Peat-free compost choices

Going peat-free is great for the environment, and as many new mixes have been developed for every need, your plants will thrive too.

Preserving rare peatlands is vital for the unique biodiversity

The variety of living organisms (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) in a particular environment. Boosting the biodiversity of your garden has many benefits, including supporting wildlife, improving soil health and reducing the likelihood of pest and disease problems.

they support, as well as for the wider environment. These habitats are important carbon stores and damaging them, including by draining them for peat extraction, releases carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. Peatlands also play a key role in soaking up excess rainfall, helping to prevent localised flooding.

Along with increasing availability of peat-free composts, the quality has greatly improved in recent years too. So if you’ve had a go with peat-free in the past and perhaps had problems, it’s well worth trying again to find your perfect peat-free mix.

Government had committed to banning the use of peat in retail bagged compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

in 2024, and its use in professional horticulture in 2026, with some exemptions to 2030. However, so far government has failed to put in place legislation for these bans, so it remains unclear when the use of peat in horticulture will be legally prohibited.

Meanwhile, the RHS remains committed to a peat-free future for horticulture. Read more about our peat-free policies across all RHS operations, including shows, gardens and retail, which came into force from 2026.

To ensure the compost you choose is sustainable, look out for the Responsible Sourcing Scheme (RSS) logo on bags. You can search the RSS website to find the traffic light rating of the compost, which is rated based on seven environmental and sustainability criteria.

So now is a great time to join us and get started with peat-free growing.

RHS peat policy

Peat-free gardening

Why peatlands are so important for the climate

Always choose a compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

to suit the plants you will be growing in it, such as seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed.

or long-term container plants. Some plants, like ericaceous

Plants that thrive in acid or ericaceous soil, which has a pH of less than 7 (neutral). You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. Ericaceous or acid-loving plants include rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and blueberries.

or acid-loving plants and houseplants, need specialist mixes. With the expansion in the range of peat-free options, you will be able to buy peat-free versions of any type of compost.

When deciding between peat-free composts, look for information on the packaging about how to use it and which plants it is suitable for. Also look for the Responsible Sourcing Scheme logo on the packaging, which will help you check the sustainability rating of that particular compost's ingredient mix.

The packaging may also recommend the use of specific fertilisers with that compost: this is not a marketing ploy, as different formulations have different balances of nutrients

To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually taken up from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants also need carbon, oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates — their main energy source. Carbon and oxygen come from the air as carbon dioxide, while hydrogen is drawn from water absorbed by the roots. Other important soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough of these nutrients to support healthy plant growth.

. Use either the recommended product or one with a similar nutrient balance – compare fertilisers by checking the NPK ratio and the trace-element content quoted on the packaging.

The following peat-free options may be especially useful:

• Multi-purpose and seed compost
  

  Seed compost is a free-draining compost formulated for germinating seed. It often contains a mix of fine materials including sterilised loam, coir, coarse sand or grit. It contains low levels of nutrients, as high levels could damage seedlings.

  – most of the major manufacturers produce peat-free multi-purpose products, including Melcourt SylvaGrow and Westland New Horizon
• Ericaceous compost – the choice for ericaceous (acid-loving) plants is more limited, but look for Melcourt’s SylvaGrow Ericaceous
• 

  A series of soil-based seed and potting composts made to specific formula developed by the John Innes Horticultural Institute in the 1930s. Most mixes contain loam, sand, peat substitute, ground chalk and varying amounts of added fertilisers, according to their purpose.

  – for containers that will be home to plants for more than two or three years, use a peat-free John Innes compost. As traditional-recipe John Innes contains peat, it must say peat-free on the bag
• Carnivorous plant compost – since many species of these plants are at home in peat bogs, they are traditionally grown in a special peat mix. However, more sustainable peat-free options have been developed in recent years. Mixes usually contain milled bark
  

  Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants.

  , other fibrous materials such as coir, or live, sustainably-farmed sphagnum moss, combined with sharp sand

  Sharp sand is washed, gritty sand used in potting compost mixes, This is sold for gardening and is not the same as builders sharp sand.

