Why Peat-Based Compost Is Not An Environmentally Friendly Choice (Banned In 2021)
Elizabeth is a Permaculture Garden Designer, Sustainability Consultant and Professional Writer, working as an advocate for positive change. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an MA in English and Philosophy and obtained a Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design from the Permaculture Association.
Reviewed By DAN ORI
Dan has over 27 years’ under his belt caring for plants and gardens. Working as a Horticultural Instructor and Consultant, he draws on a diverse range of experience that includes working as a Head Gardener, Tree Surgeon, Garden Centre Trouble Shooter, and writer of academic papers. Dan has a Level 3 Diploma in Horticulture and is currently a candidate for the RHS’s most prestigious award – The Master of Horticulture.
Contributions From HANNAH REID
IN THIS GUIDE
Peat has traditionally been used by many horticultural experts and home growers to provide optimum conditions for their plants in pots, and to amend the soil in their gardens.
However, in recent years, there has been a shift away from peat for environmental reasons.
Many compost or potting mix manufacturers have moved away from peat altogether, or reduced the amount of peat included in their recipe.
Sustainable, eco-friendly gardeners have tried to move away from these options to ones that are peat-free, and have less impact on the environment.
What Is Peat-Based Compost?
Peat based compost, as the name suggests, is a potting media or mix which includes a certain proportion of peat in its composition.
Why Has Peat Traditionally Been Used?
Peat has traditionally been used in growing media and soil amending composts because it is excellent for growing plants.
Peat retains plenty of water and provides nutrients, while also providing a good texture that helps in maintaining aeration and avoiding compaction.
Trying to recreate the qualities of peat with other materials has, historically, posed something of a challenge.
But research and development of new commercial products means that there are now alternatives, which provide the same benefits as peat, without posing the same environmental threat.
The horticultural industry in the UK is still heavily dependent on peat as a resource – but things are beginning to change, with the proliferation of higher quality peat-free options.
Now, there are many peat-free alternatives that are just as good as peat-based options.
In 2021, new legislation has banned the sale of peat to gardeners in the UK by 2024, with plans to help restore the UK’s peatland bogs.1Carrington, D. (2021, May 18). Sales of peat compost to gardeners to be banned from 2024. The Guardian. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/18/sales-of-peat-compost-to-gardeners-to-be-banned-from-2024
Costs
One benefit of peat-based composts that does remain is that they are usually cheaper than peat-free alternatives.
This means that they can be particularly tempting for those gardening on a budget.
One thing to remember, however, is that you can also keep down costs by making your own growing media.
This can also be achieved by using other materials to fill raised beds (no dig gardening lasagna beds) so only a smaller amount of compost is required to top new growing areas.
Using Peat-Based Compost
A peat-based compost, depending on its composition, can be used to grow a huge range of different plants.
There are peat-based composts that can be used for starting seeds, growing plants in pots, and for spreading around plants to build and improve the soil in your growing areas.
As mentioned above, peat is not a sustainable or eco-friendly choice. We’ll explain why in a little more detail below.
Organic gardeners should always try to avoid using peat-based compost whenever possible, as Horticulturist Hannah Reid explains:2Peat belongs in bogs, not bags. (n.d.). The Wildlife Trusts. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/ban-sale-peat
“Avoid using peat products – only buy peat-free. Peatlands store huge amounts of carbon and harvesting it for compost is an environmental disaster.
“It’s both horrendous for the biodiversity of that specific area and on a global climate scale.
“Making your own fertilisers using common plants found in the garden like nettles and comfrey is a great substitute.”
“Peat is an almost inert substance and has little if any fertilising benefit,” adds Dan Ori, a Horticultural Consultant.
“It is what’s mixed with peat in products like multi-purpose composts that feed plants. The reason it is used in planting mixes (compost) or added to soil is that it has a high water-retentive ability over time.
“The quality of peat-free multi-purpose composts has improved dramatically in the last few years, but you do have to adjust to a new watering approach, as peat-free composts will use more water than peat-based without adding additional materials.”
Where it is preferable to use peat, and a good peat-free option cannot provide the same results (which is increasingly rare) gardeners should try to choose a lower peat option.
Another potential option is to choose a compost that has peat sourced more sustainably – dredged from rivers and by dams where it has been naturally washed by rain, rather than choosing peat that has been dug up from its natural ecosystem.
What Plants Is Peat-Based Compost Good For?
There is no denying that peat-based compost is great for growing a wide range of plants.
There are peat-based media that can be used for growing most plants from seed to maturity. (But also usually peat-free composts that can do just as good a job.)
When starting seeds, multi-purpose composts can sometimes be used. But a specialist seed starting mix might yield better results.
For ericaceous plants, a specialist acidic mix should be used.
Why Should Gardeners Use Less Peat-Based Compost?
The main disadvantage of peat-based composts is the harm they do environmentally speaking.
Peat comes from lowland peat bogs. When we use it on a large scale in the horticultural industry, we are damaging these precious wetland environments.3Peatlands and climate change. (2017, November). IUCN. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/peatlands-and-climate-change
The problem is that although peat is a natural resource – we are using it up far faster than it can be replenished. And we need those peat ecosystems to remain for a number of reasons.
Firstly, and importantly, peat bogs are a crucial carbon sink. Peat wetlands are the most important ecosystems for carbon sequestration on our planet.4Why is peat so important? | Climate change. (n.d.). National Trust. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/nature-climate/climate-change-sustainability/preserving-our-peatland
When peat is removed and peat ecosystems are degraded or destroyed, these ecosystems can no longer play their role in maintaining the world’s carbon cycle.
We need to sequester more carbon, and lock it up in peat bogs and other carbon sinks in order to tackle the massive climate crisis we face.5What is Carbon Sequestration and How Does it Work? (2019, September 20). Clarity and Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research at UC Davis. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://clear.ucdavis.edu/explainers/what-carbon-sequestration
Wetlands are also very important in the water cycle. When we destroy peat bogs, we risk disrupting the flows of water through our environment. It is estimated that around 10% of the Earth’s freshwater is contained in peatlands.6Trenbirth, H., & Dutton, A. (2019, July 22). UK natural capital: peatlands. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/bulletins/uknaturalcapitalforpeatlands/naturalcapitalaccounts
What is more, when peat ecosystems are degraded, water can also pass across a landscape more quickly.
When we take peat away or disrupt natural systems, this can cause major flooding issues for communities at lower elevations.7Shuttleworth, E. (2019, July 1). Peat restoration and natural flood management. IUCN Peatland Programme. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.iucn-uk-peatlandprogramme.org/news/peat-restoration-and-natural-flood-management
And it is not just people affected by peat removal. Many species of flora and fauna also rely on precious peat habitats.
Wetlands are the most biodiverse of all nature’s ecosystems. When we disrupt and disturb them, we are contributing to habitat loss and biodiversity loss.8High Biodiversity. (n.d.). The Wetlands Initiative. Retrieved March 21, 2023, from https://www.wetlands-initiative.org/high-biodiversity
These are just some of the main reasons why we should be leaving peat in the ground, not stealing it to use in our gardens.
