PEATLANDS International 1/2013
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PEATLANDS
International 1/2013
Growing Media in Balance
Environmental Footprints
Sphagnum Biomass and its Use
Peat in Swedish Horticulture
Peatlands for Education
IPS Annual Report 2012
The magazine for members and friends of the International Peat Society
1
One hundred years of shared history and sustainable growth www.klasmann-deilmann.com
PEATLANDS In this issue
international
1/2013
Publisher
IPS Insights
International Peat Society
Kauppakatu 19 B 31, 3rd floor Editorial: Transparency is needed when using natural resources 3
FIN-40100 Jyväskylä, Finland International Peat Technology Symposium in Riga 2014 2
E-mail: ips@peatsociety.org Welcome to the IPS Annual Assembly in Leiden 4
Web: www.peatsociety.org From the President’s Desk: Peat family reunion time! 5
New IPS members 49
Editor-in-Chief Sign up as IPS member 53
In memoriam: Prof. Dr. Rouse S. Farnham 54
Jaakko Silpola, Secretary General How do I use the special website for IPS members? 55
mobile: +358 50 406 4836 IPS and related peat and peatland events 56
jaakko.silpola@peatsociety.org
Peat and Sphagnum as growing media
Assistant to the
Editor-in-Chief Growing media – they all have an environmental footprint! 8
Growing Media in Balance 12
Susann Warnecke, Peat as Constituent for Growing Media – A Message from
Communications Manager the Netherlands 16
mobile: +358 40 418 4075 Peat in Swedish horticulture – some personal reflections 18
susann.warnecke@peatsociety.org Novarbo Oy lays the groundwork for profitable and
sustainable professional cultivation 22
Editorial Board Impact of peat substrates with different concentration of
indole-3-acetic acid on ornamental plant cultivation 25
Paul Short, Canada Peat-free growing media: Sphagnum biomass 28
Juhani Päivänen, Finland Sphagnum biomass - the next Generation of Growing Media 32
Michael Trepel, Germany
Catherine Farrell, Ireland Research on other topics
Lech Szajdak, Poland
Anne Jelle Schilstra, the Netherlands Tellus Border – Soil Carbon and Peat Depth Assessment
Marie Kofod-Hansen, Sweden Using Airborne Geophysical Data 36
Allan Robertson, United Kingdom Reed as a Renewable Resource – International conference on
Tom Malterer, USA utilisation of wetland plants 40
The Value and Use of Peatlands for Education 44
Layout
For and from the industry
Susann Warnecke, IPS Secretariat
Yliveto Oy Increase return - reduce processing costs with improved baling 50
VP-400 Tubular Film Automatic Four-Station Baler 51
Printed by
Book reviews
Saarijärven Offset Oy
Finland, in May 2013 Peatland Ecology and Forestry – a Sound Approach 52
Cover photos
Annual Report 2012
Potting Bromelia in a substrate based
on white Sphagnum peat and coco fibre.
Photo: Klasmann-Deilmann GmbH
To order Peatlands International, or to
advertise in the magazine, please visit
www.peatsociety.org/publications/
peatlands-international or contact the
Editors at ips@peatsociety.org.
ISSN 1455-8491 1
International
Peat Technology Symposium
Photo: Hannu Salo
Peat in the 21st century -
innovative approaches
in peat extraction, usage
and scientific research
Photo: Susann Warnecke
Riga, Latvia in August 2014
Editorial Jaakko Silpola
Maintaining transparency means also that
actors introduce their activities openly to all
stakeholders. Photo: Jaakko Silpola
Transparency is needed
when using natural resources
The use of natural resources must Similarly, there is great public interest and thoughts on these values.
become more and more transparent. in other uses of natural resources, International, national and local
There are clear signals for that from like forests. Timber, pulp and paper interests must be regarded by the
several sectors. companies must show the origin of economical actors as well as by
the wood they use in order to prove national and regional authorities.
For instance, discussion on the that they do not harvest forests What is the possible renewability of
quality of meat and monitoring of illegally. Different forest certificates the resource? Is there enough of it
related processes in the European like FSC and PEFC are applied to show available, can recycling and/or re-
food industry is ongoing. As you that wood is cut from responsibly using be part of the process? What
probably have noticed, it was managed areas. It is almost a must footprints do we leave? These are
discovered during past months that nowadays to use the adjacent logos if some of the ecological questions
numerous products have contained a company wants to enter the market involved.
horse meat, although the final of e.g. furniture or paper.
products, such as burgers, were sold Social sustainability is sometimes
as beef. Another topic from the food In addition, on a worldwide scale, less discussed even these days
industry is genetically modified ecological, social and economical but it is still equally important. For
(GM) food, for which different sustainability of natural resources instance the UN My World 2015
regulations and perceptions exist are continuously discussed and survey shows that jobs and secure
from country to country. Reliability, increasingly demanded by customers, incomes are still priority number one
transparency and traceability are as well as other stakeholders - at in many societies. However, which
needed in both cases to ensure least in economies where people kind of income is safe and how can
consumer trust. can afford to spend more money it be balanced between regions,
3
followed two years later, in 2010,
IPS Annual Assembly
by the Strategy for Responsible
Peatland Management (SRPM),
also coordinated by the IPS. In the
Welcom meantime, Canadian stakeholders
e!
chose and applied the VeriFlora
at the Certification for Responsible Peatland
Management for their harvesting
ISHS-IPS International Symposium on areas. And now in Europe, discussion
is ongoing to establish a European
Growing Media and Soilless Cultivation Responsibly Produced Peat (RPP)
initiative for horticultural peat.
