GW Special last night

[Pootle]

Having visited the peat bogs in Ireland I have to say that it's quite eye-opening when you see them being dug on an industrial scale. We try not to use peat at home and as part of our school eco theme we are experimenting with coir mixed with homemade compost/worm casts. It'll be interesting to see the results.

But you are right to say that coir is expensive, a block which Oxfam are selling costs £2.49 and makes around 8 lt. That can't compete with the huge bags of multipurpose that you get in the garden centres can it...

[marigold007]

I have always bought organic or general peat free compost when low on the homemade stuff. But I did buy some 50% peat compost the other day at Wickes because that was all I could find. It does occur to me that if they don't want us using it, they shouldn't sell it. I guess that's a little naive of me.

[Hilary B]

Having seen most of the program (I was dishing up supper at one point, leaving the room when the dinosaur was wittering on. I found his comment of 'but they aren't gardeners' annoying) I have to say that the Irish extraction company had a point about the damage already having been done in some places. It would make more sense to ban opening NEW areas for extraction, but allow continued extraction where the living surface has already been taken off. If the untouched areas are left alone, then continuing to use the areas already opened can't make a lot of difference can it?

[piskieinboots]

I have to say that the Irish extraction company had a point about the damage already having been done in some places.

I agree with this - I viewed it a bit like using every bit of an animal after it had been killed but NOT killing an animal for his/her fur

[Two_Sheds]

what do we use for plants that need ericaceous type compost?

The green answer, I'm afraid, is not to grow plants that don't suit your soil.
If you have alkaline soil, then don't grow rhodos, camellias, azaleas etc. Grow something more suitable ...

[Comfreyfan]

Back in the 90's when I was first aware of the issue I tried to go peat free, the results were poor, cost a fortune and I went back to multi-purpose.

My home made compost production has improved since then, that's all I use as a soil improver now and the peat free products seem to have really improved so I'll try again! I'd like to use more of my home made stuff but I need very basic instructions and recipes - back to Google!

Good programme - loads to think about. (They did briefly mention ericaceous loving plants, they said the bark was good for those).

[zazen999]

My home made compost production has improved since then, that's all I use as a soil improver now and the peat free products seem to have really improved so I'll try again! I'd like to use more of my home made stuff but I need very basic instructions and recipes - back to Google!

i watched it last night.

I sieve my home made, and approx the same amount of peat free....and a handful of sand for mine. Nothing too specific.


Story of my life...

[Comfreyfan]

Thanks Andrea - 'nothing too specific' sounds fine to me!

[HeyWayne]

Who's Peat?

[miffy]

The fella at Kew gardens showed the mix he uses for his sowing compost, potting on and for well established plants. He used 50% coir to 50% fine sand for his seeds, which would make the coir go further so cut down the cost.
The people at Which tested non peat composts for sowing, growing on and also as growing mediums and a company called new horizon organic non peat composts did as well as the peat composts.
A slice of peat bog they looked at which was about three feet deep had taken 10,000 years to form which is why it is irreplacable in our lifetime.
However one of the scientist bods did say they had been successful in re flooding bog land and that the peat mosses needed to rot down in the bog soup as she called it were already starting to form and once the chunky bog moss started to form the peat soup would start to rot down.
It is like all natural resources they are not inexhaustable and we really should try to find a more sustainable less enviromentally detremental alternative.
I haven't been a gardener very long but i have never bought compost with peat in it and my rate of seed germination has always been fine for me which is lucky i guess, however i can understand people's worry at giving up something which works for them as seed can be expensive and it takes alot of time and effort to grow things from seed.
Perhaps if people just trial a small amount of peat free to see if it works for them at least they are giving it a go.
Peter Seabrook!, wouldn't be polite to say how he came across, i think Toby did so well against his rudeness.

[piskieinboots]

Peter Seabrook!, wouldn't be polite to say how he came across, i think Toby did so well against his rudeness.

Didn't he just!! Blimey, it must have been hard, but he kept his cool

[piskieinboots]

Who's Peat?

The blokey 'they' are all arguing about, seems he is some chappie that lived a long long time ago - even older than me

[zazen999]

The blokey 'they' are all arguing about, seems he is some chappie that lived a long long time ago - even older than me

Cripes.

*ducks

[HeyWayne]

The blokey 'they' are all arguing about, seems he is some chappie that lived a long long time ago - even older than me

Speaking of which, isn't it your birthday soon?

[Capsid]

Well, I found the programme confusing. Peter Seabrook was quoting figures that only 1% of UK peat bogs are used and that some of it is sourced from Lithuania (I think Wickes multi-purpose is 50% from the Baltics). But I'd like to see some official figures as Toby didn't seem to be able to confirm or deny that.

Then the Westland peat bog takes of 4" of peat a year and it's 20m deep! That's ~200 years worth! Then it is possible for the peat bogs to grow back after use (was that right?) If so then that would restore the wildlife which is good isn't it?.

I didn't follow the CO2 argument. The carbon is locked up in peat bogs but CO2 will only get released if it is burnt. Spreading it around on gardens will just distribute the carbon not release it.

After all that, I went to Homebase and bought their multipurpose peat free stuff.