Safely handling peat moss....

Peat is used as a medium in my gardens and greenhouses a LOT! I usually buy it by the bale, and I always think it will last forever, but it is gone before I know it!

I mix my soils and medium in a big OLD cement mixer. It doesn't even have a motor on it, but it turns so fast by hand, I don't need a motor. I don't know that it ever had a motor on it.
I mix the mediums in the mixer, then park a wagon in front of it filled with pots. It is a snap to fill the pots then, just almost pour it from the mixer. Setting up pots is one of my least favorite jobs, so I am happy with anything that helps me get this done.

~Back to the facts about Peat~


As a rule, it takes dry peat a long time to absorb water. If you have cuttings in peat/perlite medium, you need to take care to not let them dry out. Water will bead up on top ot the medium, and seems to evaporate quicker than it is absorbed. It will hold water well, if you don't let it dry out to start with.


It is not good to be breathing the dry peat, either!


When I get a bale or a bag of peat in, I always poke a hole in the package and insert the water hose. Let the water run on low volumn until the peat is damp. Then mix it with perlite, vermiculite, sand or whatever you are using.


Much better to be safe than sorry.

Making violet babies

Propagating violets is so easy and so rewarding! Anyone can do it, with minimal equipment and almost no effort.

Supplies needed include a healthy violet plant.
1 styrofoam cup, 1 plastic disposable cup (as shown),
a wooden skewer
about 1/3 cup perlite
about 1/3 cup vermiculite.
Rooting hormone powder
Distilled water, if you have 'city' water.

With the wooden skewer, poke 4 holes in the side of the styrofoam cup, close to the bottom. Do them opposite each other. Then poke a row of holes about 1 1/2" up from the bottom, about 1/2" apart.

The bottom holes are to allow the rooting medium in the cup to pull water into the cup. The top row of holes is for drainage. If the water gets that high, it should be able to drain out.

Pour the vermiculite into the styrofoam cup. Pour the perlite on top of the vermiculite. Place the styrofoam cup inside the plastic cup (as shown), and add water up to (but not above) the top row of holes. Cut a leaf from the mother plant, including as much stem as possible. Dip the stem in rooting hormone, tap off the excess, and stick into the perlite in the cup.
Set the cup on a sunny window sill, but not where it will get direct sun on it. Bright light is needed here, not hot light. I use a window on the SE side of my house. Just remember to keep the plant watered.

After 6-8 weeks, you will see little leaves like this coming up through the perlite. I usually let them grow out a bit before I transplant them into their very own violet pot.

It is amazing how many different violets there are. Smooth leaves, curly leaves, flowers of all colors. Try this, it is fun.