Holiday Inn Leiden, the Netherlands
19 - 20 June 2013 All above mentioned examples show
that the use of natural raw materials,
the employment of skilled people,
and being an active part of the local
peatsociety.org/ipsleiden2013 economy and society require more
open and transparent actions every
www.grosci2013.wur.nl day - from individual companies
to industrial sectors. Only that can
provide true possibilities for long-
term existence in today’s open and
and under which conditions? What know what is the total quantity and transparent markets.
kind of social responsibility would quality of a resource in order to guide
have been needed from the Western and, if necessary, restrict its usage. The IPS does its own share by making
clothing business in order to prevent The total quantity of peatlands is peatland management practices
about 1,000 people from dying known quite well, partly also its more transparent. We in the IPS
recently in Bangladesh when a textile quality, at least in several countries carry on developing the Strategy for
factory collapsed? Industries can where peatlands are heavily used, Responsible Peatland Management
create jobs and welfare, but they also for instance in agriculture, forestry by content, but also keeping its
must carry much responsibility to and for peat extraction. The main practical application in mind. We
people and local communities. peatland types are to some extent definitely need to have national
studied and documented. But how peatland strategies based on the
Another aspect concerns tax havens well do we know the biodiversity of global SRPM viewpoints in all IPS
that are being discussed now individual peatlands, which strongly member countries. The Strategy can
very heavily when the economical differs from country to country, mire also act as an educational tool at
crisis has hit many countries. On type and region? schools and universities. However,
one hand, companies and private to fully utilise its potential, the
investors try to reduce costs, on the It can be said that the use of peat IPS as truly an international and
other hand, tax income is needed and peatlands is facing the same neutral all-stakeholder organisation
by governments in order to provide challenges as all other industries. must create more content and give
public services. Some companies There are always two options - to more examples on how to use that
are reported to have subsidiaries in tell or not to tell. Luckily it seems document in the field.
low level taxation countries and use that telling things, reporting, being
tax reliefs wherever possible. Other as open as possible is becoming Based on the SRPM values and
companies try to show their social more common, for the benefit of the actions, the IPS also has several
and economical responsibility by community and all involved. project ideas how to develop the
counting how many jobs they provide management of peatlands for the
locally and how much taxes they Some historical mile stones to years to come. Those projects will be
pay locally and to the state. Both mention from the field of peat introduced soon and you will hear
are legal, and markets might have and peatlands: The Roundtable on from us.
the chance to judge when there is Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was
enough competition. formed in 2004. The RSPO deals Wishing you very best in your living,
with various issues under eight main
How transparent and traceable is the principles, including the management
use of peat and peatlands? of tropical peat swamp forests. Later
on, the IPS took globally the initiative
Transparency of the management to introduce a Peatland Certification Jaakko Silpola
and usage of natural resources Scheme at the Tullamore Peat Secretary General of the IPS
include various aspects. We must Congress 2008. That proposal was email: jaakko.silpola@peatsociety.org
4 PEATLANDS International 1/2013
From the President’s Desk
Björn Hånell
IPS Members at a meeting in Bad Zwischenahn, Germany in
October 2012: Samu Valpola, Jaakko Silpola, Olaf Meiners,
Valerijs Kozlovs, Lulie Melling, Björn Hånell, Marie Kofod-Hansen,
Guus van Berckel, Susann Warnecke, Tanja Constabel, Gerald
Schmilewski, Silke Kumar, Andre Daum, Jack Rieley, Paul Short
and Johannes Welsch (left to right). Photo: Hotel Haus am Meer
Peat family reunion time!
Just before Midsummer the Society are welcome when its With a new Strategic Plan
in beautiful Leiden, the deciding body, the Annual Assembly, 2013-16 in place, we now have a
Netherlands. It is time for the meets to approve or disapprove our number of short-term and long-
Peat Family to gather and accounts, budget, activity plans, and term commitments to address.
I would like to welcome you more. The Convention is also a forum One immediate task is improved
all to the Annual Convention for internal, but generally open involvement with other international
of the International Peat Commissions meetings. agencies and conventions, including
Society (IPS). the United Nations Framework
All this is however not all! The on Climate Change (UNFCC), the
The Executive Board (EB) and the reunion offers an exclusive chance Convention on Biological Diversity
Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) will to get the most recent information (CBD), FAO, the International
meet jointly for two days. We have on peat and its use in horticulture Union of Forest Research
many important matters to discuss via the International Symposium Organisations (IUFRO), the Society
and decide on, following on from on Growing Media and Soilless of Wetland Scientists (SWS), and the
our brainstorming in January 2013 Cultivation. The symposium, closely International Union of Soil Sciences
on a vision, mission and aims for the linked to the Convention, is jointly (IUSS) – just to mention a few.
Society. The Chairs of our National organised by the International
Committees will have a Round Table Society of Horticultural Science (ISHS) We have a need to update the IPS
discussion, and all members of and the IPS. Enjoy! knowledge base and policy advice
5
THE GREEN CHOICE FOR SUBSTRATES
In order to comply with a it complies with the most famous European certification
sustainable management bodies requirements.
of peat resources, think
HORTIFIBRE®! Thanks to two patented processes, densities can be
adjusted which reduce or increase fiber diameter and
Peat shortages, environmental moisture retention.
preservation and carbon It enables savings on logistic costs and soil blending.
balance requirements naturally Furthermore, HORTIFIBRE® is compressible for easy
qualify HORTIFIBRE® to be the transportation and packaging.
unescapable raw material for substrate manufacturing. These are both ecological and economical advantages.
HORTIFIBRE® wood fiber is a raw material specially designed In 2012, over 600 000 m3 (785 000
for horticultural purposes. It is issued from a crushing yd3) of HORTIFIBRE® have been
wood chips process. Its agronomic properties make it an produced in Europe to be used
excellent complement to peat. It can also replace bark within growing media.
completely.
HORTIFIBRE® can be supplied all over
HORTIFIBRE is a sustainable material as it is entirely
®
Europe in bulk or in compressed
renewable and comes from unused material in the wood bales. In addition, FLORENTAISE
industry. Its carbon impact is therefore extremely low and also proposes turnkey units and
manufacturing licenses.
FLORENTAISE - Le Grand Pâtis - 44850 Saint Mars du Désert - FRANCE
Jean-Pascal CHUPIN - jean-pascal.chupin@florentaise.com - tél : +33 (0)2 40 77 44 44
Come and visit
the PEATART exhibition
at the Emsland Moormuseum
in Geeste, Germany
on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Klasmann-Deilmann
Sellf protection – Ise
June 16th until middle of August 2013
www.moormuseum.de
powered by
on climate change issues relevant to
peatland under all uses. No doubt,
Peatlands and Climate Change should
feature as a major theme at our next
World Congress (15th IPC) in Kuching,
Malaysia in 2016.
At present, most IPS members are
people directly involved in peatlands
economically and/or scientifically.
