"Peatlands are extraordinary places. These wonderful wetlands are home to a wild array of wonderful sticky, squishy plants, jewel-like insects and fluffy pom-poms of cottongrass. Lowland raised bogs, the main type of peatland dug up for compost, have been decimated and only around 5% of this habitat remains in the UK. Part of helping their recovery, both at home and abroad, is halting the unnecessary use of peat in our gardens and food production systems. Being peat-free is an essential part of sustainable, nature-friendly gardening. Peat belongs in bogs, not bags!" These are the powerful words of Dr Emma Hinchliffe, Director of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature UK Peatland Programme (IUCN). 

But if you're just a home gardener, tending colourful pots and borders, maybe stretching as far as a small allotment, can the quantity you use really make a difference? And what else is there?

What are the alternatives?

Bark, wood fibre and coir are peat-free alternatives, sometimes used individually or in compost composites with inorganic materials such as sand and perlite. Be sure to pick the right pre-bagged mix for your plant's life stage. 

Pros:

• Can be processed into different consistencies to suit different needs, such as drainage or finer textures for seeds and cuttings.
• Coir has excellent water-holding abilities.
• Light and porous making good growing conditions.
• Pre-bagged mixes are available at many garden centres and home retailers now. 

Cons:

• The Horticultural Trade Association has shared concern about material being in limited supply for these options, being in high demand for lots of other industries too.
• Conifer plantations themselves are hostile to most wildlife and there is a risk they take the place of natural forests if demand increases.
• These ingredients are often imported, especially coir which comes from coconuts in Sri Lanka and India.
• Coir production is very water intensive, taking 300-600 litres of water to wash one cubic meter of coir pith.
• Coir exportation could come at the expense of local needs, such as for fuel or soil improvement.

Green compost, or soil improver, is made from anaerobically composting our green waste. You may be able to buy this direct from your local authority or waste disposal service, and some even offer it for free - if you can bag it yourself! For Huntingdonshire residents around us in the Great Fen, free loose compost is available at the Waterbeach, Alconbury and March transfer stations. 

Pros

• Free
• Recycled material

Cons

• Quality is variable and may require further sieving to reduce particle size or extract contaminants such as plastic. 

Home-made compost is a fantastic alternative if you're looking for a low-cost, low carbon footprint alternative. The Wildlife Trust has some great advice on getting started here, including what and not to include.  

Pros

• Reduces your garden and kitchen waste - cutting your own carbon footprint
• Provides a habitat for a range of minibeasts
• Low-cost

Cons

• Batches may perform differently, having variable pH levels, moisture retention and nutrients.
• The RHS advises it's best avoided for seed sowing as potential fungi can harm seedlings.

Leafmould is another great home-made alternative to peat. Collect leaves from your garden, store them in frame made of chicken wire and be sure to keep them damp. 

Pros

• Free/Low-cost.
• Organic (collect leaves away from road pollution).
• Young mould (less than two years) can be used as mulch.
• Well-rotted mould (more than two years) can be used for seeds or mixed with other materials to make potting compost.

Cons

• Takes two years to mature.
• Can contain weeds. 
• You may not have many trees to collect from (another good reason to plant some!).

Whichever products you opt for, there will be some trial and error, but don't give up. You may need to water more, or less, than you're used to. Add organic liquid feeds such as seaweed or homemade comfrey tea but the frequency will be a matter of practice. 

Check out some of the advice from the RHS, Garden Organic, and Jack Wallington and download the Wildlife Trusts' free peat-free gardening guide. 

If you don't want to grow your own, we can still check if the flower and vegetable plug plants, shrubs and trees we buy are grown peat-free at their nurseries. Check out this excellent list from Nic Wilson, who has compiled over 140 businesses nationwide proudly growing peat-free: PEAT FREE NURSERIES LIST.

Sometimes we underestimate the power of small actions, but your choices matter. Every time you opt for the peat-free compost, that's one less sale of the peat-based and these numbers add up. You may only be one person asking the garden centre for peat-free plug plants today, but you will inspire more. Educate your family, neighbours and friends as to why peat should stay in the ground. Be ahead of the game when legislation banning peat-containing products finally comes around and sleep soundly knowing that any damage done in the meantime was not in your name.

Gardening is meant to be beneficial to nature. Are the flowers in our gardens worth more than the climate and biodiversity of our planet? We hope you have great success gardening peat-free and reap the benefits with abundant blooms and wildlife!  

Be inspired by some of this peat-free success...