Peat Bog types and characteristics
Each peat bog is different and peat moss harvested from it will also vary. There are many different peat bog types depending on the location, climate and other factors. Just to mention a few: Valley, Raised, Blanket, Quaking bog, Cataract bog – there are many more!
Peat bogs can also be classified by the nutrient content available: Eutrophic bog, Mesotrophic bog, and Oligotrophic bog.
The most valued characteristics of peat moss are stable structure, variety in coarseness, sterility, and the ability to increase the soil’s capacity to retain moisture and enrich the soil.
Such quality peat is harvested only from the young top layers of a well-established raised peat bog H1-H4. For a really good quality peat moss and superior structure, very important is the content of sphagnum peat moss in the fauna in and around the bog.
As sphagnum peat content creates strong uniformity in the peat structure making its characteristics much better than Blanket bog or Fen bog peat, where high grass, humidity, and other material content do not contribute to peat structure and effectiveness so much.
Surely there are uses for darker, more humid almost black peat from Fen bogs or Blanket bogs, but it is limited and will never be able to provide what a good structure white peat can do. As historically this was the most used type of peat due to availability and difficulties with preparing high raised bogs and harvesting young peat, it is time to leave the past behind and realize the power of white peat.
Preparations before harvesting
Another very important note is how the peat bog has been prepared for harvest!
A quality process of preparing peat bog for harvest would take at least 3 years and you need to make sure you get rid of as much wood and root material as possible. Many producers try to skip or cut these steps, as it is massive money and time investment. Resulting in a mediocre quality product.
Also, a big role in the quality and purity of peat moss plays the harvesting, processing, and screening equipment.
SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND ALL PEAT IS DIFFERENT, PRODUCERS ARE DIFFERENT, AND PEAT MOSS QUALITY IS ALSO VERY DIFFERENT. EVEN IF THE BOGS ARE LOCATED NEAR TO EACH OTHER.
PLEASE KNOW – When working with Nord Agri, you can be SURE that:
- Nord Agri peat moss is harvested in a responsible way to nature
- Our High Raised peat bogs are very carefully prepared prior to harvest
- Our processing and harvesting equipment is at the top of the line.
- We pay great attention to detail and a sustainable vision of our and your future.
- You always get the best of the best quality.