During the last two decades the
ecological and biological aspects
of peatlands have come to the
fore, mainly in relation to climate
change. So far we have given little
attention to the involvement of local
communities in peatlands, and to
the social and cultural implications
of industry and science. There The International Society for Horticultural Science
are paragraphs in our Strategy for (ISHS), represented by Bill Carlile, and the IPS with
Responsible Peatland Management Donal Clarke and Gerald Schmilewski, confirmed
(SRPM) that deal with information their conference cooperation agreement in
Stockholm in 2012. Photo: Susann Warnecke
dissemination and the engagement
of local people regarding peatland
management, but in addition to the 15th IPC two years later. In line develop a policy on peatland goods
these a social chapter of the SRPM is with our aim to promote peatland and services.
much desired. conservation globally, an IPS Task
Force on this subject is under way, One prerequisite for accomplishing
The first step to realize this wish will with special focus on developing, these engagements, and several
be to start filling the enormous gap Southern Hemisphere and tropical more that are not mentioned
in knowledge on social and cultural countries. here, is a closer cooperation with
issues in relation to peatlands. our National Committees. Use the
In a new project, ”Peatlands and Other commitments of highest expertise we have better – ask the
Indigenous People”, the aims are relevance for the Society are to experts to get more involved in our
to deliver a paper on this topic at supplement the SRPM with practical work! Moreover, we should improve
the Society, Culture and Traditions guidelines, examine the feasibility our strength with a greater number
Symposium in Riga 2014, and to of IPS meeting the research needs of IPS office holders. We need more
have the social chapter ready at of its member organizations, and to shoulders to share the workload. A
modified structure of the Society
has been suggested, and will be
considered by the SAB and the EB
during the Convention.
On a jogging tour (slow, staggering,
I don’t love it …) earlier today I had
Status Quo plugged in my ears and
one refrain went repeatedly: ”Come
on, come on, let’s work together”.
Right on for the IPS! We need more
collaboration. Perhaps more rock
music to guide us as well?
Big challenges ahead - IPS will approach them with
Björn Hånell, IPS President
the skills and optimism of its members, here in
Stockholm at IPC 2012. Photo: Susann Warnecke email: bjorn.hanell@slu.se
7
Growing media – they all
have an environmental
footprint !
Text: Gerald Schmilewski
There are many ways to look Points of view politicians avoid technical discussions
at growing media production on growing media constituents, but
and use, depending on The growing media manufacturer anyhow take decisive positions on
interests. The problem is that has to satisfy his customer’s CO2 reduction. The public might be
many stakeholders do not requirements and needs to non-informed or indifferent towards
generally understand or know sustain his own business without sourcing of raw materials.
of the viewpoints of others. jeopardizing it by making insufficient
All stakeholders must use a mixes. For the grower the growing Growing media are materials, other
holistic approach when looking medium is an indispensable working than soil in situ, in which plants are
at the pros and cons of growing material to cultivate his vegetables grown (CEN, 1999). In the EU over
Schmilewski
media constituents. and ornamental crops at the lowest
We must accept that all possible price. Environmentalists
growing media constituents might insist on peat replacement,
have an environmental suggesting “alternatives” of which Fig. 1: Indicators to be assessed
footprint – not just peat. they know little of. Understandably, when selecting growing media and
constituents thereof.
• physical • availability
• chemical • distance /transport
• biological • price
• quality consistency • plant requirements
Growing
Economic
medium
aspects
properties
Environmental
Social criteria
impacts
• employment • climate change
• kind of labor force • ecosystem quality
• community • human health
development • resources
• rural economy
Fig. 1: Indicators to be assessed when selecting growing media and constituents thereof.
8 PEATLANDS International 1/2013Photo 1: A transplanting
robot in action. Photo:
Klasmann-Deilmann GmbH
37 million m³ of growing media to improve the products, yield and make their dilution essential. Also
are produced annually by several marketing of horticultural produce. peat is not the best choice for every
hundred SMEs and a few large application! Coir pith, wood fiber,
companies (Altmann, 2008). The Horticultural requirements and green composts and composted bark
growing media produced is the growing media quality (and bark) have been used in growing
backbone of major segments of media for many years, but seldom
European horticulture. Peat – in most The growing medium must function as the sole constituent. Wrongly
applications the favored growing well under the grower’s cultivation composed growing media or use
media constituent – has gained conditions. The quality of the of less suitable constituents in too
reputation, due to its outstanding medium must be measured against high proportion will restrict plant
properties. But peat also features these conditions and the crop’s growth and can even jeopardize the
on the agenda of environmentalists, requirements. A well balanced and very existence of a grower, because
politicians, farmers, energy suppliers holistic approach needs to be taken of diminishing yields and inferior
and forestry, who have made their when choosing suitable growing product quality.
claims for their favored “Wise Uses” media or constituents thereof. Not
of peat and peatlands. only must their physical, chemical Disregarding the fact that these
and biological properties be consequences contradict EU policy
Horticulture today is an intensive evaluated, also economic aspects, which aims “to encourage producers
plant production industry. It deals environmental impacts as well as to improve (…) their product quality”
with high-value crops which are social criteria must be taken into (European Commission, 2003), it can
cultivated with high capital inputs in account. weaken horticultural markets and the
terms of labor and technology per individual grower. The use of inferior
cropping area, either in protective Peat has proven to be the best growing media constituents or even
structures (e.g. greenhouses) or overall growing media constituent peat free media is not an option for
in the field (e.g. container-grown (Schmilewski, 2008). Materials other the vast majority of applications.
nursery crops). Horticulture is than peat have been analyzed and
highly sophisticated and the use trial-tested to a great extent, and Are we being wise when using peat
of computer-controlled cultivation more research has been conducted and materials other than peat?
facilities, tailor-made fertilizers and on other materials than on peat Peatlands and peat have been
crop specific growing media are in recent decades, but all have in the stranglehold of various
essential to maintain business and characteristic drawbacks that usually interest groups for decades.
9Environmentalists, politicians, Yes, they have. In particular the peat extraction, peat use and the use
NGOs, growers and growing media vision for responsible peatland of any materials other than peat
producers all want their say on management given in the SRPM sets for the formulation of growing
this seemingly never-ending issue. a basis for a more holistic approach media.
