Don't use peat

This weekend, if you're thinking of doing a spot of gardening, please don't buy any peat or peat-based products.

Peat comes from blanket mires - large areas of waterlogged bogs. It is created by the slow decomposition of the special plants that live and die on the upper surface of the bogs. They can be anything from three to fifty metres deep.

Peatland is a very special kind of ecosystem. It is home to many interesting species of plant and provides a nesting habitat for many birds, especially waders such as the Greenshank. The slow but steady decomposition of peatland plants makes bogs an important sponge that soak up carbon dioxide from our atmosphere and hence reduce global warming.

Unfortunately, much peatland is being lost due to peat extraction for horticulture and the planting of trees for the production of wood, also known as agroforestry.

You can help reduce peat extraction by making sure you don't buy peat or peat based products from your local garden centre. I've also noticed that peat based composts are being stocked in supermarkets at the moment. Write to the manager of your garden centre or supermarket to let them know why peat products are bad for the environment.

A much better alternative to peat is home made compost. This is much better for your soil. It has the same water retaining features of peat but has more nutrients and is better at balancing the pH (acidity) of your soil.

For more information see this site from the RSPB, this site from Kew Gardens and this site from the Royal Horticultural Society.

caldini