Here at Flatford Wildlife Garden, we only use peat-free compost, which is supplied by The Place for Plants in nearby East Bergholt, or made by our gardening team in our compost bins.
Peat-free composts are a much better choice for the planet. Preserving rare peat bogs is vital for the unique biodiversity they support, as well as for the wider environment. These wetland habitats are vital carbon stores, in fact peatlands hold twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined, with UK peatlands alone estimated to store approximately three billion tonnes of carbon. Draining peat bogs for peat extraction releases carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. Peatlands also play a key role in soaking up excess rainfall, helping to prevent localised flooding.
Peat-free potting composts contain blends of various organic (plant-derived) materials – such as composted bark, coir, woodfibre and green compost. These are sometimes mixed in varying proportions with inorganic materials such as grit, sharp sand, rock wool and perlite. All these materials have their own physical, chemical and biological properties that are all different to those of peat, so it's worth trying a few different compost mixes to find one that suits your garden and the plants you grow.
You might also choose to make your own compost, using waste from your garden and kitchen. This is a cost-effective way of producing compost for use as a mulch or soil conditioner in your garden. It's worth noting that for sowing seeds you should still buy peat-free compost commercially, as homemade compost can contain fungi that could harm your seedlings.
Making a compost heap is also great for garden biodiversity, with many kinds of fungi and soil micro-organisms contributing to the process, while worms, woodlice, slugs and other invertebrates also feed on the decaying material. These in turn provide food for birds, hedgehogs, toads and other valuable wildlife.
Speaking of hedgehogs, this is exactly the time of year when they will be searching for hibernation sites. So try to keep some areas of old leaves and plants in your garden as an attractive hiding place for a hedgehog. And do remember to check your bonfire for hedgehogs if you're making one in your garden over the autumn or winter.
Just as it's time for the hedgehogs to hibernate, so it's nearly time for Flatford Wildlife Garden to close to visitors for the winter. But before that, we'll be open during half-term, with family activities focusing on trees. Find out why trees are so amazing during the family garden trail. Then create an animal wildlife collage with autumn leaves to take home. The activities cost £2 per child and the garden will be open 10:30-4:30 throughout half-term week.