Has the often quoted book on the for decision-making: “Promoting
“Wise use of mires and peatlands – the wise use of peatlands through Contrary to the highly ambitious
Background and principles including safeguarding their environmental, UK governmental initiative of
a framework for decision-making” social and economic functions and phasing out the horticultural use
(Joosten and Clarke, 2002) or the respecting their local, regional and of peat by 2030 (HM Government,
EPAGMA (2009) “Code of Practice for global values”. It is essential that all 2011) an ad hoc working group
Responsible Peatland Management” parties involved recognize that all representing various stakeholder
or the IPS (2010) “Strategy for three pillars of sustainability and groups (incl. representatives from
Responsible Peatland Management” sustainable development be well Wetlands International, IUCN,
(SRPM) helped in these discussions? considered. One-sided, prejudiced IPS, companies and EPAGMA) has
assessments are useless to obtain developed a report on how to
wise decisions – this is also true for enhance the peat supply chain for
Schmilewski
Table 1: Development of growing media from 1950.
Table 1: Development of growing media from 1950 (Schmilewski, 2012).
1950-1975 1975-2000 2000-2025
st nd rd
1 generation: Standardized 2 generation: Tailor-made 3 generation: Intelligent growing
growing media growing media media
R&D
Basic R&D on properties of peat Increasing R&D on materials other Increasing R&D into
Increased knowledge of plant than peat microbiological, biological, physical
requirements and GM Modern cultivation techniques and chemical interactions in
characteristics introduced (e.g. ebb and flood) growing media
Peat identified as the overall best First EU Standards for growing Breakthroughs in biotechnology
constituent media for defining growing media
Analytical methods and national microbiologically
standards developed for peat- Common use of biostimulants and
based GM biocontrol agents
EU-harmonized regulation on GM
based on EN standards
Politics & economics
Continued governmental ambition Political pressure to substitute Increased imports of peat to
to drain and develop peatlands peat in some countries sustain growing media production
(mainly for agriculture) Economic pressure on growers Strong shift of peat and growing
Industrialization of peat extraction Dependence on peat-based media production from western
Beginning of peatland protection growing media Europe to Baltic States
activity Diminishing peat resources in Large and more sophisticated
some countries horticultural enterprises
Rehabilitation begins of peat demanding more uniform growing
extraction sites after use media
Peatland management for
extraction leads to peat
certification schemes
Certification schemes for other
constituents
Growing media composition
Increased use of peat-based Peat clearly dominates as a Peat remains crucial to sustainable
growing media growing media constituent plant production
Some other constituents used Use of quality controlled Further need to use peat due to
composted materials, wood fibers inferior quality and availability of
and coir increases other constituents
Strong product diversification Increased use of materials other
than peat depending on
availability, quality and price
10 PEATLANDS International 1/2013Dutch horticulture (Bos et al., 2011).
This study was commissioned by Young plant production.
the Dutch Government and is now Photo: Klasmann-Deilmann GmbH
the basis for developing a European
certification system for ‘Responsibly
Produced Peat’. The reasoning
behind this scheme is given in the
report: “Growing media based on
peat are very important for the
Dutch horticulture sector. Peat is an
excellent material and the sector has
a long experience of how to achieve
optimal results and to minimize risks
using peat-based growing media.”
How different reasoning can be!
A life cycle assessment (LCA) of
growing media
The European Peat and Growing
Media Association (EPAGMA) growing media application assessed. Literature cited
commissioned Quantis, a Swiss- In this study”.
based team of world-leading experts Altmann, M. (2008): Socio-economic
impact of the peat and growing media
in the field of LCA studies to conduct In future life cycle assessments will
industry on horticulture in the EU. Study
a “Comparative Life Cycle Assessment be part of decision-making processes commissioned by EPAGMA.
of Horticultural Growing Media when formulating growing media. Bos, M.G., Diemont, W.H. and Verhagen,
based on Peat and other Growing However, the given impact categories A. (2011): Sustainable peat supply chain
– Report of the ad hoc working group
Media Constituents” (Quantis, 2012; do not cover the performance
Enhancing the Sustainability of the Peat
full study: www.epagma.eu). characteristics of growing media, Supply Chain for the Dutch Horticulture.
The four environmental impact nor the economic criteria or social Alterra report 2167
categories were Climate Change, aspects that need to be considered European Commission Directorate General
for Agriculture (2003): The horticulture
Ecosystem Quality, Human Health (Fig. 1).
sector in the EU –Fact sheet. Brussels.
and Resources. The results of the European Peat and Growing Media
study are most interesting and a few Future perspectives Association (2009): Code of practice for
are reported here: responsible peatland management.
HM Government (2011): The natural
No one can answer this with
choice: securing the value of nature.
• All growing media and constituents certainty. But considering the past, www.official-documents.gov.uk.
thereof have an impact on the looking at the present and predicting International Peat Society (IPS) (2010):
environment. the future as good as possible (Table Strategy for responsible peatland
management. (eds.) D. Clarke and J.
• It is not possible to clearly identify 1), we can summarize as follows
Rieley.
one growing medium as the least (Schmilewski, 2012): Joosten, H. and Clarke, D. (2002):
or the most impactful across the • Horticulture will be increasingly Wise use of mires and peatlands –
four impact categories. demanding in respect to its Background and principles including a
framework for decision-making. 304 pp.
• Growing media containing a requirements.
Saarijärvi, Finland.
relatively high proportion of peat • Due to its outstanding properties Quantis (2012): Comparative life cycle
show a higher impact in relation to and availability, peat will remain assessment of horticultural growing
the categories Climate Change and the dominating growing media media based on peat and other growing
media constituents. Study commissioned
Resources. constituent in the EU for decades
by EPAGMA. www.epagma.eu.
• Growing media containing a large to come. Schmilewski, G. (2008): The role of peat
share of green compost have a • The use of peat as a soil improver in assuring the quality of growing media.
relatively higher impact on Human will decline further, not for Mires and Peat; vol. 3, article 2. http://
www.mires-and-peat.net/.
