We just want to grow plants...
THOSE who are arguing for the peat ban should read the Glendoick Gardens Peat Policy (8 glendoick.com/Peat) written by Ken Cox, a very unbiased and honest response to this very contentious issue.
If they did research it, they would I feel sure, have a very different view on the subject. Peat does not need to be used as a soil conditioner; it only needs to be in seed, potting and ericaceous composts and then in the minimum amount to create very good germination and root formation. TV gardeners often mention that they use their own compost but never say what they add to it, (not everyone has composting facilities).
Gardeners just want to grow plants to the best of their ability with the best materials on the market and get wherever possible the best results, and many have failed with the peat-free composts available at the moment, and those with the addition of coir are very environmentally unfriendly.
The RHS has recently been awarded a government grant to research peatfree compost. They did this in 2011 and found that it did not produce anywhere near the same results as compost with added peat, and nothing has changed in the intervening 13 years. Commercial plant growers have been trying to get it right for 10 years or more, and can’t.
Why has the RHS decided at such a late stage to research peat-free, the ban comes into being next year for domestic composts, it will take at least 2-3 years to analyse their findings. The RHS has said they have used peat-free compost of their own making for 30 years or more, but don’t say what additives they put into it. Frankly they are not being much help to the gardening fraternity.