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6 Comments

  1. Emmon
    September 13, 2011 @ 7:08 pm

    Thanks for posting this. I had NO idea peat was bad for the environment (and that it’s unrelated to Manchester United three-peating in 2009). Will try to spread the word!

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  2. Pen
    September 7, 2011 @ 1:25 pm

    I’m peat-free too though I occasionally stare wistfully at bags of peaty compost. What growing medium do you use instead? I’m still experimenting with various products and have yet to find a winner.

    • Ben
      September 7, 2011 @ 6:06 pm

      The search goes on but I am using New Horizon, sieved with some of my nice n crumbly top soil and it seems to be fine for seeds…perhaps I don’t get the same germination rate but we still do OK…it’s not like seeds are expensive. :)
      Thanks for posting Pen…if you find a ‘winner’ then pls let me know.
      Regards
      Benjamin

      • Ben
        September 7, 2011 @ 6:12 pm

        PS Lovely site you have Pen.

  3. Jan
    September 7, 2011 @ 12:25 pm

    Proud to join you Ben, have also gone peat free this year. As I make lots of compost , I have never used it as a soil improver, but did find it in virtually every bag of purchased compost. I tried new horizon peat free, but the first bag was horrid-obviously stored over winter, it was solid and mouldy in parts. The second bag, from a garden centre with high turnover, was much better , however it is very lumpy and I had to sieve it and mix with some perlite for seed sowing. The grow bags have been fine, although they do hold all the water you give them, so I have been careful to add extra drain holes and try and use a regulated amount of water. Ericaceous compost is available too and I’ve used this to top dress blueberries and azaleas in pots. I am currently using a peat free mpc from Lidl, its a bit cheaper and the bags are smaller-I don’t need much at this time of year, again the results have been good, still a bit twiggy for small seeds and also easy to overwater. Will definitely carry on using the composts, buying plants in peat free compost is more challenging!

    • Ben
      September 7, 2011 @ 6:10 pm

      Well done Jan! You are a winner!!! Yes buying plants is virtually impossible without peat in the compost…a very good point and thank you for bringing it up. The commercial sector has got until 2030 to stop using it…2030!!! Does it really take twenty years to move on to another growing medium…ridiculous.
      It’s one thing being uniformed and using it…but we know it is damaging areas of special scientific interest…just say NO!