Health. performance reasons, but because
Schmilewski, G. ( 2012): The view from
• Growing media with a high share this application can be substituted Europe. HDC News – Growing media
of coir pith have the highest impact by e.g. composts. review; pp. 5-7.
relating to Ecosystem Quality. • Constituents other than peat
(mainly local/regional sources) will Gerald Schmilewski
The study concludes that “in general, be used increasingly in growing Chair of IPS Commission II -
it is not possible to clearly identify media; pre-conditions are their Industrial use of peat and peatlands
Klasmann-Deilmann GmbH, Germany
one growing medium constituent as availability and assured quality. phone: +49 5937 310
having the least or the most impact • Phasing out peat in horticulture is gerald.schmilewski@klasmann-deilmann.com
across the four categories and the not a realistic option. www.klasmann-deilmann.com
11Growing Media in Balance
Text: Hans Verhagen
Nowadays requirements for for constituents do form a main examined on their effect on quality
horticultural growing media factor. Qualifiers for constituents of the final peat fraction. Also the
are more strict when compared are a tool to manage production harvesting technique – mechanical
to past decades. Horticultural of Growing Media with the desired and vacuum harvesting – were taken
enterprises are large scale and characteristics. into account.
have modern equippment.
Markets demand delivery of RHP searched for qualifiers for Refinement
specific qualityto a specific peat and a method to connect the
time table. Quality of plants growing medium with the grower. In Fine particles do influence the
must be uniform within large this article a short overview. water/air ratio in growing media.
batches and on time. All this The content of particles 0-1 mm – as
also effects growing media What defines quality? determined in a sieve analysis – is of
demands. big influence on the air filled porosity
Principally the cultivation does (AFP). The higher the content of fine
Whenever quality varies, or set the primary requirements. particles, the lower the AFP. Plants do
characteristics of a growing Requirements which must be met by need a minimum percentage of AFP
medium is not equal to previous the growing medium. Further back in for optimal growth.
deliveries, problems in cultivation the chain this also sets requirements
can appear. Beside plant related for the constituents, such as peat. The share of fine particles in a peat
requirements growing media must Making a deliberate choice is not material is severely influenced by the
meet requirements in other fields always easy, because useful qualifiers production techniques on the peat
such as logistics, economics and often are lacking. bog. By using vacuum harvesting the
sustainability. Growing media must content of fine particles increased
be balanced on many aspects. Qualifiers for peat by 50% compared to mechanical
harvesting. For mechanical
Producing a growing medium with Over the last years RHP-Research harvesting refinement was marginal.
desired properties is one thing. worked, together with participating
Adapting it to the grower in such companies, on qualifiers for peat. If the production of peat-fractions
a way that its full potential comes In this article three of these are is the objective, then sod/block
to expression in a successful crop, described; fraction distribution, production is preferred. Research
is another thing. To achieve this, water uptake and structure stability. showed, whenever sods/blocks
quality must be defined, for the In various research projects, were properly dry, that less fine
growing medium as well as for the production techniques – sod/block particles appear in the final produced
underlying constituents. Qualifiers production and milling – were fractions. Fractions produced from
sods/blocks were significantly more
effective in growing media.
The choice for a production
technique is based on multiple
aspects (e.g. financial, harvesting-
speed and -capacity, etc). However,
it is important to understand that
fractions, produced with different
techniques, visually seem the same,
but perform differently.
Picture 1: What
defines quality?
12 PEATLANDS International 1/2013Graph: Fine particles
0-1 mm in peat in relation
to AFP
roots. Stability is often incorporated
in growing media by using peat
fractions. RHP investigated the
effect of production techniques on
stability of growing media. Generally
peat fractions produced from sods/
blocks were significantly more stable
Water repellency producing peat as sods or blocks, compared to fractions produced
water repellency was much lower from milled peat. Stable fractions
Most peat materials do show water compared to milled peat in general. contribute to structure-stability in
repellent behavior when strongly the pot!
dried. Water repellency can cause Structure stability
major problems in growing media, Modeling with qualifiers
leading to loss of plants. Production Especially for larger pot plants
techniques showed to have major stability of the growing medium is The research projects of RHP resulted
impact on the appearance of water of major importance to maintain into models which are used by
repellency. Milled peat, when the desired structure during the participating companies. With these
vacuum harvested, became more cultivation period. A good structure models the effects of constituents
water repellent compared with provides optimal uptake of water, in mixtures can be predicted to a
mechanically harvested peat. When oxygen and nutrition by the plant certain extent. Models do include
Photo: Anthurium in
flooded bed system.
Photo: RHP
1314 PEATLANDS International 1/2013
aspects such as fertilization, structure developed by RHP. The RHP potting
stability, water holding capacity and reference does show the standard Measure it yourself!
velocity of water uptake. compaction of a growing medium in
practice. As such it provides clarity The method for
The RHP potting reference concerning the volume needed to fill
a certain amount of pots. Based on
measuring the RHP
In Europe a delivered volume of a the practical density of the growing Potting Reference is
growing medium is declared by a medium, also physical characteristics publicly available.
normalized European method (EN (water holding capacity, air filled
12580). Physical and nutritional porosity), and fertilization can be set The method
parameters also can be declared better in respect to the requirements
by EN methods. Based on these of the grower.
description can be
methods of analysis, growing obtained by sending a
media can be produced to fit the Hans Verhagen request to the author,
requirements of growers. Senior Researcher RHP verhagen@rhp.nl.
email: verhagen@rhp.nl
www.rhp.nl
However, a well produced growing
medium is not always a guarantee
for successful cultivation. The
application itself of the growing
medium in the pot is of major
What is RHP?
importance. A growing medium
with principally good aeration, can RHP, established in 1963, aims to serve as the
lose this due to tight potting by the European expertise centre in the field of growing
grower. Whenever peat changes
due to seasonal influences during
media, soil supplies and soil improvement.
production, the quality of the final
growing medium also changes. RHP supports participating companies in
Declaration by standard methods has
no relation to the final application. technical development, which can result in a
distinctive position in the market. This is to
To achieve a good connection
between the production of growing
be achieved by means of innovative research,
media and the use of them in quality improvement and product certification.
horticulture, a new reference was
Responsible Management Peat News
of Peatlands –
Are you receiving Peat
Implications for the
News, the monthly
Industrial Sector
email newsletter of
the International Peat
19 - 20 February 2014
Society? If not, send
at Université Laval, Québec, Canada
your email address
Organized by the Peatland Ecology
still today to
Research Group with Commission V of
susann.warnecke@
the IPS and the Canadian Chapter of
peatsociety.org.
the Society of Wetland Scientists.
