Projects on horticulture
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Alternatives for peat and growing media
In Europe currently approximately 15 million m3 peat is used in horticulture. Peat moss is a major constituent of most growing media. However, it is considered a non-sustainable raw material because the natural process of peat formation requires thousands of years. Its use in horticulture is conflicting with EU directives to protect the peatlands against exploitation.Alternatives for peat and growing media for horticultural use have been investigated . Besides the use of coconut husk pith, other plant fibre based substrate mats can be applied. Since plant tissues are sensitive to biodegradation, the requirements for improvement of the performance of fibre mats in horticultural use is investigated. The peat substitute can be made from abundantly available biomass residues such as grasses, or agricultural / forestry residues. The biomass requires thermal and / or biotechnological pre-treatments to enhance the performance with respect to resistance to e.g. biodegradation and water holding capacity.
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