Why Peat Free?
WHAT IS PEAT?
Peat is basically plant material which has died and compacted down over thousands of years.
These areas become waterlogged over time and form peat bogs. Peat is harvested for Horticulture mainly by milling (milling is where the top surface is taken off to about 15mm). It's then left to dry, harrowed and ridged, loaded on to trailers and taken to a factory to be screened and bagged.
WHY IS USING PEAT A BAD IDEA?
Peat bogs store many times more carbon than trees/forests per acre. When peat is harvested the carbon is released into the atmosphere adding to our ever increasing greenhouse gases. A peat bog increases at approximately 1mm per year. Every time it is harvested 15 years of time have been taken from the peat bog and vast amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere.
IF I CHOOSE PEAT FREE WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Yes it will. It may seem miniscule but every time you choose not to buy peat it makes a difference. Just the same as choosing to walk or cycle instead of driving. Whatever we do makes a difference.
IS PEAT COMPOST HARD TO REPLACE?
It's up to the horticultural industry to do what we've done and offer really good peat free alternatives. Peat is cheap to harvest and process, so good alternatives are always going to be more expensive. That's the same though as making the energy choice between a coal fired power station and wind or solar energy.