Dearth of Peat-free compost

I've been a bit annoyed by this issue this week so I thought I'd find out what you all thought.

This year I decided to make a big effort to avoid buying peat-based compost. I've been using a blend of John Innes 1 or 2 with a peat-free mix, as the peat-frees on their own often seem a bit unpalatable. As I need quite a lot right now for potting tomatoes/pricking out (like every other gardener in the country) I popped into Homebase to pick some up.

I was annoyed to find there was none on sale, so had to make a special effort to get to a local B&Q instead. They had none either.

Now, is this because green-conscious gardeners have cleaned out all their stocks? Is it because the big two have no commitment to peatland protection and want us to buy peat-based compost? Is it because customers complain about the quality of Peat-frees so stores can say there's not enough call for it? Or was I just unlucky?

Anyone else had any problems with regard to supply or quality of peat-free? And how could we bring pressure on the big players to provide this product at equivalent cost to peat-based?

 

I have never had any problems getting peat-free compost in my local B+Q, but it is a warehouse, I'm not sure whether you went to a warehouse or a normal B+Q?

To me, the last thing big companies should be doing at the minute is ignoring the environmental concerns of their customers! Even they couldn't give two hoots about the destruction of peat bogs, they know that some of their customers do so would be losing potential sales!

 

I'd agree with that, Dave. I think, however, that there will come a time pretty soon when only the compost with peat will be labelled.

We had the same a few years back with cheese where for years the products that used vegetable rennet were labelled "suitable for vegetarians". Whereas now, with the animal rennet being so difficult to obtain, all cheese is made with vegetable rennet so the labelling was dropped.

Wonder if the same is happening with compost?

 

Neither B&Q nor Focus here and in a couple of other places we went to look had any of their normal peat free compost, though they still had peat free grow bags. The section of the storage area was still labelled for Peat free and the managers said that they were waiting delivery. I preume that they have to wait for the stuff to be made, unlike peat which is already there.
By the way, the only reason I use peat free is because of the dread vine weevil is is not as fond of it as it is of peat. There is a lot of nonsense put forward over the peat issue.

 

Huh, Our local focus and garden centre, (that's all we got) Had loads of the peat free muck on sale. Buy 3 for the price of 2 and it seemed to be winging it's way off the shelves. But no other multi purp compost. Can't get on with either peat free and definately any of the john innes mixes. I did get a levingtons, with john innes added. but the 60ltr bag was as heavy as a 100ltr, and I was annoyed to discover how damp it was. No holes on sack either. I would rather not pay for water with compost. oh and it was peat free too.Yuk........... I'm afraid, while the old good stuf is available, I shall be sticking with it. But having difficulty finding large quantities, especially on offer.

 

I'm assuming that peat-free is still a minority taste. But because it was not available I was pretty much forced into a bag of peat-based. Interesting point about the emphasis of the labelling - however, after my recent experiences I think we're a few years off that.

To extend the parallel with cheese, once the peat bogs have been thoroughly pillaged then they will have to make compost out of something else. Then, no doubt, they will charge us a princely sum for buying hand-filled, vintage bags of luxury peat!

I am pleased to hear that special offers now extend to peat-free. It's always annoyed me that we're expected to pay more for trying to be greener.

Having bought some quite ropey peat-based in recent years I don't see as a gardening wonder-material. It can be very powdery and light for a long term potting and very difficult to rewet if it dries out. (It always does sooner or later) I have been happy with the John Innes/peat-free 50:50 mix and also with buying topsoil to mix with compost.

Sorry to hear you think it's "muck", Compostee. If I was Prime Minister that's all you'd be getting. (Don't hold your breath)

 

Well the stuff I tend to use is the cheapest I can find if I'm mixing it with JI, but I do like to buy something like Leavington or Authur Bowers if I using it straight from the bag.
I cant work out if its peat free or not, as it dont seem to say on the sack. If it is peat based, its pretty bad quality peat, nothing like we used to get. The texture of Fisons grow bags when they first came out, was better than the peat we get now.
I guess when the peat quality finally becomes so bad, we will all go over to peat free out of choice.
Out of interest, does anyone know what is used as a pot plant growing medium in other parts of the world. Having bought palms etc. grown abroad and imported, they do seem to use some very clayey/ sandy type stuff that really is "MUCK". :D

 

This' with JI added' thing creases me. The John Innes institute in America did a lot of testing to find a set of formulae to be used for the composition of composts. There was one for seed sowing, one for potting on and one for growing on. Each of these had a certain amount of loam, a certain amount of peat and a certain amount of fertiliser of one sort or another. The quality of the product depends on the quality of the ingredients for one thing, but HOW, tell me can you add a formula to something? The words with JI are about as nonsensical as any in the gardening world.
One little point about peat bogs is tha the vast majority of sphagnum peat bogs in Britain are MAN=MADE. Admittedly prehistoric man, but man mad all the same.

 

Hi Palustris. How were they man-made? I thought it was just the natural rotting down of Spagnum Moss in a wet environment? I'm actually interested in that. Always like to know when I'm wrong.

 

One cuts down all the forests and allows the upland areas to become nutrient deficient through leaching, leaving only the moss to grow and then you get a peat bog, eventually. Takes a while though as I said. There are some which are natural though. I am still looking for the proper references for you.

 

Thanks.

 

I didn't realise the peat bogs were man made palustris, but I must say it doesn't suprise me, very little of our contryside is as nature left it, and the cances are if its not man made its animal made, nothing stands still.
As to tha addition of JI to composts, I think that it is generally accepted that it means some JI fromula loam based compost has been added.

 

I have just had my first experience of bulk growing of bedding in peat-free compost, admittedly not through choice but under orders as one of our parks is in for a green flag award or some rubbish. Without any previous trials I had to grow 25,000 mixed bedding plants in peat- free alongside 130,000 in peat. I have had some success and some less so. The mix was 80% coir and 20% loam plus a slow release fertiliser. I still prefer peat any day but it is a pain having to grow the same plant in differnt composts which require different watering requirements.
Quality wise the peat-free is inferior to the peat composts I use.

 

I just Googled "Peat" and apparently there is an area in Siberia the size of France and Germany, that is all peat. Shouldn't run out of it too quick!

 

Have a look at www.fertilefibre.com