Cuttings in Rainwater with Unexpected "Wildlife"

there mosquitos and they breath through there tails so change your water what ever .

Probably mosquito larvae! Definitely change the water! If it doesn't root in water, use a rooting powder in light peat soil.

David you are unlikely to find peat in the UK, as you probably know. A compost consisting mostly of sand will work.

Peat is available.
I know of farmers near me who have it.

It is, or will, become illegal to sell peat in garden centres. None that I know of now stock any peat products. Why would a farmer use peat?

It's there on his land.

you can stiil buy peat mg. but i hope it will be unavailble soon.

Me too Sbg... the destruction of wildlife habitat is totally unacceptable.

It is definitely being phased out of the garden centres we visit along with signs stating that various composts are 'peat free'. B says it isn't illegal yet but hopefully soon.

It's a controversial subject especially with the farmers.

Is he farming it to sell Louise?

Many Thanks for the answers to my wildlife in a tumbler. Have changed the water now, but they were quite fun to watch).

I think it wold be very difficult for me to find any peat, or very peaty compost, around here. I did take quite a few cuttings, so will try some in pots, too.

Yes Mg, withy and peat is how he's made a living for a lot of years.
A lot of his neighbours do that too.

They've had their livelihoods affected quite badly over the last few years.

It is a difficult one Louise, if he is harvesting the peat in a sustainable fashion all well and good, the problem arises when the big commercial harvesting companies go in and completely wreak the infrastructure.

Exactly :/

Wow. Didn't realize peat was such an issue in UK! Only caveat here on peat moss is that some from Canada can cause lung infections as it can be dusty. What do you use to lighten the soil for cuttings?

If you're not using peat for them there are various alternative mixes that get used.
Have a look at this link Orgratis ....
http://www.gardeningdata.co.uk/articles/peat-alternatives.php

thats the problem with peat, it isnt sustainable as it takes hundreds/ thousands of years to form. they are using coir as a substitute also.

Coir works perfectly well... and is now being described as the 'new' peat... I just hope it does not have the devastating side effects

Thanks for the site, Louise, and reminder Seaburn & Mone to practice sustainability. I have used coir, coconut fiber, in FL. Will find a source here in OR. As a side effect, I'll have to eat more thai curry with coconut milk to stimulate palm production!

Thanks from me, too, Louise. I've also looked at this site - very interesting. Might join you, Orgratis, in eating more curries, for same reasons, of course, but also to increase my stock of cardboard tubes (!?!) as an alternative to peat pots. :-)

It' is aginst the law now and has been for a while , but with a law like this it will take a longe time to enforce,people do still harvest it and sell it,and a blind eye is turned, but garden centers dare not take the risk.the only problem will be for people with a lot of clay,nothing else is anything like as quick for condishaning that sort of soil.

Oh, Oh, Cliffo! Have you put your foot well and truly into a proverbial peat bog with your last sentence? I thought that digging over clay soil, leaving exposed to winter winds, rain, snow, frost, was a head starter in breaking down the heavy clumps, followed in Spring with some sharp sand, and the compost emptied from the previous season's containers, grow-bags, compost bins, etc. It took me just three seasons to achieve a very friable tilth doing just this, and growing plants which helped the process. Saved on trips to the "tip" by car, used up waste which might have gone by said car to said tip, etc. etc.

You cannot change your soil type for long, or forever!

Very interesting debate here, btw - and all from a query re "shrimps" in my tumbler !

BTW, my Sambucus "Black Lace" cuttings have sprouted new green foliage, and look like they might send out roots, but no real ones visible yet. :-))

Between Indy's poem on "the sherbert to compost it all" and Cliffo "condishaning that sort of soil", I really wonder about your amendments. Can I have a translation pls?!

???? !0 mins afore nidnight here! Must go, up at 5.40am for work. Will look up Indy's peom, and get back. Thank You! :-))