Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Peat-free growing media
If you still use peat as a soil conditioner or mulch then you should change to materials such as garden compost, manure or bark/wood chip for the simple reason they are much better at the task than peat.
For the vast majority of gardening situations peat-free growing media will produce perfectly acceptable plants.
Peat-free products use a variety of materials, these include green compost (professionally composted garden and park plant material), wood-based materials (bark chip, wood chip, wood fibre etc.), coir and sewage sludge. Manufacturers are constantly developing products.
The RHS has run several demonstrations using peat-free growing media in different scenarios at Wisley. These were undertaken in public areas of the garden enabling the public to form their own views. Recently we have demonstrated peat-free growing media in patio planters. In general, the five plants grown in the 10 types of peat-free material all supported healthy growth and good flower production. An important point to note is that no medium performed badly.
Similarly, a recent growing-bag demonstration used tomatoes and peppers to illustrate the performance of the growing media. Again, no medium performed badly, all supported good plant growth and good fruit development.
The RHS has identified a number of points which gardeners should remember when looking for peat-free growing media in their local garden centre. Unfortunately, specific advice is difficult as each product handles differently.
1) If the bag doesn't say peat-free then it most likely isn't.
Wording such as 'environmentally friendly', 'compost' and
'organic' can often confuse gardeners into thinking they are
buying peat-free products.
2) In general be prepared to pay a little more for a good
quality peat-free growing media. The price does tend to reflect
quality.
3) Check the label of the bag to see if it is recommended
for particular plant groups. Many peat-free products are blended
with certain plant groups in mind.
4) Read and follow any advice that is offered on the label
on how to handle the growing media. Many peat-free products
handle slightly differently to peat. Pay particular attention
to water requirements, as peat-frees can dry out on the surface
but be perfectly damp below the surface, and also to the use
of certain fertilisers.
More on choosing peat-free composts