Peat moss is like a sponge

Imagine a sponge you use to wash dishes. When you put it in water, it soaks the water up and holds it. Peat moss acts the same way for plants. It soaks up water and keeps it near the plant roots so they can drink when they are thirsty.

Why peat moss is like a sponge

• Peat moss is made of tiny plant bits that are fluffy and full of tiny holes, like the holes in a sponge.
• Those tiny holes hold water and also some air so plant roots can breathe.
• When you add water, peat moss soaks it up and stays damp for a long time.

How gardeners use it

• They mix peat moss into soil to help it hold water.
• They use it in pots so plants don’t dry out too fast.
• They fluff dry peat moss with water before using it so it is soft and damp.

Easy at-home experiment

Materials: a small bowl, dry peat moss (or coconut coir if you have it), a cup of water, a spoon.

1. Put some dry peat moss in the bowl and look at how fluffy it is.
2. Slowly pour a little water over the peat moss and watch it sink in.
3. Stir with the spoon and add more water until the peat moss is damp but not dripping.
4. Feel it with your fingers — it should feel like a wet sponge.

Simple tips for helping plants

• If peat moss is very dry, fluff it and add water until it is damp before putting it with plant soil.
• For potting soil, gardeners often mix about one scoop of peat moss with two scoops of soil to help hold water.
• Don’t make it soggy — plants also need air around their roots.

One little nature note

Peat moss forms very slowly in bogs over a long, long time. That means people try to use it carefully. A good friend to peat moss is compost or coconut coir, which can do similar jobs. But for your experiment and to learn, peat moss is a great way to see how something can act like a sponge.