Peat moss is decomposing parts of Sphagnum moss and is usually
found deep in a bog. It is rich in organic matter and also is
acidic so can be used to lower the pH in soil. Growing in bogs
around the world peat moss is deposited at a rate of about about
1 mm a year, so a metre deep patch would take around a thousand
years to grow. Peat can be bought in bags from horticultural
suppliers. The blacker the peat, known as sedge peat(the residue
from sedges and grasses) is older and less stable than the
younger, browner sphagnum moss peat (derived from sphagnum
moss). Sedge peat decomposes rapidly and can become a soggy
airless mass if allowed to get very wet. It is best not use it
as a potting mixture and only in the garden if nothing else is
available. Sphagnum peat can make an excellent, if expensive,
soil conditioner . It is widely available and well worth its
price. There is a popular misconception that the darker the peat
the, the more fertile it is. Nothing could be further from the
truth. In fact, peats cont