If you have ever bought a bale of peat moss, you will notice something about it. It is compressed. This is great for transport but not so great for getting mixed into your garden. That thing is just shy of a concrete block in hardness but very flaky like a pie crust. I got a question on my favorite way of making a raised bed post that asked how to deal with the pain in the butt that is peat moss?

The Official Way of Handling Peat Moss

Is there an official way to handle peat moss when you remove it from the container? No, not really but everything I see says put it in a big container and soak it with water.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t have a container that big, that does not have 4 wheels and drives me to work. Nope, hydrating it so it falls apart is not going to work for me. Besides, can you imaging the mess trying to layer it in the garden. A big boggy sponge slinging across the garden, what the heck.

My Way

Since I am a little south of sanity when it comes to my garden methods, you know I have some crazy idea, right?

Here is how I do it.

First, get your trusty wheelbarrow, a hand held garden fork and a box cutter.

Next, you need to source some peat moss. This has apparently gotten very expensive so resist the urge to steal your neighbor’s. Put your bale, however you got it, into your wheelbarrow.

Make sure you remove your tools from the wheelbarrow. Don’t be stupid.

Take your box cutter and cut open the bag by tracing a square along the outside. If you want to do three sides like me, keep the uncut side towards the back of the wheelbarrow. I have wind so it cuts down on chasing plastic to keep it attached.

Peel back the wrapper and look at your hard, dry block.

Prop up the peat moss so it is on a 45 degree angle using the back of the wheelbarrow.

Take your garden fork and just scrap. It will be slow going at first but keep it up. It will flake off fairly easily giving you something you can sprinkle into the garden when you are preparing the soil.

After a bit of scrapping you will end up with a nice loose and broken up mix in the front of the wheelbarrow.

That is the best way I have found to break up your peat moss without hydrating it.