Martin Fish's MASTERCLASS
TV and radio broadcaster Martin is an RHS judge and former head gardener
With the peat ban imminent, it pays to understand and trial new composts now
If you use growing compost, you’ll no doubt be aware the use of peat-based composts is soon to end.
There are plans to ban the sale of bagged peat composts to amateur gardeners by the end of this year and for professional use by 2026, with some exemptions allowed until 2030.
Peat bogs store huge amounts of carbon. They support a wide range of flora and fauna, many unique to peat bogs, and they act like a giant sponge, helping to prevent local flooding.
Most compost manufacturers have already switched to peat-free alternatives and there is now a wide range available in garden centres.
Peat-free composts use a variety of ingredients including wood fibre, wood bark, coir and coconut fibres, green waste, composted maize, wool and cardboard. These all act differently to peat and so need to be managed differently when growing.
I’ve been trialling peat-free compost on and off for a number of years. I’ve found some are very free-draining, while others stay wet for longer. It’s a good idea to try two or three composts to find one that suits you. I’ve even mixed different brands together to get the texture I want. Watering is key; it can be easy to over water and get soggy conditions, so ease off a little, especially with seedlings and young plants.
STEP BY STEP