(IPS members only!)
More info: www.gret-perg.ulaval.ca.
15Peat as Constituent for
Growing Media Text: Hein Boon
A Message from the Netherlands
Peat is the major constituent the use of peat in Europe. Although grown in recent years. And the
for growing media. The socio- these amounts are not entirely up outlook is that the need for good and
economic study of EPAGMA in to date, we may assume that the reliable growing media will further
2008 showed that close to 30 current situation will be largely increase. The basis for this growth
million m3 of peat is used in comparable. Consumption of growing lies in a larger population and an
growing media for horticultural media in Europe gradually changes. improved standard of living. In other
and consumer purposes. words, this is a prosperous outlook
New markets and for the position of growing media
This volume of peat counts for phytosanitary requirements and peat as a major constituent.
almost 80% of the constituents used These distant markets often apply
in these growing media (total volume In markets outside Europe the strict phytosanitary requirements
37 million m3). These figures relate to demand for growing media has for the import of products in their
Unloading peat at
Bol Peat, Schiedam, the
Netherlands. Photo:
Walter van Dijk
16 PEATLANDS International 1/2013Sales of peat and growing media in the Netherlands (respectively 3,0 and 3,5 M m3) has for some
years been stable in volume. The supply of peat-products with the RHP quality mark however
increases. Apparently, customers in broader Europe appreciate quality assured and phytosanitary
virgin and clean sphagnum peat.
Table 1:
Survey: RHP-certified PEAT-products as constituent for growing media (x 1.000 m3*)
YEAR black white total
peat peat peat volume
2000 1291 1629 2920
2005 1613 2802 4415
2011 2888 4696 7584
* volume declared in m3 according EN-12580
Product types and application - RHP-certified -
in 2011 ( x 1.000 m3)
peat for mushroom-casing 515
black peat 2373
milled peat 3546
sods/blocks 1150
total volume 7584
respective countries. And this is
Heinopportunity
a great Boon for peat as a
‘s-Gravenzande , the Netherlands
phytosanitary clean product. Peat is
boon@rhp.nl, www.rhp.nl
by its nature, free from weeds, plant
diseases, plant parasitic nematodes
etc. Optimal control of production
during peat extraction and logistics
should prevent contamination.
Railways are often
Quality assurance tool for used to transport peat
communication on site. Photo: RHP
Peat forms an important raw
material for Dutch horticulture. In
the Netherlands, however Sphagnum
peat is no longer available. Already
for decades large quantities of peat
are transported from the Baltic
countries, Scandinavia and Ireland
to the Netherlands. These products
are produced in accordance with
the requirements of the RHP quality
mark.
Sales of peat and growing media in
the Netherlands (respectively 3,0
and 3,5 M m3) has for some years
been stable in volume. The supply
of peat-products with the RHP
quality mark however increases.
Apparently, customers in broader
Europe appreciate quality assured
and phytosanitary virgin and clean
sphagnum peat.
Drying block peat.
Hein Boon
Photo: RHP
‘s-Gravenzande , the Netherlands
email: boon@rhp.nl
www.rhp.nl
17Picture 1: A quarter of the Swedish land
area is covered by peatlands typically
looking like this. Photo: Claes Bohlin
Text and photos: Claes Bohlin
Peat in Swedish
horticulture – some
personal reflections
The first encounter for the cucumber crop. Earlier they of getting my eyes full of this nasty
used to improve the soil with horse stuff, I was pretty sure I would
My first memory of peat – peat in manure bought from a cavalry stable never be a greenhouse grower and
horticulture that is – goes back to in a nearby town, but now they had definitely wouldn’t work with that
when I was 9 -10 years old. That started using peat in big bales and annoying material again.
means we are back to one of the first added fertilisers and lime according
years of the 1960ies. It was when the to soil analysis from a lab, something Little did I know that I would spend
school had holidays in February and I that was high tech in those days. most of my working life with peat in
had nothing to do since my two older horticulture! And by the way, that
brothers stayed at a cousin’s place The job I got was to break open and day I earned my first true salary and
and only my 4 years younger sister spread the peat on top of the bed so was mighty proud when I came back
was at home, so needless to say I my father later could mix it in with home that evening.
really wanted a break… Therefore I a huge kerosene powered rotary
asked my father if he had some job cultivator which made an awful noise A couple of years later they started
for me. He pondered a while and said inside the greenhouse. I struggled on growing the carnation crop in
I could come with him to work. with the big peat bales and a digging pure peat media. An advisor from
fork. The bales came packed with a company called Hasselfors had
My father was a greenhouse grower wooden lattices and were bundled spoken about the possibility to grow
and ran the company together with with steel wire. Each contained about out of the ordinary soil to get rid
his two brothers. At this time of the half a cubic meter. The job was dusty of disease problems and to plant
year they prepared the growing beds and heavy and after all the irritation directly in enriched peat. This was
18 PEATLANDS International 1/2013reported as a practice in Finland with Especially for
very promising results and that of the pot plant
course had to be tested too. producers it
was a small
The development of peat revolution getting
growing media considerably
lighter media and
In Sweden the first compressed peat much more even
in bags were produced in 1961. It and predictable
was raw peat for soil improvement growing results.
and fertilised and limed peat also For the
mainly used that way. This new way greenhouse
of packing the peat allowed selling vegetable crops,
the product to ordinary hobby peat was the
consumers, since no one in their right leading substrate
mind would buy the old style baled for slightly more
peat and try to get it home from the than a decade
garden centre in the trunk of their when rock wool
car. entered the Picture 2: Standardised, peat based
market. substrates are a prerequisite for modern
This opened a totally new market horticulture. Photo: Kekkilä Oy
in the hobby gardening segment. In More sophisticated fertigation
the years to come a number of new techniques opened for the use
peat based products saw the light; of completely inert media. Those
potting soil, planting soil, sowing media, however have found just briefly comment on this. There
media just to name a few. Also for their way out of the professional are a number of factors contributing
professional use, the pure peat greenhouses only to very limited to its popularity. Low weight, an
growing media was extended with degree. Today, fifty years after their enormous pore volume being able to
various mixed products containing advent, the peat based growing hold water and exchange gases for
different peat types, bark, sand, clay media still totally dominate the the plant roots, purity and freedom
etc. The “Einheitserde” concept was market for both amateur gardeners from diseases giving room for easy
introduced from Germany and soon and professional producers of plants adjustment of pH and balanced
a wide array of products had entered that are sold on the retail market. nutrition are some of the factors.
