Compost and Sustainability #PeatFreeApril

Today is the start of April and I want to give a heads up on compost before you rush out and buy - it's important to consider it's sustainability.

Peat composts have been around for many years but are they sustainable? As importantly do they work? Bogs are important for many reasons such as there own specific fauna and flora and their inhabitants; some of which can only be found in bogs.

I want to give you some reasons as to why you should not indulge in peat based compost and yes the alternatives work just as well!

So here goes...

Peat bogs cover just 3% of the earths surface but store 30% of the worlds carbon.

They are the worlds largest sink, storing more than all other types of vegetation combined.

Draining an harvesting peat releases hundred of years of stored carbon into the atmosphere accounting for around 5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

Peat accumulates at a rate of 2mm per year,harvesting removes 20cm a year, some schemes are in place to restore bogs that have bee harvested, their longterm success has yet to be proved.

As a result, the government has agreed with compost manufacturers that peat shouldn't be in composts for home gardeners by the end of 2020.

I will endeavour to update you with the alternatives in the next blog....

As many people are struggling with more home waste than usual due to Covid-19- now is a perfect time to start your compost bin for next year - using your cardboard, veggie peels, egg shells, tea bags or coffee grinds in a sustainable way - win, win!

organic compost

I want to leave you with a quote from everyone's' favourite gardener.

" Every time you use peat-based compost in the garden you are deliberately participating in the destruction of a non-renewable environment that sustains some of the most beautiful plant and animal life. No garden on this earth is worth that"

Monty Don