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Compost helps a garden to grow beautifully, but one type of compost causes damage to the environment. Gardeners are being urged to move away from peat-based compost.
One gardener who never uses peat in his garden is Owen Harries, also known as @thewelshgardener.
The 18-year-old grows stunning vegetables in West Wales and posts his gardening tips to inspire others.
Owen told Epxress.co.uk: “I try and be as peat-free as I possibly can be in my garden.
“I will never buy compost which contains peat, and am happy to say I haven’t since early 2020.”
The gardener went on: “I personally believe we should stop using any peat in horticultural products.
“After all peatlands are one of (if not!) the biggest carbon stores in the world.
“Not to mention the broad array of rare and important plant and animal wildlife peatlands are home to.
“Peatlands also have a big role to play in flooding prevention due to the copious volumes of water they store, this is a very important feature of healthy peatlands which will become ever more important in the face of climate change and increased weather adversity.”
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So, what does Owen use as an alternative?
Owen uses local compost and says making your own is the best option.
He 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.”
What exactly is peat?
Peat comes from peat drained peat bogs.
It contains a huge amount of carbon, which turns into carbon dioxide when sprinkled in gardens.
This, of course, has an adverse effect on the atmosphere.
What’s more, when bogs are drained the rare birds, butterflies, and other creatures living in them, die.
How can you make your own compost, saving money and these animals?
How to make compost
Collect materials for the compost. These need to be a mix of “brown” and “green” materials.
Brown materials include:
- Fallen leaves
- Tree bark and shredded branches
- Dried bits of plants
- Newspaper and cardboard
- Woodshavings
- Hay
Green materials include:
- Fresh plant matter
- Cut grass
- Kitchen scraps
- Coffee grounds
Mix three parts brown and one part green.
Regularly water your pile until it is damp, but not wet.
Turn the pile once a week to oxygenate it.
Make sure the pile is composting by feeling it to check it is warm.
Eventually, the compost will become dry, brown, and crumbly and stop giving off heat.
Then it is ready to use.
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