the market. Standardised media with
known composition and growing Why peat? It is a material which, at least in part
characteristics that were foreseeable of the world, is extremely abundant
for the grower. The reason why peat was to and of a consistent and high quality.
become such a success story lies Growing techniques have been
in the material itself. Many articles developed over the years fitted to
and scientific papers have been this substrate and thus the modern
produced on that issue and I will horticultural industry would not look
Picture 3: Millions and millions of
various horticultural plants start
the same without peat.
their lifes in peat based growing
media. Photo: Kekkilä Oy According to a
socio-economic
study performed
by the European
Peat and Growing
Media Association
(EPAGMA) a
couple of years
ago, much of
the European
horticultural
industry is
completely
relying on peat
and without it
enormous values
would be lost.
19The Swedish block the peat industry. We have a close
peat has a very contact with the Dutch initiative
good reputation Responsibly Produced Peat and
since it allows we see it as important for both the
producing coarse horticultural peat and the energy
material with peat sector. What we know is that
almost no dust the regeneration of new peat is
which guarantees estimated to be in the region of 20
high air content, M m3 annually. Thus considerably
a very good more carbon is sequestered than is
wettability and released.
favourable physical
conditions in We also know that peat extraction
general. will only be permitted on bogs with
low conservation value, so only sites
Of the horticultural with a relatively low biodiversity
peat approximately will be extracted. The Swedish
one third is environmental legislation is quite
exported; as strict, so site selection is closely
raw material controlled and environmental impact
for professional is assessed during the planning
substrates but phase.
also as growing
media for hobby When the extraction goes on,
and professional a rather extensive monitoring
growing, especially programme has to be followed and
to Denmark and reported annually. The legislation
Norway. stipulates that rehabilitation is
Picture 4: Not only for professionals,
carried out as a dialogue between
but also for hobby gardeners the peat
contributes to reliable growing results.
The peat that the peat extractor, landowner and
Photo: Hasselfors Garden AB stays in Sweden is environmental authorities. The most
used for amateur common after use is either forest
gardening (where planting or creation of shallow lakes
Swedes at least as bird sanctuaries.
have been the
Swedish peat industry heaviest users in Europe, no recent In a country where such a large part
data available though), professional of the land is covered with growing
Although one quarter of the Swedish plant production and landscaping. In Sphagnum plants it is sometimes
land area is covered with peat and addition, the use of peat as bedding difficult to convince people that
Sweden is the country within the EU for horses has seen a revival. this poor habitat would be the
which has the largest peatland area most relevant after-use, even if that
(about 38%), it is still not among Given the abundance of peat in happens to be the case closest to
the five biggest peat producers in the country, it may seem strange natural conditions. This issue is a bit
Europe. Actually, the energy content that, since the beginning of this of a philosophical question where
of the total Swedish peat deposit millennium, Sweden is a net importer people from Central Europe seem to
of about 100 billion cubic meters of peat, an import that is steadily have believes differing from many of
correspond to approximately half the growing. It is energy peat that is used the closest concerned:
oil reserves in the North Sea. in larger volumes than we are able
to produce domestically, since the Grow Sphagnum like it was before
As an average about 4 million cubic process of getting extraction permits or choose a strategy for higher
meters of peat is extracted from is very slow and difficult. biodiversity? To what extent is man
Swedish bogs annually, of this allowed to influence the direction?
2,5 M m3 are energy peat and Peat and environment
1,5 M m3 are horticultural peat and To what stage of natural
peat litter for animal bedding. How much peat can be produced in development should we go back -
a responsible way in Sweden? This when the peat excavation started
Most of the horticultural peat is question has always been relevant a few decades ago, or when the
harvested as harrowed or milled peat and even more so today. peat formation began, a couple of
but one third is produced as block thousand years earlier?
peat. Much of the latter is exported, In Sweden we have started working
mainly to the Netherlands. with the concept of certification for
20 PEATLANDS International 1/2013an extremely useful tool to make use
of other growing media constituents
Picture 5: The author Claes
Bohlin has worked for over that are not suitable on their own as
thirty years with horticultural pure media.
peat, mainly for professional
use. Claes represents the The European Ecolabel for Growing
growing media industry in Media could easily have been a much
many roles, both nationally more successful concept if a certain
and internationally. Photo: amount of peat had been allowed in
Hasselfors Garden AB
these products.
I am convinced that peat will
continue to play an important role
for modern horticulture for a long
time to come. Sound environmental
strategies have to be adopted and
followed but I have no doubt this
can be done. Besides, Sweden has an
Peat in the future lower availability for many vegetable
abundance of this intriguing, slowly
and small fruit crops as well as
renewable material, which we will
The importance of peat for for ornamental and forest plants.
use responsibly for the benefit of our
horticulture is undisputable. It has Furthermore, for the continuously
own and coming generations.
become a necessary prerequisite for growing hobby market, peat secures
the intensive plant production we successful results.
know today. Locally other growing Claes Bohlin
media constituents may be more Peat can and must be produced in M Sc Hort, Quality and
used but on a global scale, no other a responsible way, by companies Environmental Manager
material is available in the quantities with a vision of sustainability, and Hasselfors Garden AB
P.O. Box 1813
needed. Without peat the production certification may be a good way to SE-701 18 Örebro, Sweden
would be less reliable and harvests ensure this goal. It is also important phone +46 19 761 42 10
smaller, resulting in higher prices and to see that peat in many cases can be claes.bohlin@hasselforsgarden.se
Secretary General Communications Manager
Jaakko Silpola +358 50 406 4836 Susann Warnecke +358 40 418 4075
jaakko.silpola@peatsociety.org susann.warnecke@peatsociety.org
International Peat Society:
Your forum to enter the global peat and peatland world.
Join us at www.peatsociety.org/join-us!
IPS Secretariat
Kauppakatu 19 D 31, 3rd floor
40100 Jyväskylä, Finland
21
www.peatsociety.orgKyröntarhat Oy has used
Novarbo Salad Peat as a
growing substrate for years.
