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Question:
Ecopeat® versus Peat-Moss
Answer:
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Characteristics |
Ecopeat® |
Peat Moss |
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pH |
5.5 – 5.9
The perfect pH for plants (so no lime to
increase pH prior to use) |
Normally 4.0 – 5.0
(addition of lime is compulsory) |
|
Water Holding Capacity |
9 times its own volume, but it will not become
water-logged and as excess water drains away |
3-7 times its own volume depending upon country
of origin and quality of product, with a
tendency to waterlog |
|
Time to 'Take Up Water' |
Very rapid because Ecopeat® (microsponges)
sponge-like structure which have the ability to
absorb large quantities of water very quickly |
Considerably slower than Ecopeat®
because peat moss does not have a sponge-like structure but relies on its 'boat
shaped' structure of the leaves of the sphagnum
moss to hold water but modern harvesting
techniques damage this structure |
|
Soil longevity before grower must replace or
add product due to degradation and / or
shrinkage |
Approx. 5 years with the reason being that
Ecopeat® has a naturally high lignin
content (approx 45%) which inhibits bacterial
and fungal breakdown and thus allows the Ecopeat®
to biodegrade much most slowly than traditional
peat moss |
6 months to 1 year depending upon the country of
origin & quality of product |
|
Ability to retain Air (oxygen) (AFP) |
Ecopeat® has the ability to retain
high AFP, at the same time being able to hold
large quantities of water without becoming
water-logged |
When water is added to peatmoss it tends to
reduce the AFP, thereby preventing vital oxygen
getting to the roots |
|
Shrinkage |
Due to its high lignin and cellulose structure,
it does not shrink and outlives the lifespan of
peat. |
Peat moss shrinks away from the sides of the
pot/container and, when water is added, it
simply drains down the sides. Also, where plants
have to be kept for a long period of time,
containers filled with peat moss have to be
regularly "topped up" using more material and
more labour therefore more cost. |
|
Water retention ability |
Very long, since Ecopeat®
is composed of cells that both look and act like
sponges and will hold 78% with excess water
simply draining away. Also, the top 1 cm of the
substrate produced with Ecopeat®
dries quickly & this helps stop moisture
evaporation |
Peat-Moss has very little ability to retain
water and therefore peat moss must be irrigated
much more frequently |
|
Degree of porosity |
Excellent - without the addition of any other
costly material. Ecopeat®
normally has 96% pore space and this allows
water to drain easily through Ecopeat®
thus preventing water logging but, at the same
time, holding maximum amounts of water (78%) in
the micro sponges, which remains available - at
low tensions - to the plants when/as required.
Also, Ecopeat® has no "dry
spots" |
Normally you must add costly coarse material
like bark or perlite etc. to achieve a more
acceptable porosity |
|
If allowed to dry out, will it cap? |
Due to Ecopeat’s®
structure, the sponges remain open and will
absorb water very rapidly |
Peat moss, which has a high percentage of
"fines" which come to the top of the
pot/container, sealing the surface therefore
making re-wetting very difficult, unless
expensive wetting agents are used |
|
Mixing with sand |
For Root Zone mixes (i.e. golf course
construction) as little as 10% Ecopeat®
needs to be used to add the organic content to
the Root Zone mix to obtain the required water
retention and maximum percolation |
Normally 20% peat moss is necessary. However,
peat moss forms a "barrier layer" which reduces
percolation |
|
Do we need wetting agent to wet product |
With Ecopeat® there is no
need to use a "wetting agent" because of its
unique sponge-like structure |
Yes, with peat-moss you need a "wetting agent" |
|
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) |
Ecopeat® has high CEC
ratio thus nutrient ions are bound in the
molecular structure and are not leached away but
are held for release to the plant as required |
Normally peat moss has a low CEC ratio unless
additives such as perlite are added to help
prevent the leaching away of nutrients and ions |
|
Where sold |
Worldwide, especially where water retention and
preventing evaporation are major priorities |
Worldwide |
Question:
Many people often talk of excessive
salts in coconut husk based substrates; how does ECOPEAT
deal with this problem?
Answer: Coconut husks from which ECOPEAT products are made
from, do in fact contain naturally formed high levels of
Potassium Chloride and lesser lever of Sodium Chlorides at
the primary processing stage. These salts are also nutrients
in another sense, but they are reduced to a beneficial level
by four basic processes. Ageing, Ageing by Influenced by
bacterial introduction, washing & buffering which means the
products are chemically exchange & discharge of salts prior
to it being used as a growing medium.
Question: I am conversant in using Peat Moss for my seedling
trays in which I grow salt sensitive plants such as lettuce.
Will Ecopeat's 25 Kilo bale break up in my old paddle type
mixer?
Answer: Yes indeed, just as easily as the peat moss; maybe
easier perhaps, but please take into consideration that ECOPEAT absorbs & retains much more water than peat moss and
therefore you must add a little more water; in this
instance, more liberally and quite Ideally, the soluble seed
starter fertilizer in a hydration solution of around 60 LT
per bale is recommended.
Question: How do we deal with the pH level of Ecopeat? Is it
similar to Peat Moss?
Answer: The pH in Peat Moss is acidic and an addition of
lime is the normal procedure to balance out the pH to
average pH 6.5. The average pH level found in ECOPEAT is
slightly more alkaline;5.8-6.4, which is the ideal level for
seed and plant propagation.
Question: Can I use ECOPEAT in my present gutter system &
containers where I grow Roses?
Answer: Ecopeat has a specialized blend of coir pith &
buffered crushed husk which has proved itself as an ideal
substrate for Roses. The blend combines a medium high water
holding capacity with an excellent level of Air Filled
Porosity and fast run off of excess water which also means
that the excessive salts get washed off quicker than its
counterparts which is essential for high quality blooms.
Finer lateral roots develop very quickly and it is known
that the overall production is increased by over 20% in the
first and second years of cut flower production. What’s
more, the substrate lends itself to the commercial lifespan
of the plant resulting in an overall saving which equals
profit.
Question: Can I grow plants such as Gerbera in Ecopeat?
Answer: Of course! In Gerbera production, a high Air Filled
Porosity with fast run off & a lower water retention level
is essential. Traditionally, a grower would formulate a
blend of peat and perlite, grow rocks or vermiculite 60% :
40% ratio. This feature has been remarkably “engineered” by
Ecopeat by blending the exact proportions of pith, fibre &
crushed husk to simulate an Air Filled Porosity and Water
Holding Capacity required to perform in the most efficient
manner.
Question: Can I ask for a CROP SPECIFIC BLEND which I would
like to know about?
Answer: Yes, indeed, at Ecopeat, we understand that most
your problems and questions pose challenges; In this
backdrop, we would like to assure you that we are backed by
a group with a history of practical, “hands on”
horticulturists who posses over two decades of tried &
tested methods in your crop and a collective resources of
over 300 years of horticulture & hydroponics.
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