Wood, Peat moss's doppelganger
February 5, 2018 - W. Garrett Owen
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EmailChipped, shredded, or fiberized, wood was once thought to be a possible alternative to peat moss, and is now a reality. Commercially available woodbased substrates are becoming more commonly trialed among greenhouse growers or implemented in greenhouse production (Fig. 1). While there are a handful of commercialized wood-based substrates available to greenhouse growers, smaller localized substrate producers and growers have begun formulating their own mixes with wood materials. Whether you purchase a pre-formulated wood-based substrate or incorporate wood materials as components or extend your peat supply with a pre-formulated wood-based substrate, success and challenges with the substrate will vary.
Here’s what growers need to know about wood-based substrates.