Novarbo Oy
lays the groundwork for
profitable and sustainable
professional cultivation
Text and photos: Merja Maansalo
Novarbo Oy provides growing term customers in, for example, Airy peat for lettuce
substrates, fertilisers and Poland and Spain. In Poland, Novarbo cultivation
state-of-the-art greenhouse growing substrates are used by,
technology for professional among others, the country’s largest Novarbo Oy is a Finnish company. In
cultivation. All Novarbo plant producer, Grupa Producentów Finland, two of its customers include
fertilisers are intended for use Rozsad Krasoń. In 2012, Krasoń’s total lettuce producer Kyröntarhat Oy and
in organic cultivation. production was approximately 185 seedling nursery specialist Mellanå
Novarbo growing substrates million seedlings and the company Plant.
are available for both maintained a total 5 hectares of
traditional and organic greenhouse space. “We’ve enjoyed a successful co-
greenhouse cultivation and operative relationship with Novarbo
plant production. Spain’s Semilleros Jaricio S.L. for many years. We mainly grow
has been purchasing growing pot lettuce and iceberg lettuce. We
Growing substrates are typically substrate peat
pre-fertilised and limed according from Novarbo
to the specific needs of each plant. for 15 years. Last
Customers may also order special year, its total
mixtures. One of the key raw production was
materials used in growing substrates approximately 200
is peat. million seedlings.
The company
Our customers are major maintains 7
players hectares of
greenhouse
“For us, multi-year delivery space.
agreements are the best
demonstration of the trust
our customers place in our Novarbo growing
company and our products, substrates are shipped in
pressed bales or big bales.
states Managing Director Teppo
Rantanen. Novarbo has long-
22 PEATLANDS International 1/2013use Novarbo Salad
Peat as a growing
substrate”, explains
Sales Manager
Teemu Kanasuo.
Peat also for
forest seedlings
Mellanå Plant
is Finland’s
largest private
producer of forest
seedlings. Each
year, it produces
approximately
18 million new
seedlings for Finnish
forests.
“We are very “This white sphagnum moss possesses
satisfied with the balanced chemical properties. It keeps the
structure of growing substrates properly
Novarbo Forest
aerated and is lightweight for easy
Seedling Peat we’ve been using. carrying”, says Managing Director Teppo
We’re constantly developing Rantanen, listing the benefits of peat.
our operations. Novarbo is an
outstanding partner, because it’s
willing to hear what the customer the peat we use is white Sphagnum Growing tests on test
has to say in product development moss”, explains Mauri Kariniemi, plantations
matters”, praises Salminen. head of peat production.
Novarbo products are tested
In-house peat production The majority of the peat is used regularly in its own test greenhouse.
for growing substrates and various Quality control involves several
Novarbo maintains its own peat animal beddings. The peat is also different functions. In actual product
production at three locations. There used as a raw material in Novarbo’s development, Novarbo works
are over 300 hectares of peatland. Green Roof systems. Novarbo’s continuously in co-operation with top
“We extract some 200,000 cubic peat is very rarely used in energy experts in the field as well as with
metres of peat each year. Most of production. customers. One example of this is
the dust-free
Premium bedding,
which is primarily
intended for use
in horse stables.
Premium was
developed in
accordance
with the
cooperation
received from
stud farms.
Mellanå Plant Production
Manager Metti Salminen
presents healthy forest
seedlings, which are
growing in Novarbo Forest
Seedling Peat.
23Operating principle of
the NOVARBO HumidAway TM
humidity removal system.
3.
4.
HumidAway system
1. Humidity from greenhouse will be
1. directed to HumidAway droplet tower.
2. Humidity and heat from greenhouse
will condensate to the cooled water.
2. 3. HumidAway droplet tower will cool the
water droplets with fresh outside air.
4. Outside air will be directed to the water
droplets. Water cools from one to three
degrees.
5. Drier air will be introduced by
plastic hose back to greenhouse in
order to reduce the average relative
humidity (RH).
5.
2.
In addition to peat and
compost, Novarbo and its
parent company Biolan Oy
are also involved in several
other business areas. The
front loader works on a 15
hectare raw material and Cost-effectiveness increases profitability considerably.
compost field. Because the system can also be used
HumidAway uses a patented to increase crop yields, the financial
technology. The system consists benefits are manyfold”, states Jalava.
Novarbo also offers of integrated condenser units and
groundbreaking greenhouse evaporators. It can be installed Merja Maansalo
technology - HumidAway is a in both existing and newly built MM Viestintä
new, energy-saving equipment greenhouses. The equipment is Eura, Finland
compact and can be installed on the email: mm.viestinta@gmail.com
solution
www.mmviestinta.com
greenhouse walls or walkways.
Novarbo Oy’s expertise is not limited Photos: Merja Maansalo
to professional cultivation fertilisers “Saving energy is absolutely vital to Novarbo Oy image bank
and growing substrate products. today’s greenhouse operators, as it
The company also offers technical
solutions for financially profitable
Novarbo Oy
and sustainable greenhouse
cultivation. Novarbo Greenhouse
Technology’s latest application, the
HumidAway, was introduced at the
professional
HortiFair 2012, which was held last • Novarbo Oy is an expert in
ology and animal
autumn in Amsterdam. cultivation, greenhouse techn
green roofs and
bedding products as well as
“The energy-saving HumidAway gies.
is extremely well suited to, for other green building technolo
ort operations in
example, greenhouse cultivation in • The company maintains exp
Holland”, explains Technical Director nearly 60 countries.
of the Biolan group.
Anssi Jalava. He says that use of • Novarbo Oy is a subsidiary
n manufactures and
• The parent company, Biola
the HumidAway can regulate the
microclimate of a greenhouse so farming and green
that plants are given the optimal sells products for ecological
environmental
conditions for growth. The quality of area management as well as
plants is also enhanced. products.
al products for
• Biolan manufactures natur
products that help
“HumidAway can be used to remove
amateur gardeners as well as
excess humidity and heat without the environment.
having to open any ventilation. It also to reduce human impact on
ducts include
makes it possible to regulate carbon • Biolan’s environmental pro
ters and dry toilets.
dioxide levels. wastewater purifiers, compos
www.novarbo.fi.
• For more information, see
24 PEATLANDS International 1/2013You can also read
