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How to use up peat that's already purchased

marshaswensonn1x-WgPYmarshaswensonn1x-WgPY Posts: 1
in Problem solving
I've learned through Gardener's World that peat is not a good thing to use in the garden. But I have about a half-bag of peat sitting in my shed. Suggestions on how to use it up? I promise I won't buy any more!
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  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Welcome to the forum.

    Just use the bag well - plant something in it that you love and make sure to use it in the following year, added to compost bins, as a mulch or as potting compost again.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Just use it wherever you want.
    I'm getting slightly fed up of the guilt trip people are being put on with this aggressive anti peat lobby.   :/
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    Fairygirl said:
    Just use it wherever you want.
    I'm getting slightly fed up of the guilt trip people are being put on with this aggressive anti peat lobby.   :/
    There is (finally) an article in this months GW magazine accepting that peat free compost isn't as good or consistent as it should be. 
    Ian Hodgson in Garden News has also written a few balanced articles about peat free compost without the all too often "eco-zealotry" attached.
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    marshaswensonn1x-WgPY said:
    I've learned through Gardener's World that peat is not a good thing to use in the garden. But I have about a half-bag of peat sitting in my shed. Suggestions on how to use it up? I promise I won't buy any more!
    If it's on sale it's already been harvested - you buying or not buying it won't change that. 
    Most will only stop buying peat based compost when its withdrawn from sale...and even then the majority of won't even notice.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Peter Seabrook write a very interesting article recently, about properly farmed and sourced peat. I also have Garden News.
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    marshaswensonn1x-WgPY said:
    I've learned through Gardener's World that peat is not a good thing to use in the garden. But I have about a half-bag of peat sitting in my shed. Suggestions on how to use it up? I promise I won't buy any more!
    It's not that it's bad for your garden, but harvesting it is bad for the environment. Buying it leads to further demand and therefore further harvesting. So once it's in your shed, you can use it in whatever way you wish - using stuff you've already got is not going to cause further degradation!
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    It is not bad for your garden.  The zealots say it is bad for the ecology of peat bogs.  Burning 96% of the amount harvested in power station or open peat brick fires is more harmful in my opinion.   Use it for acid loving plants (ericaceous)
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    micearguers said:
    That's an argument to improve peat-free compost, not an argument to harvest more peat. 
    I agree.

    We're currently on course for about 3 degrees of warming, by the way. 


    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    raisingirl  'Turf', as it's called over here, is still being advertised as fuel for fires but, in any case, the global population increase of 50,000 - 70,000 per day, every day, is a far greater worry in discussing global warming, a factor that no government policy will ever catch up with. 
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