Stinky Peat

[jgriffin]

No, not the Toy Story II character...
A few weeks ago, I mixed some peat, sand and perlite out on the deck in a five gallon bucket.
Well in that time, we got a lot of rain. I went out last night to use some and wow...it really stunk. It's the kind of smell that I have noticed when I repotted a ceph once after a few years when I noticed a growth decline.
Most people would just throw it out and not think about it. I think this happened last year and after more time, the smell went away- maybe after it really dried out.
I suppose the key would to keep churning it when you are not using it(and drain water), but how is this transformation different then what's in your pots sitting in water-filled trays?
Just curious.

Thanks,

Joe

[sundewman]

What type of sand are you using?
I found that the "play sand" i once used stunk like sewage once it got wet, so I switched to silica- and no sewage smell now!
But...there's still the usual "sulfury" smell when I'm repotting my plants (after the pot has sat for a year or so.
I say "usual" because I also got this smell when I used only a peat/perlite mixture.
I no longer use perlite now, due to my growing conditions, but others have great success with it.

[jgriffin]

Um...gee, I have both on the deck, lol. It might be a bit of both...I think it's mostly the silica.
The silica I have is so fine, it looks/feels like paste when wet.

Joe

[ICPS-bob]

The reason for using sand or perlite is to make the peat mix more airy and open. Your very fine sand that "feels like paste when wet" certainly will not make the soil more open. So, why use that sand in the first place? It sounds like your stinky peat is the result of anaerobic decay. Get some air in it and that stink should go away.

[jgriffin]

Hi Bob,
That's why I don't like sand/peat for seed germination. In the past, the same seed sowed on that had plants much smaller than milled lfs months afer germination.
It looks like salt, but it's the same grade as Lowrie recommended to me once for tuberous and looks the same as in the mix of .the D. 'Watari' I won on the NASC auction, from...I think sundewman here.
The play sand is definitely courser.
The other time this happened was with peat/perlite, but it "aired" out eventually.
I think you may be right, but it's from the same bale of peat, so I wonder if I should get rid of it and get a new one.

Thanks,

Joe

[sundewman]

Hey Joe,
Yeah, you got the D. x 'Watari' from me.
First question for you: have you tried rinsing your peat before?
Do you know if the silica you have is for sandblasting purposes from somewhere like Menards or Lowes? I've been using pool filter sand that evidently is a bit larger in diameter than the fine sandblasting stuff. I tend to use it more for drainage purposes, but it does seem to make the mix a bit looser.
I suppose it could be the peat if it happened with the perlite before, but unless you're sure that you didn't use any of the play sand, I'd be prone to think that's an issue as well. The play sand may resemble silica, but no matter how much you rinse it (and yes, I even thoroughly rinse bags of pool filter sand that say they're "pre-rinsed") it seemed impossible for me to get rid of that awful sewage smell.
When I ditched the play sand, I no longer had the sewage smell.
It's at least worth a trial run, just mixing a bit of peat (rinsed) and silica sand (rinsed) alone to see if you still get that smell after just a few days...

[jgriffin]

I have never rinsed peat, as I could never imagine what could be in there besides peat, but I suppose traces of the machinery that harvest it, etc , could get in there.
I read Tamlin's stuff way back and I wondered if all the tannins were getting washed out too. Hard to argue with his plants, though.
I do rince the sand with tap water until clear(with the 5 gal bucket and hose method) and you are spot on-it's sand blasting silica from Menards.
Sand seems to change annually what you can get. A few years ago, I got some sand in paper that said silica( but most sand is actually silica, if it's inland). It had more of a "yellowish" tint, sort of between white and play.


Joe

[Richard Davion]

Most 'Play'-Sands Contain Carbonates that 'Fizz' When-You Place Acid (Vinegar) on-Them.

It's Alkalinity will Displace Sulphur from The-Peat as H2S or Rotten-Egg-Gas, Per-se.

Aluminium-'Salts' Have R Nullifying (Quenching) Effect on This H2S-Reaction ... Just-as One-Can-Use Aluminium to Clean Silverware.

Alternatively One-Can Just Spread Your-Peat-OUT in-Some Vermiculite at-about 10-15% (1-Part-Peat to 5-Parts Vermiculite is-R Good-Place to-Start) &-Let The Natural Aluminium-of-The Vermiculite Do-The-Job For-You, so-to-speak!!! >(*~*)< / >(*U^)<

Being-R Perineutral Medium It's-Capable of-Supporting Cyanobacteria ... so Once-You're 'Satisfied' with The-Above You-May Wish to-Think-about Adding Dilute-Encouragement to-The-Vermiculite to-Promote NOSTOC-tification of The-Intertices-of-the Vermiculite and-its Subsequent Nitrogen-'Fixation' There-ON!!! >(*U^)<