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A gardening guru says Britons “should do all (they) can to buy peat-free” despite the benefits of the compost to their flowerbeds.
Daisy Payne is a gardener who appears frequently on This Morning and grows stunning veg and plants.
The garden expert posts her gardening tips on her Instagram account @gardentogarnish.
She also runs the Garden to Garnish Club, where budding gardeners can join for £39.99 a year and benefit from tutorials, events, and exclusive content.
Daisy spoke to Express.co.uk about peat, a controversial gardening tool.
She said: “I’m very passionate that as gardeners and guardians of this planet, we really should do all we can to buy peat-free.”
Peat-free compost contains no peat, usually made up of other organic materials.
Peat is being shunned by gardeners due to the negative effects it has on the environment.
Peat is bad for the Earth in its mining but also when it is applied to gardens.
It causes a huge release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, long known to cause global warming.
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What is more, many animals live in peat bogs and risk being wiped out in the mining process.
Daisy said: “Peat bogs are an invaluable habitat and their extraction wipes out the entire eco-system.
“Peat bogs also create natural flood defenses, soaking up excess rainfall and releasing it slowly.
“In a nutshell, we should be preserving the peat for the good of the environment and keeping it where it is for as long as possible. Therefore, buying peat-free is a good thing.”
The expert suggested a number of types of organic compost.
She said: “Peat-free composts are typically made up from materials such as wood fibre, composted bark, and coir – so they’re all good!”
Coir is the fibrous substance found within coconuts.
It is used for products like mats, ropes, finishing nets, and brushes, but can also be a compost.
Good natural composts
- Grass clippings
- Kitchen scraps
- Weeds
- Animal manure
- Coffee grounds
- Fallen leaves
- Banana peels
Another gardener has also spoken out against peat.
Owen Harries, also known as @thewelshgardener, said: “I try and buy peat-free compost, and even local municipal waste compost where possible.
“Obviously, as with most things, some alternatives may be negative in other ways, hence making your own compost is the best option.
“But buying peat-free compost which is made and sourced as locally as possible is the best option.”
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