Regular readers will know that I'm on a bit of a mission this year to try out different peat-free composts and see how they fare. Saving Britain's peat bogs and their wildlife is vital, and that means that the gardening community has got to step up to the mark.
Now I quickly remind everyone that I am undertaking no scientific experiment. The good folk at organisations such as Which! magazine have all the kit and time to do that. But I still think it is important that, out in real-life land, we share our experiences too.
So this weekend I set off around different garden centres to purchase my raw materials.
I have to say, things still aren't great out there for buying peat-free. I visited four different centres, and the number of products to choose from was very low indeed. One or two peat-free options was the norm, but among stack 'em high piles of another six or eight peat-based composts. And when a product did contain peat, the labelling was incredibly coy, tucked away in the small print.
But at least I have the start of my trial. I normally use New Horizon Peat-free Organic, but today I got some seeds going in New Horizon Peat-free Grow-bag compost, and in B&Q's 'new formulation' Peat-free, both of which had been recommended by Which!
First impressions? Both needed sieving to make a seed compost, which I expected. The composition of both was a little bit 'shreddy', full of shards of dark material like crushed bark, with the B&Q product including some sticks that were several centimetres long. And both included a small number of bits of plastic, which doesn't really matter but still feels wrong somehow! Also the B&Q wetted up incredibly quickly - too much for my liking.
But with Ageratum and Dianthus seeds now planted in both, and tucked up snugly in my propagator, away we go - let's see how they do.
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Great to hear your observations, Ratty. Be good to know for sure about the Four Seasons compost, so I'll contact them and find out.
Not sure if this is the best place but anyway here goes:
Westland's Earth Matters: (£6 for 60L) - very fibrous, good for germinating all seeds, terrible for growing on things (achilla, tomatoes, Ammi, Borage)
Four Seasons Organic Compost (£3 for approx 50L- local deliverer) very fine, blackish. Shrinks a bit when dry. Very good for germination and for growing on in. (Does not say on the bag it is peat free but the seller was selling it as such, and I hope it is as I may change to this one)
I'll be interested to see the outcome of this. I, personally, haven't had much success with B&Q's peat free. Yes, they germinate but they seem rather lacklustre afterwards, growing spindly or not at all. Could be just my conditions so I'll keep an eye on your study :)
I’ve been reading a thread on a gardening forum, it seems the compost companies have a long way to go. All voted in favour of peat based compost. Many of them had tried peat free but the performance was not there yet.
I have tried peat free and use it far more than I did. I still sow in peat based; the germination and survival rate of seedlings is too poor in peat free. I will pot on with a 50/50 mixture of peat and peat free and then use completely peat free for established plants.
If there was a reliable alternative I would change but cutting down is all I can afford.
Good luck Adrian, I will follow your experiment with interest.