Peat?

[AmyRose]

I'm relatively young & quite new to gardening. I'd read that peat was a controversial issue so just decided to go peat free - why not, it cant hurt anything & I can't miss what I don't know..

I'm just happy to get somthing tasty at the end mmm!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yes I do there certainly are localised problems as I have stated before.

What I am trying to point out is that we form our opinions by what we read, hear etc. And the opinions we are given by the ex-spurts will always be biased because they come from a biased source.

I am not even trying to say which ex-spurt is right or wrong just that they are all repeat all biased.

Colin

[King Carrot]

Yes I do there certainly are localised problems as I have stated before.

What I am trying to point out is that we form our opinions by what we read, hear etc. And the opinions we are given by the ex-spurts will always be biased because they come from a biased source.

I am not even trying to say which ex-spurt is right or wrong just that they are all repeat all biased.

Colin

I realise and understand your point about bias and have no issue with it.

It's just I find that statement "peat extraction & peat accumlation are in balance" very misleading and well...biased and I'm sure it has already been mentioned on this thread as a reason for the continuing use of peat. It's a very general statement that a Peat producing company would use to give its potential customer base reassurance that everything with their product is hunky dory, "now give us your dosh and go back to sleep, everythings fine".

We are all aware and can all agree (can't we?) that once the peat is stripped from an area it's gone and will not magically appear or "accumulate" in that vicinity in the near future.

The problem is that it's really not much good to the area in question should the same amount of peat or even more "accumulate" on the other side of the world. Yes some sites that have the peat extracted from them can be managed into something else but what about all the ones that can't, they are damaged for a very long time?

Good thread this - I've learnt a lot of things I didn't know about peat, and it would seem that there are alternative routes that I can go down in the future.

[SarzWix]

Where PTD made that 'accumulation' statement, he was saying that he has read an expert making that statement, not making it off his own back.

[valmarg]

In the January 2011 edition of the RHS magazine The Garden they printed the results of a trial they did on peat-based, loam-based, green waste, wood fibre and coir composts.

Undoubtedly the best results were with the use of peat based mpc. Loam based wasn't bad, nor were green waste or wood fibre. By far the worst was coir.

Apparently they are intending to repeat the trial this year.

Until such time as they can prpduce a possible alternative to peat, I shall continue to use it.

valmarg

[King Carrot]

Where PTD made that 'accumulation' statement, he was saying that he has read an expert making that statement, not making it off his own back.

and yes, I do realise that PTD was using it as an example, but I just felt it was an important statement that has been touched on in this thread and that needed to be examined in more detail in relation to the subject of peat depletion..your honour

This is where I saw a statement on a similar vein to the accumulation statement earlier in the thread:

I make no apologies, I'm trying to grow the best it is possible to grow. I'm not trying to save the planet. Research shows that there is more peat being laid down naturally on an annual basis than is being extracted and there is a huge amount of unwarranted hype on the subject.

[Two_Sheds]

Until such time as they can prpduce a possible alternative to peat, I shall continue to use it.

Coir is no good on its own, it's too dusty, too dry. I've used it to pad out mpc though.

The good (better?) alternative to peat is now New Horizon (says me and others after trialling it, but I agree it is too expensive compared to the peat versions), or possibly Homebase's own peat free, says Snadger.

I didn't much like B&Q's peat free, it was very twiggy but I have two healthy trees sitting in it in pots and they aren't complaining. It's the same price as their peat mpc.

[Two_Sheds]

a number of people who still use peat... are not commenting on this thread, and I don't blame them. ... for fear of the verbal bashing

Who's being verbally bashed? Views are being put forward, viable alternatives are being suggested. It's a discussion

Please try and respect other people's choices, even if you don't agree with them

The only people being disrespectful as far as I can tell, have already been banned

Having an opposing point of view isn't being disrespectful per se

[Incy]

I have followed this thread with interest as to be honest I've never really given much thought to the whole peat issue although I now think I should.
I have to admit that for me, I buy grow bags from our local gardening association and I've never even looked to see whether they contain peat or not although I suspect they do.
The reason I buy these is because they are inexpensive and also support the gardening association.
I have in the past used B&Q grow bags, both peat free and containing peat and to be fair the peat free ones did not perform as well. This was however a few years ago and I am sure that progress has been made since in the quality of peat free products.
If not for the cost I would be very happy to do trials of both types.

[Hazel at the Hill]

.
The reason I buy these is because they are inexpensive and also support the gardening association.
I have in the past used B&Q grow bags, both peat free and containing peat and to be fair the peat free ones did not perform as well. This was however a few years ago and I am sure that progress has been made since in the quality of peat free products.
If not for the cost I would be very happy to do trials of both types.

Why don't you ask the gardening association if they will stock peat free (I'm another fan of New Horizons, but in the Which? trial, their peat free grow bags didn't perform half as well, so perhaps you might want to have a read of that before asking!).

[zazen999]

We use Fertile Fibre here at work, and I use oodles of New Horizon in schools; we grew toms right up until November in it and it seemed fine; in one school we mixed it with their own cow manure [well rotted] to boost growth and some of their garden soil to keep the water in and had wonderful results.

If Fertile Fibre was cheaper I'd use more of it - it has no wood bits in it and is wonderfully soft to use. No sieving!

I'm sure as time goes on, we can get better at getting rid of the woody bits, getting a better and finer texture and adding more sandy material - it's just a matter of trial and error of getting the mix right.

[arpoet]

Just done a seach for fertile Fibre and ordered a free sample. Click here for yours... FertileFibre

If more peat free producers did this maybe it would take off better.
Roger

[gojiberry]

I am a great believer in composting everything that will compost. I even compost couch grass and mares tail (in special bins) so I believe I do a small bit for the planet. I do not find home made compost suitable for seed sowing as it contains seeds and possibly disease. I purchase a lot of MPC throughout the year and my choice is governed by price. I have been using Wicks at £3 per bag for the last couple of years but could not tell you if it is peat free or not. What I do know is that it is the right price and is a quality product. Not sure but I believe that New Horizon is over £5 a bag.
I also think that if the peat bogs are so important (and I believe they are) then why is the decision left to the individual. Surely it should be up to the government to bring in an outright ban on the use of peat.

Ian

[Shadylane]

There's a cash and carry not too far from us that sells New Horizon and last year I think they were doing it at three bags for either 10 or 12 quid, which isn't too bad. I might pop down tomorrow and pick some up. Peat free in general is too expensive really, but if you can make your own compost and use that for pots, while using the bought in stuff for seed sowing surely that would help cut costs. That's what I plan to do anyway.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I also think that if the peat bogs are so important (and I believe they are) then why is the decision left to the individual. Surely it should be up to the government to bring in an outright ban on the use of peat.

Ian

yes and if it is such a major issue, why is it only a ban on domestic garden use that is goinf through?