagnum Moss Characteristics:
- neutral pH
- retains 20x its weight in water
- pliable growing medium
- spongy structure
- 100% moss with no other plant material
What Is Peat Moss
So if sphagnum moss is what grows on the surface of a swamp or bog, what is peat moss?
When sphagnum moss dies and rots, it settles at the bottom of a bog. It takes 15-25 years to produce just an inch of peat moss at the bottom of a bog.
The reason it takes so long is because there is no oxygen to assist with the decomposition process.
In order to harvest peat moss, here is the process:
- It first starts with clearing out the sphagnum moss.
- Then the entire bog must drained and dried.
- Once the bog; peat moss can be vacuumed out, dried out, sieved, and compressed into bales to sell.
When the peat moss is raked, some of the other matter is removed, however; there will still be bugs and other decaying plants mixed in.
Overall, this process is quite destructive, while technically sphagnum moss and peat moss are renewable, peat moss is currently listed as a non-renewable resource.
Once the peat moss is harvested, a bog is most likely not going to reform in that location.
This process also makes peat moss expensive, but peat moss is a phenomenal soil amendment.
If the environmental aspect and economic cost are overlooking, there are alternatives to using peat.
Peat moss is a usually cheaper amendment in the potting and garden soils, it can assist to loosen the clay, it is excellent for water retention, and many acid loving plants appreciate the high acidity of the peat moss.
But, there is alternatives to raising peat moss if the environmental aspect and being too rich for your garden are part of it!
Peat Moss Characteristics:
- Acidic; pH of about 3.5 to 4
- Can hold 10 times its weight in water
- Devoid of nutrients
- Sterile from the decaying process and further drying
- Dark brown, fibrous texture
What Should You Use
| Moss Type | General Use | What Plants Like It |
|---|---|---|
| Sphagnum Moss | Soilless growing, hanging baskets | Begonias, orchids, calatheas, carnivorous plants, succulents |
| Peat Moss | Soil amendment for gardens, raised garden beds, and potted plants | Blueberries, azaleas, tomatoes, roses, hydrangeas, acid-loving plants |
Sphagnum vs Peat moss
Sphagnum Moss
Soilless Growing
Soil can be pretty watery and rot plants like orchids or succulents.
By placing them in sphagnum moss directly without any soil, there is no water that can accumulate and drown the roots.
Sphagnum moss is also used for soilless growing. You can create moss balls, wreaths, and other frame builds with moss, not soil.
Hanging Baskets
Every year, those hanging flower baskets that show up around Mother’s Day use sphagnum moss too.
Rather than using plain plastic baskets to grow plants, they use a sphagnum moss basket to make their floral arrangement more visually interesting.
Peat Moss
Seed Starters
Peat moss is typically used as seed starters.
Those little “dirt” disks that you can add water to and they expand are made of peat moss.
Peat moss is an excellent medium for starting seeds because of its incredible sterility, and your precious, tender little seedlings will appreciate you not providing them with a growing medium with the possibility of harmful bacteria.
Soil Amendment
Peat moss is one of the most widely used soil amendments.
It works miracles for super dry areas. Peat moss holds water really well, so those really dry areas can hold moisture when it rains.
Peat moss can affect the pH of your soil, so keep that in mind when adding it to your soil.
1 part peat moss, to 2 parts soil, is a good spot to get started.
This mix applies to all types of gardening.
Go easy: Whenever you add peat moss to your gardens, whether in the ground, raised garden bed, or potted plants, you should always be careful with how much peat moss you are adding, and maintain the 1:2 (peat to soil) ratio.
Final Thoughts
Who’d a thought the same moss in different stages would have two totally different uses?
This why there is no right answer when asking what is better.
If you want to ”soiless” grow then sphagnum moss is the outperforms. If you want to germinate seeds with seed growing soil or raise soil acidity to grow plants that required acidity then you need peat moss.
The best is something.
If you can would altogether sphagnum moss and peat moss they are not a renewable resource, because of the amount of destruction it takes to harvest moss, and how long it takes to replenish if at all?
You can use coco coir in place of sphagnum moss. It too has a neutral pH, but it is a renewable growing medium that is a byproduct from coconut harvesting.
Compost is the best substitute for peat moss. You can make compost at home!