Peat-Free Compost by Lewis Williams
Buying compost can be a tricky business choosing where to buy it from or which type/brand to buy. Generally people will buy what they are use to or will buy upon incentives such as price and/or performance or simply by a recommendation from a Plant Advisor. Multipurpose compost is probably the most commonly bought because as the name suggest it has a multitude of uses and generally comes in at a low cost. But one has to ask the question why this compost is so cheap, if anyone makes their own compost (which I do and I highly recommend doing, if you are not already) then you will understand the (possible) lengthy process from raw material to compost/mulch. The main reason for low cost compost is because of the use of peat within a lot of the available compost.
What is peat?
Peat is formed by the compaction of incompletely decomposed plant remains, where the decaying process has been stopped by the removal of oxygen by waterlogging of the land. This waterlogged land (referred to as peatlands) can take thousands of years to form at a slow rate of 1mm per year, extraction of peat removes up to 22mm a year; therefore this is clearly not a sustainable use of natural resources. The lowland raised peat bogs are one form of peatland that is suitable for commercial extraction, and subsequently it can be found in many types of compost referred to as sphagnum moss peat.
Peatlands are a unique natural habit for many plants, birds and insects; some of which are at risk from peat extraction. Another important role of peatlands (among others) is that they contain vast amounts of carbon which upon extraction is released into the atmosphere; this leads towards global warming and climate change. Restoration of peatlands after extraction is impossible due to the time scale for the formation of peat and the preservation is far cheaper than the restoration. The RHS estimates that only 3 800 - 8 000 hectares of lowland raised bogs still exist in the UK of the original 70 000 hectares. Peat extraction aids towards to destructions of our own countryside as well as other countries’ due to the UK’s importation of peat. Many plants which we buy from garden centres will have been grown in peat (UK grown plants as well as imported plants) consequently assisting in peat extraction.
Peat-based compost
The photograph below shows the difference in appearance between a peat-free and a peat-based multi-purpose compost.
Peat free and peat-based multi purpose compost
The peat-based compost contains two main peat sources sphagnum peat and rich dark peat. Some peat-based composts contain sustainable materials and these are clearly better than those than do not but it does not make the use of peat-based compost ‘right’ or ‘justifiable’. I think that the peat-free compost evokes a greater sense of nature with its coarser woody texture than the peat-based compost. A forest (or woods), for example, survives on its own with a (near) perfect sustainable method of fertilizing the plants. The deciduous plants shed their leaves in winter and other dead foliage drops to the forest floor which then composts and mulches the surrounding plants. The forest does not need the introduction of external materials to aid with the growth and birth of new and existing plants.
Peat-free composts
RHS tests have confirmed that peat-free composts produce comparable results for the majority of plants to the same plants grown in peat-based products. The RHS also recommends peat-free products for use as a soil improver or mulch as they are better suited to the task than peat-based products.
Home compost
Some peat-free products are home-composted material (see above), well rotted manure and a range of bark materials. One valuable peat-free source of compost that I personally recommend is leaf compost (or mulch) that is produced from leaves dropped from deciduous trees in autumn/winter (see below).
Leaf mulch in the making
The leaves can be left to compost for around six months for a mulch or composted for around twelve months a rich fine compost suitable for sowing seeds in.
Peat-free compost incurs a higher cost (for the buyer and producer) than peat-based compost but there is a cheaper option which everyone can do with a bit of free space - it is home composting. It can even be achieved within the smallest of spaces as there is a large range of composting bins available in the market. Such a compact option was incorporated into the ‘Inside Out’ Show garden by Kirman design at the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show 2006. For more information, click here.
Summary
I believe than peat-free composts are not “part of a government scam of getting more money from us” as my Parents were told when asking for a peat-free compost. The Government has laid down a deadline of achieving a 90% reduction in the use of peat in the horticultural industry by 2010 and this can only be achieved with everyone’s help, including yours. The use of peat has a detrimental effect upon the countryside and this issue can not be ignored (please see the links below for further information) for I urge you as the reader to use peat-free products (or even peat-reduced composts).
If they are not available to buy where you would normally shop for garden products then please ask for peat-free alternatives. This will hopefully increase the awareness of the use of peat as a growing medium and encourage garden centres to stock peat-alternatives and its use for growing plants.
Lewis Williams (June 2008)
Sources of information and further reading
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Information leaflets from
'Recycle Now' : ‘A Guide to Greener Gardening’ and ‘Guide to Buying Peat-free compost, soil conditioners and mulches’
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