An Update on Peat
What is peat?
Peat is a dark organic material made up of decomposing ancient plants and is found uniquely in natural wetlands such as bogs, fens, mires, moors, muskegs and of course, peatland. The fact that these locations are continually waterlogged, means that the breakdown of materials is slow, creating a very special substrate that isn’t easy to replicate under artificial conditions.
Always peat free!
How has it been used in horticulture?
Due to the way peat slowly builds over time from species such as sphagnum moss (famously water retentive), it has been a much sought after material for use in horticulture. It also has the benefits of being low pH, sterile and historically quite plentiful. Although not particularly nutritious, peat has been the key ingredient in growing media and mulch since the 1930’s with the rise of John Innes compost. In the 70’s, it was unlikely you’d find commercial compost for sale without a peat component. However, it is not only bags of compost and other media where you will find peat. It is widely used in nurseries not only within the UK, but also in countries such as Holland, from whom we import a huge amount of our garden and indoor plants.
Why is it important to keep peat in the ground?
Much like all other resources, such as coal or cobalt, peat extraction is hugely detrimental for the environment. Plus, because the current extraction rate is far higher than the rate it is able to regrow, once it’s gone, it will be gone forever.
On top of that, the ecologically diverse habitats you find peat in means we aren’t just taking a precious material out of the ground, we are fundamentally destroying that ecosystem for good. As it takes so long to get those habitats back, the rich biodiversity these wetlands display are categorically destroyed. Species such as water voles, curlews and the rare fen orchid are dependent on these habitats in the UK.
Peat also has the notable ability to retain water and thus provides an important barrier to intercepting floodwaters.
Oh, and if that isn’t enough to want to protect these important habitats, peat is also a HUGE carbon store. When peat is extracted, it dries out and releases the carbon dioxide that has been stored naturally. This extraction process currently contributes 4% to the total UK greenhouse gas emissions.
We need peat to stay in the ground more than we need it to grow our garden plants.
What are the alternatives?
More and more companies are offering a peat free growing media option for amateur gardeners. Public awareness and a promised (but so far, not fully effectual) ‘phase out’ of peat use by the government, has meant that there is more benefit in providing peat free alternatives.
What you have to watch out for, is all the plants from nurseries either within the UK, or imported from other countries, that are grown in peat. Even if they call themselves ‘peat free’, they may have imported plugs in peat and then transplanted them.
Harriet’s Plants of course champions peat free growing- from the moment the seed is sown, our plants don’t ever see peat! We use Melcourt SylvaGrow® Peat-Free potting for seed sowing and growing, which contains a unique blend of fine bark (a by-product of sustainably managed British forests), coir (from a single, known source), green compost (a carefully-sourced, certified ingredient).
Growing at home? Why not create your own beautiful compost with food scraps, garden waste and cards? Keep checking in for future posts on composting at home!
Happy plants grown from seed peat free!
Where are we at with a national peat ban?
Frustratingly, the peat ban has been pushed back further and further. In 2011, the then government set a voluntary target to end bagged peat sales by 2020. This target was missed. Dates have since been thrown around as to when horticultural peat is to be banned through legislation. 2024 should have seen a ban on bagged peat (eg, in composts for amateur growers), but that deadline passed as well, with no legislation in place! And now we have a new government which has (to date) made no firm commitment to end peat sales. So annoying!
If the Bill manages to pass both Houses and become law, it should mean:
Immediate (more or less) ban for peat sold to amateur gardeners in bagged composts
2 growing seasons later, most professional growers are to end use of peat
3 further growing seasons for certain specialist growers who would be exempt from the previous stages. These include mushroom growers, and producers of carnivorous, ericaceous and small vegetable plug plants
Unlimited, permanent exemptions for licensed growers such as botanic gardens to use a minimal amount of peat for growing plants for conservation purposes only.
The ban would include all horticultural imports and exports as well as UK grown and sold.
There is a huge amount of support for a peat free ban. After a government consultation in 2022, 95% of respondents were in favour of a ban. Many national compost manufacturers, retailers and nurseries including (among many) The RHS and B&Q, signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a ban. So, although slow in progress, hopefully a ban will be in place in the near future and we can start to properly protect these unique ecosystems.
(Source: Peat Free Partnership)
How is Harriets Plants a peat free pioneer?
Harriets Plants is the first peat free grower of houseplants in the UK. Once Harriet discovered the extent of the detrimental impact that horticulture has had on peat based ecosystems, she started her nursery in her own back yard to prove it could be done another way! 7 years later, the nursery has evolved into a large greenhouse space in Cornwall, where houseplants are grown alongside select outdoor plants- all using peat free growing media and following other sustainable growing practices.
Harriet also started the #peatfreepeople movement which brings awareness to the cause and how to grow peat free. You can read more about the start of her journey here.
Watch this space for lots more information, advice and activism from Harriets Plants in the coming years! The horticultural revolution starts with grassroots campaigning. For people and planet.
xxx
Harriet and Jess
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