The campaign group “For Peat’s Sake” is trying to encourage people and industry in the UK to stop peat extraction.
Peat has been used by gardeners for centuries. It is excellent at retaining water and has good compaction. But it comes from boggy areas and when extracted leads to :-
- a loss of habitat for plants and animals. These are rich eco-systems that are an important resource.
- a loss of huge carbon storage systems that has taken thousands of years to form. This is unsustainable and unrenewable.
Many gardening companies and charities are now turning to peat free composts. There are lots of ways to make peat free composts, usually involving shredded bark or coir. They may not be as good at water retention than peat but gardeners must help protect our precious environment.
Did You Know? Peat bogs are an important place for storing carbon. In one year the peat dug up for use in garden compost in Britain alone releases almost half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide – this is equivalent to 100,000 cars on the road – National Trust.
‘Peat Free April’ has launched a series of events throughout April 2021 to promote the campaign. Further details can be found on this Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/PeatFreeApril/
More information about peat free horticulture can be found in the following links:
RHS Gardening https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/peat
| Peat-free gardening / RHS Gardening Find out what the RHS is doing to encourage gardeners and the horticultural industry to go peat-free, a crucial part in our fight against climate changewww.rhs.org.uk |
Garden Organic https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/peat
| Peat | www.gardenorganic.org.uk Peat comes from peat bogs, it is an accumulation of partially decayed organic matter. Because it is stored under water, it doesn’t release carbon as it decays.www.gardenorganic.org.uk |
Permacuture https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/why-we-need-garden-without-peat-how-use-peat-free-substitutes
| Why We Need To Garden Without Peat & How To Use Peat Free Substitutes | Permaculture magazine Many gardeners like Alan Titchmarsh still use peat. Alternative kitchen gardener, Emma Cooper, explains the devastation caused by digging up peat bogs and suggests a range of practical alternatives to make our gardens grow. She says, “The best place for peat is in the ground.”www.permaculture.co.uk |
BBC Gardening http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/today_in_your_garden/ethical_peat.shtml
| BBC – Gardening – Gardening Guides: Today in your garden – Ethical gardening Environmentalists, the government, and gardening organisations all agree that the use of peat should be phased out and replaced by sustainable and if possible, locally sourced alternatives …www.bbc.co.uk |
Which Gardening https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/compost/article/best-compost-ahUv44C6lrR5
Click here for More information about “For Peat’s Sake”
