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Go peat-free in the garden

Choosing alternatives to peat when you buy soils and fertilisers is one of the most important things you can do to make your garden greener. Common uses for peat in the garden, and the alternatives you can choose, are:

Mulch
If you’re looking for mulch (material placed on top of soil to keep down weeds and conserve moisture) consider bark or leaf-mould based materials. These work much better than peat, which breaks down too easily.

Growing media
Look for bark and wood waste or spent mushroom compost when you want to grow plants and seedlings – these can work as well as peat, provided you follow the feeding and watering instructions.

Soil conditioner
Try improving your soil with conditioners based on wood waste, leaf mould, farmyard manure or home compost.

Peat-free products are widely available at high street stores and garden centres. Check that the bag says “peat-free” or ask an assistant if it’s not clear.

The Wildlife Trusts produce a leaflet with information about where to buy peat-free products and can tell you about visiting a peatland reserve near you to see what you have helped look after. If you cannot download the PDF file then you can request a copy from:

Telephone: 0870 036 7711

If you cannot download the PDF document on composting and peat free gardening, you can request a copy free from: Natural England, PO Box 1995, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7XX

Telephone: 0870 121 4177

• Download 'Where to buy peat-free products' from the Wildlife Trusts (PDF document, 237K) Opens new window
• Download 'Composting and peat-free gardening' (PDF document, 1MB) Opens new window
• Help with PDF files
• Find your local Wildlife Trust Opens new window

Start making your own compost

Having a compost bin or starting a compost heap means you can use your kitchen and garden waste to improve your soil. It’s a greener way of gardening because:

• you can avoid using peat
• you don’t have to rely on artificial fertilisers, which take a lot of energy to make and can cause water pollution
• you throw less away
• you can save money

Some councils provide composting bins or sell them at reduced prices.

• More about composting and disposing of kitchen waste
• Find out how to get a compost bin Opens new window
• Recycle Now - Guide to home composting Opens new window

The wider issue

Peat bogs provide unique wildlife habitats and are valuable storers of carbon. Globally, peat bogs hold more carbon than the world’s forests. When peat is extracted, carbon is released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

Large areas of these important habitats have been damaged in the UK and abroad by the commercial use of peat. Although some UK peatlands are now protected, many in Europe are not, and this is where most of our garden peat comes from.

• More on nature under threat

More useful links

• Information about peat free gardening from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew Opens new window
• Natural England website Opens new window