Peat?

[Nicos]

...AP- Probably for the same reason the oil produces don't stop pumping oil, even though they know that it - in it's various forms- pollutes the planet???

[Aberdeenplotter]

No disputing that

[Potstubsdustbins]

King Carrot maybe you can help on this one. When I read your post about the bogs where you live I did not want to say anything till I had checked my facts.

I usually buy my MPC from Wickes or B & Q and was sure I had seen something about Ireland. It is printed on B & Q bags and I would love to know if it is true.

After explaining that the peat in their products comes from Ireland they state "There are either conservation or long term after use programmes in place for these peat bogs, including the creation of wetlands & forestry".

Now I know that "long term" is very open ended but do you see anything like this happening or is it just a sales ploy.

Colin

[King Carrot]

I'm in the wrong part of the country to tell you from personal experience, but here's their website:


Bord na Móna


Personally, having lived here for over 10 years now, one thing I do know is that the way, some Irish politictians integrate with businesses and certain individuals, would make the most well known internet scammers in the world look like they were stealing all the buns and biscuits at a fairies tea party


I wouldn't imagine it would be too difficult to create "wetlands" out of trenches, look up the the Norfolk Broads. And I imagine a forestry can be established on extracted ground in some places - probably where they "decided" not to create wetlands

[Potstubsdustbins]

King Carrot thanks for that.

Re your Irish politicians, sorry mate but you don't have a monopoly there. What your describing is a world wide disease I am afraid.

Colin

[King Carrot]

King Carrot thanks for that.

Re your Irish politicians, sorry mate but you don't have a monopoly there. What your describing is a world wide disease I am afraid.

Colin

If you want a good laugh look up Bertie Ahern, the only Finance minister and Prime minister in modern history without a bank account and who kept his money in a sock in the airing cupboard.

I grew up in England and was active politically for a while – trust me the Irish are the world leaders in this from the very top to the bottom!

sorry off topic I know

[Potstubsdustbins]

That really should be on the joke page

Colin

[SueA]

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

Thanks for the link arpoet I've requested a sample too. It does seem a bit expensive but I imagine it wold work well mixed with homemade compost etc.
I 'voted' 'parts of my plot are peat free' in the poll as I do try to use peat free but it's not always available locally so I do occasionally buy ones containing peat. I make my own compost but this isn't suitable for using purely on it's own for seed sowing & potting on etc., & needs mixing with something, like everything else I think you have to try a few different brands of peat free compost before you find one which suits your needs. Some such as New Horizon are pretty good but some don't always give consistent results but hopefully standards will rise. We have a peat moss just across the road from us & a company has recently applied for an extension to their licence to extract peat for something like the next 15 years, it's a wild landscape on the edge of town with wildlife & wildflowers so I'm not too happy about that so to stick with using peat in the garden would be a bit hypocritical of me.

[Rabidbun]

I've used probably around three quarters non peat in my raised beds. I try to avoid peat, but on occasion I have been restricted by price and not being able to afford to spend double on peat free. I have found it's pretty much the same for growing in the end, bar the twigs that crop up now and again in the non peat. I do avoid compost made from poorly recycled materials as I don't like to get shards of glass and plastic mixed through the soil.

[teakdesk]

I keep reading the new posts in this thread and look at the poll results.

However, I find the poll results hard to judge as I tick many of the categories.

1/ Yes, it gets the best results - in my experience, true - TICK
2/ I have tried alternatives but have not had much success - yes, I have - TICK
3/ Some areas of my patch are peat-free - yes, I only use peat for some seeds and seedlings - TICK
5/ I am put off using peat-free by the price - yes, that's true as well, I am - TICK



4/ I only use peat-free compost - no, I use a mixture - false
6/ No, peat-free gets the best results - I use peat in places and peat-free in other places - false



The poll says 43 people have voted of which 20 voted that they only use peat-free = 47%.

So, from this poll, a slender majority, 53%, of grapes use peat in one form or another.


Does anyone else find this majority a touch surprising ?



.

[Gurberly]

50 odd poll responses are not a lot when considering there must be millions of gardeners in this country. Likewise, probably not a lot when considering the readership of this site.

That said, its a bit of a mix of all three here... home produced, peat based and non peat based.

Home produced and non peat based tend to go in the larger containers with more robust plants or as a general soil conditioner. Commercial peat based e.g. B&Q mpc tend to get used for the smaller pots and hanging baskets.

Having tried peat free in baskets before, I was very disappointed with the results when treated (i.e. watered and fed in the same way as mpc). This was mainly I think down to the amount of wood based "stuff" in the peat free.

It terms of sourcing peat free and the stuff coming out direct from the local council, I'm never touching the council stuff again.... it was awful, absolutely full of crap (a bit like our local councillors )

G

G

[SueA]

Received my free sample of Fertile Fibre today, it's just a small piece which I think should swell up & fill a 3inch pot with a little bit of other compost/vermiculite added so I might try sowing some chilli or tomato seeds in it.
I forgot to mention that I have used Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Peat Free compost in the past & find that pretty good but again it's a bit on the expensive side.

[zazen999]

Sorry to drag this old thread up again but wowser!

I was buying compost for school again today and stumbled across Vital Earth Peat Free No1 seed compost. I thought - I'll try that, might mix it in with the multipurpose but - lummox - what a great product!

Seriously, it's just like John Innes No 1 but - better! Took up the water properly, drained better, and lighter. I'm in love!!!

It's the one on the left hand side of this link....

Which Compost To Use For Indoor Vegetable Plants From Seed

[smallblueplanet]

It's the one on the left hand side of this link....

Which Compost To Use For Indoor Vegetable Plants From Seed

They look good and so I was interested in its 'organic' credentials too, in their FAQs it says this:

No. Unfortunately, the Soil Association have not approved a key ingredient – albeit used in tiny amounts – because they regard its source as being derived from a "non-ethical system of animal husbandry."

As a veggie I'd like to know what the product is and if any of their products is 'animal products free' so I've emailed them - I'll let you know...

[zazen999]

Please do!

I might be crying in my soup once I find out Didn't have time to actually check as i just saw it and bought it!