News from the gardening world
New research identifies the issues preventing roll out of peat-free composts, by Ian Hodgson
Issues surrounding the sustainable supply of alternatives to peat in potting composts is a major factor preventing the industry from shifting to peat-free production, an independent academic investigation has found.
Researchers at Coventry University recently assessed the reasons behind the slow progress and what needs to be done to help make the transition happen, particularly the industry’s inability to meet voluntary Government targets of becoming peat-free for consumers by 2020 and by 2030 for the trade.
Estimates on the amount of peat used in potting mixtures used by gardeners has fallen from 70 per cent by volume in
2009 to 50 per cent, with recent industry figures recording a drop to 41.5 per cent. The professional sector showed a small reduction from 63.9 per cent to 62.9 per cent. Just over two million cubic metres of peat was sold in the UK in 2019.
“Early efforts to promote peatfree alternatives were hindered by the inconsistency and poor quality of products, which had long-term impacts on consumer perceptions,” said co-lead of the study, Dr David Bek.
“However, considerable research and trialling has transformed the quality of alternative mixes to the extent that these can successfully match the performance of peat-based products.”
Although suitable compost mixes have been produced, mostly from variously blended mixes of coir, composted green waste, bark and wood fibre, the problems stem from scaling up production to meet booming demand. With Government imminently about to publish its much-anticipated peat policy and the licence-controlled extraction of peat in the UK and Ireland exhausted in the next two decades, pressure is on to dramatically increase the range of high-calibre, sustainably sourced alternatives.
Recently Gardeners’ World presenter Monty Don entered the fray by urging gardeners to stop using potting mixes containing peat or plants grown in peat on principle, saying on Twitter, “we all have to own the problem, then we can all come up with a solution”.
Now Monty and a number of charities have written an open letter to Government calling for a ban on peat in growing media in the next five years. The RHS, the National Trust, Garden Organic, Friends of the Earth, RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts, among others, say that unless a legal ban is introduced it would mean ‘destroying irreplaceable wildlife habitat and releasing the carbon that it stores’.
Yet the Coventry University report concludes: “It’s currently unclear how far and fast the transition to peat-free horticulture can realistically unfold. Significant barriers exist due to challenges with securing sufficient volumes of good-quality alternatives at a price that will prove palatable with consumers”, further suggesting the price of potting composts might rise as a consequence.
The report also recommends a more integrated approach should be adopted between manufacturers, retailers and the public, with the development of clear messaging around environmental impacts so gardeners can make positive choices concerning what products to purchase and, importantly, asking hobby gardeners to feed back their experiences using peat free-growing media.