tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post5998986523526829531..comments2024-03-17T19:32:26.043+00:00Comments on Daughter of the Soil: Do Ireland a favour ... don't buy peatRebsie Fairholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17811733792196954188noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-92205385826160825992009-06-03T10:18:54.189+01:002009-06-03T10:18:54.189+01:00It's a bit late to be commenting on this, but ...It's a bit late to be commenting on this, but years ago I used to make compost to the JI formulae, but using leafmould instead of peat. ~After trying various peat-free composts I'm planning to go back to it. I used to sterilise it either by baking in the oven (quick but smelly) or dousing it in Jeye's Fluid and leaving it for six weeks until the smell vanished.Robert Brenchleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17006227551531676492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-90187389158364164672007-04-06T02:31:00.000+01:002007-04-06T02:31:00.000+01:00i am creating my new garden. tq for your imformati...i am creating my new garden. tq for your imformative topicsalimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06147456938094435065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-83502117060002242072007-04-06T02:29:00.001+01:002007-04-06T02:29:00.001+01:00goodgoodsalimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06147456938094435065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-929703371905613802007-04-06T02:29:00.000+01:002007-04-06T02:29:00.000+01:00This comment has been removed by the author.salimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06147456938094435065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-75711998443957785552007-03-21T14:38:00.000+00:002007-03-21T14:38:00.000+00:00Some interesting perspectives there, Patrick!How s...Some interesting perspectives there, Patrick!<BR/><BR/>How serious an issue peat mining is probably depends on the context. In Scotland and Ireland people have been cutting the peat for centuries and burning it as their main source of fuel, but this seems to cause negligible damage ... mainly because these tend to be sparsely populated areas and the peat regenerates quickly from small-scale disturbance.<BR/><BR/>The issue of it being good for the economy is also a tricky one ... my concern is that, in this part of the world at least, mining is mainly done by companies from outside the area and it probably isn't the locals who are seeing the lion's share of the cash.Rebsie Fairholmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17811733792196954188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-61916923543379904722007-03-21T14:05:00.000+00:002007-03-21T14:05:00.000+00:00I think this issue means different things to diffe...I think this issue means different things to different people.<BR/><BR/>There's little doubt that someone who damages an attractive landscape by mining it for cheap potting soil belongs in prison. I think that is a very stupid thing to do.<BR/><BR/>At the same time I was in Estonia a couple of years ago, and I was talking with someone who lives next to a peat bog that was in the process of being mined. <BR/><BR/>To her it was not a particularly attractive area, and she was certain the claims that it takes a long time to regenerate were overstated. She said it took at most 20-30 years to grow back. She said many local people heated their houses by burning it and it was cheap, clean and more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. She was quite happy with the prospect of it being exported, because their economy needed the cash. This is all her point of view, not mine!!<BR/><BR/>It's like so many things these days, you don't always know the full story behind what you buy, and so it's just best to avoid if at all possible. I do think there are some more responsible ways of mining it than others. I think it's also important to give some thought to the matter, before choosing an alternative regardless of the costs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-39221357454603243702007-03-19T22:16:00.000+00:002007-03-19T22:16:00.000+00:00I agree with Patrick- it is a very difficult subj...I agree with Patrick- it is a very difficult subject (I have used peat in the past to help break up my heavy clay soil). I try to avoid buying it, as I have become aware of the importance of the bogs.<BR/><BR/>AT least we don't burn it! I once had someone give me some peat bricks for the stove!cyndyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18006126625281714507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-34799145792355252222007-03-19T18:50:00.000+00:002007-03-19T18:50:00.000+00:00Thanks for the comments everyone, they're apprecia...Thanks for the comments everyone, they're appreciated.<BR/><BR/>John, the bricks make 8 litres of compost, so four of them should be roughly equivalent to a compost bag.Rebsie Fairholmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17811733792196954188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-40950478292251527522007-03-19T13:46:00.000+00:002007-03-19T13:46:00.000+00:00Rebsie - how many bricks do you use to make say a ...Rebsie - how many bricks do you use to make say a bag (35litres) of compost?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-23590829942159415042007-03-19T01:02:00.000+00:002007-03-19T01:02:00.000+00:00Very enlightening. I think most of the peat sold i...Very enlightening. I think most of the peat sold in the US comes from Canada, but I assume the results are the same as in Ireland, as far as the landscape and environmental impact. I'm going to do some more research on it.Carol Michelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07796344366326535406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-70783373204616453782007-03-18T13:34:00.000+00:002007-03-18T13:34:00.000+00:00This is really a difficult topic, because like you...This is really a difficult topic, because like you said there really aren't a lot of green alternatives to peat based potting soil, and they are often much more expensive. If they are transported a long distance, they also aren't very green. The coir is however a good idea, I'll have to see if I can find a local supplier.<BR/><BR/>I personally try to use as much homemade compost as possible, but it's often hard to make this in sufficient quantities. Homemade compost is also not suitable for small seedlings, because there is too much bacteria in it, and this can cause damping off diseases in very young plants. Most people also find it too dirty for indoor use. You can sterilize it in an oven, but this wastes a lot of energy.<BR/><BR/>It's a very difficult subject. In the end, it's probably better to just not grow anything in pots you don't need to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-39560106665008861642007-03-18T12:26:00.000+00:002007-03-18T12:26:00.000+00:00Thank you for all the detailed info re peat. My ga...Thank you for all the detailed info re peat. My garden was started 16 years ago. I am writing the story of how we created a garden for wildlife. I try to be a sgreen as I can so your info is some more help to me.A wildlife gardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08261817184002496844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-8620386603895689572007-03-17T23:14:00.000+00:002007-03-17T23:14:00.000+00:00Thanks for enlightening me about the coir pots.......Thanks for enlightening me about the coir pots.....these are just what I need. I did reluctantly buy some peat ones a couple of weeks ago, but am happier, much much happier, to be able to use these in future!lilymarlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12370053859106368722noreply@blogger.com