Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: neilep on 19/01/2008 23:15:29

Title: What is In Pete's Peat ?
Post by: neilep on 19/01/2008 23:15:29
Hi All,

This is Pete !

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He's a happy chappy !


....this...however...has come out of Pete's Bog,...it's also called Peat !!

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Pete loves his Peat..

Apparently it makes excellent compost, fertilizer and is used for a whole manner of other things like oil spills and even in nappys (Diapers !)....

Sometimes..underground it even catches fire............!!!

...so..what is Petes Peat ?...and how does it catch alight underground ?!








Title: What is In Pete's Peat ?
Post by: JimBob on 20/01/2008 19:52:36
Decayed or decaying organic matter but not the type that gets in your eyes - normally. Moss is the most common for the Northern Moorlands. But there are peat forests in Borneo. The whole forest floor can become a peat bog. The edge of mangrove swamps can also form peat. Peat is found all over the world in all climates - from arctic tundra to the tropical rain forest.

The underground decay of the organic matter generates heat. This can become so intense that it will catch fire. It is one reason that a compost heap is a.) mixed with dirt and b.) turned regularly. These two actions reduce the possibility of the organic matter being destroyed by combustion (That is a big word for "fire," Neil. Just want to help out.)
Title: What is In Pete's Peat ?
Post by: opus on 20/01/2008 23:16:41
Please don't buy peat (or Pete) to put on your garden! Digging it out of peat bogs destroys the habitat of myriads of living organisms which only live in that habitat.
Title: What is In Pete's Peat ?
Post by: neilep on 20/01/2008 23:35:56
Decayed or decaying organic matter but not the type that gets in your eyes - normally. Moss is the most common for the Northern Moorlands. But there are peat forests in Borneo. The whole forest floor can become a peat bog. The edge of mangrove swamps can also form peat. Peat is found all over the world in all climates - from arctic tundra to the tropical rain forest.

The underground decay of the organic matter generates heat. This can become so intense that it will catch fire. It is one reason that a compost heap is a.) mixed with dirt and b.) turned regularly. These two actions reduce the possibility of the organic matter being destroyed by combustion (That is a big word for "fire," Neil. Just want to help out.)


fascinating Jimmy Boy...THANK EWE very much.

I guess these subterranean fires can smolder for quite a while then ?...and presumably they manifest a lot of methane ?



Gee whizz...*hee hee claps hands *..uh hu...me likey big word.....erhmm....Kom-bus-chun....uh hu uh hu...*claps hands some more with a vacant grin on his face and returns to doing potato prints on the wall*
Title: What is In Pete's Peat ?
Post by: neilep on 20/01/2008 23:38:36
Please don't buy peat (or Pete) to put on your garden! Digging it out of peat bogs destroys the habitat of myriads of living organisms which only live in that habitat.

Agreed...this is excellent advice by OPUS......It does remind me of an article I read or heard saying that the use of Peat is detrimental to the environment from whence it came............Thank you for reminding us OPUS !!
Title: What is In Pete's Peat ?
Post by: opus on 20/01/2008 23:49:47
You're welcome neilep- As Kermit says,"it isn't easy being green"