The challenge of replacing peat

Arguably, the biggest challenge gardeners face at present is the impending ban on the use of peat. There is no question that this will eventually happen for various sound reasons, but it comes after so many decades of reliance on the substance as a basic ingredient for con-tainer composts, and soil condition-ing.

In days of yore on country estates, head gardeners were secretive about the composts they concocted to grow plants destined for display in the big house. Leaf mould was a key ingredient. Then John Innes’ standardised composts for potting became available to everyone, thus levelling the playing field. However, peat was a key ingredient and this brought a growing pressure on a natural resource.

Peat-containing composts are still appearing for sale at our garden centres as the search for a worthy substitute of the same quality continues. Some contain between 20 per cent to 80 per cent others are totally peat-based. Among the bags of soil-less composts currently for sale, you will find several possible peat-substitutes, eg pine bark, wood fibre, green waste, coir. Typically, they are used stand-alone or as a mixture.

The only way to discover which works best for you is to try each in turn. Having already done so I’m interested in pursuing coir which is the waste fibrous husk material from coconuts. It offers options, either coming in a bag of commercial compost ready for use or bought as a dry block that requires water to release the fibres before making your own growing medium.

The latter process is easier than you might imagine. Add a slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining granules to the moist coir and mix them together. After initial success, experiment as I do by adding sieved, composted green waste.