I cant argue with the fact that the broads are a fabulous habitat, a happy accident I suspect. However I wish to add a few factors to why we should value our peaty habitats more. As well as the specialised bugs and plants that utilise these wet habitats, peat covered areas are great for natural flood management. When rain falls in the uplands it gets to the lowlands far too fast. If our upland habitats were in better condition, i.e. more peat and less drainage not only would the specialised wetland habitats flourish, carbon would be locked up and our towns and cities would benefit hugely due to the flow of water being slower. Beavers would help too! but that is another debate..
One commenter above mentions the lack of wildlife on our peat moors. True, cant argue with that either. However if the upland peaty areas were not managed by grazing, not burned constantly, not drained, the wildlife present not shot relentlessly to protect the grouse they would work as a habitat to provide the natural capital they are capable of.
When the situation is complex and there are arguments on both sides, I look to experts (unlike Gove, I am not "fed up with experts". I value knowledge and expertise). The RHS, the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts, Natural England, Plantlife, The National Trust and many more - several of which have been involved in serious research - all agree we need to stop using peat. I'll go with their assessment. To paraphrase what someone has already said: a fractional difference in the growth of my geraniums is a price worth paying (not that I have noticed a difference, anyway).
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
I have a question for people with good experience with peat-free composts - how do they compare with MPC in retaining moisture? What is the best soil improver to mix with sandy soil to make it more moisture-retentive (other than manure, which I like but only for some plants)?
I've been using peat-free for all my gardening life (Geoff Hamilton was GW presenter when I started so it was a no-brainer), so apart from the odd bag I've been given in error I haven't used enough peat-based to conduct any kind of proper comparison - and I'm definitely not going to be buying any just for that purpose! There are certainly wide variations in quality of peat-free composts, but my measure of quality is not comparative with peat-based because in my opinion there's no contest - one depletes peat environments, one doesn't (while acknowledging the issues with coir etc in peat-free). So, if seeds germinate well, seedlings are healthy and strong, potted on plants grow, containerised plants thrive, then I'm happy. It may be that they would perform a little better with peat, I don't know - though there was no noticeable difference with the 3 bags of peat-based I was given two years ago - but they grow and grow well, so that possible slight difference doesn't matter to me. They also grow well enough for key gardening presenters (eg: Hamilton, Beardshaw, Don) to speak out against peat, and they are / were showing stuff as an example, which I'm definitely not! I did come across a trial of peat-based vs peat-free, I'll see if I can find it again.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
I haven't found the one I thought I saw yesterday yet and I've got to go out now. I've found several from 7 or 8 years ago, but the range and quality of peat-free composts has changed enormously since then so not particularly relevant. It may be that I saw the old trials, the Which? Best Buys including peat-free composts and the fact that the RHS are currently doing research and conflated the three! I'll have another look later.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
The restoration of peat lands is a significant part of GHG emissions policy. Alongside planting more trees - a lot more trees - if the UK is to meet it's obligations under international law to reduce GHG emissions, then wetlands will have to be protected and restored. As has been said, the additional benefit is a substantial contribution to flood management and, given the expected pattern of climate change here in the UK, that is going to be a major element of the adaptation we will have to make. So as I see it there's really no option. Whether we chose to stop using it or not, if the government ever gets it's Dad's Army (Don't Panic - We're Doomed) act together, peat extraction will stop in the UK.
We already import most of it, afaik, from the EU. Presumably that cost will go up in the Autumn. We probably could import it from further away and then we can be safe in the knowledge that our geraniums are prospering at the expense of some poor animals somewhere who's habitat is being decimated while we bury compostable stuff in landfill to make more methane
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I'm finding it encouraging so many are speaking up for going peat free on this thread and challenging the notion that you must use peat for success.
As for finding contaminants in compost, I haven't noticed any difference between mpcs that do or don't contain peat. Both I've found to have the odd bit in and when spotted I chuck it in the bin so not a problem. I guess if you were using pure peat you could guarantee no plastic but it would seem to be paying a large environmental cost to save the bother of picking the occasional bit of plastic out.
@Helix, if you are going to quote me you could quote my whole post:-
Peat is useful for energy and compost so I don't really understand what the fuss is all about if you finish up with something better, like the Norfolk Broads and green fields providing a good wildlife habitat."
If you don't understand the fuss then I'd suggest you do some research before writing off peat bogs as an eyesore that's only good to be 'improved' to suit your own tastes. Donald Trump thinks he's improved the SSSI that his golf course now sits on yet it's SSSI status is being removed. I'm sure there's still plenty of wildlife there but it's not the right type of wildlife that relied on that rare habitat before he 'improved' it. Ignorance is what got us into this mess and only education will get us out of it.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Posts
One commenter above mentions the lack of wildlife on our peat moors. True, cant argue with that either. However if the upland peaty areas were not managed by grazing, not burned constantly, not drained, the wildlife present not shot relentlessly to protect the grouse they would work as a habitat to provide the natural capital they are capable of.
There are certainly wide variations in quality of peat-free composts, but my measure of quality is not comparative with peat-based because in my opinion there's no contest - one depletes peat environments, one doesn't (while acknowledging the issues with coir etc in peat-free). So, if seeds germinate well, seedlings are healthy and strong, potted on plants grow, containerised plants thrive, then I'm happy. It may be that they would perform a little better with peat, I don't know - though there was no noticeable difference with the 3 bags of peat-based I was given two years ago - but they grow and grow well, so that possible slight difference doesn't matter to me. They also grow well enough for key gardening presenters (eg: Hamilton, Beardshaw, Don) to speak out against peat, and they are / were showing stuff as an example, which I'm definitely not! I did come across a trial of peat-based vs peat-free, I'll see if I can find it again.
We already import most of it, afaik, from the EU. Presumably that cost will go up in the Autumn. We probably could import it from further away and then we can be safe in the knowledge that our geraniums are prospering at the expense of some poor animals somewhere who's habitat is being decimated while we bury compostable stuff in landfill to make more methane
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
As for finding contaminants in compost, I haven't noticed any difference between mpcs that do or don't contain peat. Both I've found to have the odd bit in and when spotted I chuck it in the bin so not a problem. I guess if you were using pure peat you could guarantee no plastic but it would seem to be paying a large environmental cost to save the bother of picking the occasional bit of plastic out.
@Helix, if you are going to quote me you could quote my whole post:-
Why? Whether or not the Norfolk Broads are beautiful is a totally different point.