Using Peat-Free Compost in the Garden

Peat as a garden material has only been popular since the 1950s. Before then, coir (derived from coconuts) and loam (soil) were the most widely used.

Just a few years ago  the alternatives available on the market were more expensive and not as efficient as the real thing. The problem was that peat alternatives either dried out too quickly or completely soaked up any water.

However, times have changed and the peat-free composts available today are as efficient as peat-based ones. 

Gardeners can make the change gradually if they wish. It is possible to buy peat-reduced composts which contain a small proportion of peat but this is mixed in with expanded wood fibre.  But why not just bite the bullet and go completely peat-free!

It's a good idea to  check with your local council because many of them now offer green compost for sale or even for free. Just recently, in our neighbourhood, tons of free compost was made available by our council  in the local car park - we just turned up with our shovels and bags.

This was the kitchen and garden waste collected from our green bins and rotted down into that beautiful, crumbly mixture, free from weeds and diseases.

Depending on where you live, however, the  quality can vary. So, it would probably be a good idea  to experiment at first on plants or vegetables that are not too valuable.

Not all plants thrive in peat-free compost. Blueberries, citrus and ericaceous plants (such as heather, pieris, rhododendron, camellia and vaccinium) do not like green waste due to the high pH content. This problem has now been solved, however, as it is now possible to buy peat-free products with added minerals that will reduce the pH content.

So - going peat-free will mean gardeners will have to think carefully about their planting, but in the process their knowledge of their gardening environment will grow, along with the plants!

As an alternative, or possibly as an addition to buying in peat-free compost there is the home composting route.  

Home composting  is extremely satisfying, virtually free, and there are various ways to save garden and household waste. Building a compost area in the garden from wood, buying a plastic compost bin (handy for small areas) as well as setting aside a large bucket for kitchen waste all add a new dimension to gardening.

Most local councils in the UK offer compost bins at a very reasonable price to encourage gardeners to create their own compost. They usually come in two sizes, depending on the size of garden and the amount of waste your household generates.

There are various types of compost bins on the market, but don't forget you can always improvise your own bin.  As long as the air can get to it and you can turn the heap now and then it should be fine.

However, there's no doubt that the compost bins on the market today are extremely efficient, labour-saving and tidy! And the bins that can be rotated with a handle are handy for people with limited strength.

Saving peat bogs is vital for the environment and conservation. It is possible to make a big difference by refusing to buy peat-based products. Doing so opens gardeners up to greater knowledge and more subtle, intricate insights about planting, growing and harvesting. 

It feels good to garden in such a sustainable way. In fact, going green and caring for the environment apparently adds to the sum total of our happiness.   That can't be bad!

Sources:

“Toby’s First Word” by Toby Buckland in Gardeners World Magazine, March 2009

Find out how Kew Gardens  created their peat-free compost heap on their website.