Sowing seeds in moss peat?

FionnG · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:35 am Post subject: Sowing seeds in moss peat?

Hi there,
I bought two blueberry plants from quick crop.
I read they like acidic soil so I did some more research,
And they say to plant them in peat moss so I bought two 100 litre bags of
Tippland moss peat made from sphagnum moss.
I will probably have some left over so I was wondering can I sow seeds in it?
Thank you,
Fionn.

Blowin · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:29 am Post subject:

As no-one's come back to you yet, if the variety of seeds requires an alkaline soil, you could use up your peat by mixing in some crumbled soil and adding a handful of granulated lime, just to take the sting out of the acidity.

FionnG · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 8:51 am Post subject:

Hi blowin
Thanks for your reply.
I think I will just try use up the moss peat,
And just buy seed sowing/multipurpose compost for sowing the seeds.
I think that might be better just incase the seeds don't like the moss peat.
Thanks again,
Fionn.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 10:39 am Post subject:

I find moss peat a little 'chunky' for seed sowing and not as acidic as you would assume. I'd use it up mixed with a little chicken poo fertiliser as a top dressing. My roses seem to like it!

Most of our garden is peat. But for years it was used to grow veg and was limed. It's weird but I stuggle to grow acid-loving plants and have my blueberries in a bed of their own.

FionnG · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:22 am Post subject:

Thank you for the reply.
Would I mix it with chicken poo for the blueberries or for roses?
Does the poo have to be well rotted?
I have around 40 breeding hens so I have lots of it!
Here's a link to my website.
http://fionnsfowl.weebly.com/

Sue Deacon · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:38 am Post subject:

I use the organic pelleted stuff, all the hard work is done and I use it on almost everything!

If you are lucky enough to have your own chucks you'll have to compost it first. I think you can add it to a compost heap - but not all in one go. Are they on litter, straw, sawdust or earth? That will have some bearing on how long it takes to rot down.

When we moved into what was our last 'family' home in England we discovered there had been a henhouse in the garden years before. The base was still there and my dad used it as the veg bed. EVERYTHING grew and grew well! That's why I use the pelleted stuff now. You are SO lucky! Very Happy

Blowin · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 10:16 am Post subject:

Amen to that, Sue. I bought a very cheap bucket of pelleted Chicken manure last year from Aldi and am impressed with my humble results. With the exception of Runner and Broad Beans, I dib most things in and put a few pellets in before the plant. No waste and I know each one has food.

Good guy · Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2017 10:21 pm Post subject:

I've had good results with chicken manure from Aldi too, scattered on the lawn and the beds.