Compost being sold on garden centre shelves are more often labelled as ‘peat-free’. Peat has been used in the horticulture industry since the 1960s, but there have been calls for it to be banned. This ban is finally coming, with peat-containing products aiming to be banned from shelves in 2027. And other remaining peat products should be banned from 2030 onwards. But what is peat? Why is peat being banned? And what does it mean for your garden?

To find out more about peat, watch the below video where I interview RHS Director of Science and Collections Alistair Griffiths on all things peat:

Peat is a partly decayed plant material taken from peatland bogs. Peatlands are naturally boggy areas which store a lot of carbon thanks to their heavily waterlogged conditions. Dead plant material, mainly mosses like sphagnum, builds up in waterlogged conditions. This material retains all of the carbon stored whilst alive thanks to photosynthesis. It is unable to decay fully due to the lack of oxygen.

This plant material continues to break down over hundreds and even thousands of years. Eventually, it creates a layer of peat soil once completely broken down.

This means the masses of carbon retained within the peatlands are quite significant. UK peatlands store 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon.

What is peat free compost?

There are a few different materials used in peat-free compost to ensure they have the same water and nutrient retention, without peat. Also, scientists wanted to ensure the blends created could also be produced sustainably. Scientists have been working and researching to produce the best compost possible which offers an organic alternative to peat, whilst also working well in the garden.

So, what is in peat-free compost?

Loam

This is often a base component of many compost mixtures. It is even considered the ideal plant-growing medium, combining sand, silt, and clay. Equally mixing these three different soil types means good moisture retention, plenty of minerals, and loose enough texture for root growth.

Green Compost

This is compost which is comprised of purely green material, produced from our own, homemade green waste. Depending on where you are in the UK, this is either a green bin or a brown one. These materials are collected on a large scale and made into green compost, which is added to peat-free mixtures. It is rich in living microorganisms and nutrients.

Coir

Another well-recycled element of making peat-free compost, coir is a byproduct of coconuts. This is made using the husks, the hair-like texture making it great for improving peat-free compost’s water retention. It’s completely renewable and makes use of otherwise waste material.

Wood fibre

Wood fibre is a byproduct of the timber industry, making use of more waste products. This is often steam-treated to give loose material and crushed or milled. This is often used to improve the drainage of the compost. Wood fibre can also be further treated to best suit the requirements of most plants.

Composted bark

Most often sourced from pine trees, this is the result of composting bark. Larger pieces are used to remain as bark chips for the garden, whilst the smaller parts are cut down further and included in peat-free compost. The structure improves the air in the soil and adds microorganisms too.

The most important reason is that peat-free compost reduces gardening’s carbon footprint. Peatlands take thousands of years to form. So destroying them is very hard to repair and replace. Whilst only covering about 3% of the earth’s surface, peatland stores almost a third of the soil’s carbon in total. That makes them the world’s largest store of carbon. When peatlands are disturbed or damaged to harvest peat, the carbon stored there gets released into the atmosphere as CO₂.

Also, peat-free compost has been carefully formulated to be sourced renewably and sustainably. Often using waste products from our homes or other industries, peat-free compost makes use of items which would otherwise be thrown away.

Peat-free compost is very easy to use, and there are plenty of suppliers producing different peat-free composts to suit different plants. If you’ve been gardening with peat compost for a long time, it does take some adjustment and new processes. However, it is very much worth it.

Plants grown in peat-free compost, particularly in containers, will likely need a carefully managed feeding routine. Just make sure you are providing the right plant food for the plants you are growing. Do some research on the correct balance of nutrients.

One thing to consider with watering is the surface of the compost might look dry, but underneath could be a different story. Push a finger into the soil, and you’ll likely find it is moist within an inch. Also, if used in containers, you could lift your plant pot and get an idea of the weight. Heavier likely means plenty of moisture.