Why Peat Free?
Use peat-free compost to help protect the environment and support biodiversity. Peat-free is a greener, sustainable and renewable alternative.
What is peat?
Peat is an organic material that forms in the waterlogged, sterile, acidic conditions of bogs and fens. These conditions favour the growth of mosses. As plants die, they do not decompose. Instead, the organic matter is laid down, and slowly accumulates as peat because of the lack of oxygen in the bog.
Why are peatlands important for biodiversity?
- Peatlands support wildlife: they are home to rare species of plants and animals. Extracting peat destroys these habitats leading to loss of biodiversity.
- Peatlands store high quantities of carbon: the carbon ‘locked’ into the peat. When extracting them it is released into the atmosphere and contributes to increased greenhouse emission
- Peatlands improve water quality: over 70% of the UK’s drinking water comes from upland catchments, most of which contain peat
What are the impacts of using peat in horticulture?
Traditionally gardeners have used peat to maintain and improve the quality of their soil so that healthy and strong plants develop in it.
According to the more recent government figures, in the UK we use 3 million cubic metres of peat for horticulture, 70% of it being used by amateurs gardeners.
Extraction of peat for use in gardening has resulted in only about 6,000 hectares of peat lands in the UK remaining in pristine condition, greatly threatening biodiversity.
Peat- free composts, a greener alternative
Composts from green waste are a much better alternative. They are:
- Sustainable
- Fully renewable
- Sequestrate carbon