  , perlite
  

  Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic rock which, when heated to high temperatures, expands to produce lightweight, micro-porous granules. It was traditionally added to compost to aid drainage and aeration, however, its manufacture, packaging and distribution has a big environmental impact, so locally-sourced grit or gravel is now preferred.

  or vermiculite
  

  A hydrated mineral that is lightweight and absorbs moisture readily. The small silvery-brown spongy granules can be used as a growing medium for seeds and cuttings, or mixed into potting compost to improve aeration and moisture retention.

  . In fact, RHS research is showing that some types of carnivorous plant can be grown more successfully in peat-free mixes than in peat.

• If the bag doesn’t say peat-free, then it most likely isn’t
• Words such as ‘environmentally friendly’ and ‘organic’ may lead you to think a product is peat-free, but they don’t necessarily mean that it is
• Some peat-free composts are a little more expensive than peat-based products – the price tends to reflect the quality of the ingredients
• Check the information on the bag to see if it’s recommended for particular uses or plant groups (such as seed sowing or growing ericaceous
  

  Plants that thrive in acid or ericaceous soil, which has a pH of less than 7 (neutral). You can measure your soil pH using a simple testing kit. Ericaceous or acid-loving plants include rhododendrons, camellias, heathers and blueberries.

  plants)

When buying plants, you may also wish to consider choosing plants that have been grown peat-free. Our list of peat-free nurseries is here to help you source more sustainably grown plants, raised 100% peat-free. RHS Plants online and the five RHS Garden Centres also stock a wide range of 'no new peat' plants. 

Peat-free composts usually look and feel very similar to peat-based composts, and can be used in similar ways. However, the watering and feeding requirements may differ, so always read and follow any advice on the packaging.

It is best to try and use up your peat-free compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

within the growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

you bought it. Composts that are left longer than this can start to break down, meaning plants are likely to grow less well compared to using fresh compost. Some brands, including Melcourt, include the production date on the bag, so you can check exactly how old it is. If you have compost that's over a year old you can add to your home compost, use to bulk out large planters, or add to beds and borders as a soil improver

Any substance dug into the soil to improve its structure. This is usually organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, garden compost or leafmould, but could be an inert substance such as lime or gypsum.

.

How to use peat-free compost: for seeds and cuttings

Alternatives to peat

Where to buy peat-free plants: list of peat-free nurseries

Peat-free potting composts contain blends of various organic (plant-derived) materials – such as composted bark

Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants.

, coir, woodfibre and composted green waste

Plant-based waste that is suitable for composting, such as dead leaves, clippings from pruning or grass mowing and discarded annuals. Many local councils have green waste recycling schemes if home composting isn't an option.

– sometimes mixed with inorganic materials such as grit, sharp sand

Sharp sand is washed, gritty sand used in potting compost mixes, This is sold for gardening and is not the same as builders sharp sand.

and perlite

Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic rock which, when heated to high temperatures, expands to produce lightweight, micro-porous granules. It was traditionally added to compost to aid drainage and aeration, however, its manufacture, packaging and distribution has a big environmental impact, so locally-sourced grit or gravel is now preferred.

. All these materials have their own physical, chemical and biological properties that are also different to those of peat, so it is worth trying a few different compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

mixes to find one that suits your garden and the plants you grow.

Many of the ingredients in peat-free composts were previously considered waste from other industries, particularly the timber and coconut industry. These the ingredients get a new life and trees or coconut palms are not being grown for the compost industry, contributing to the sustainability of peat-free mixes.

Some of the most commonly used organic ingredients are:

• Wood fibres – treated wood chips, with different treatments resulting in different materials for different needs. Steam-treatment will give a very loose material while crushed or milled wood fibres gives a more fibrous product that can improve drainage. Depending on their treatment, wood-based mixes can be tailored to the requirements of most plants.
• Coir or coconut fibre – the inner husks of the coconut which would otherwise be a waste product, mainly imported from Sri Lanka and India. Coir has excellent water-holding abilities and its mix of fine and coarse fibres make it light and porous, providing good growing conditions. However, it doesn’t hold nutrients
  

  To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually taken up from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants also need carbon, oxygen and hydrogen to make carbohydrates — their main energy source. Carbon and oxygen come from the air as carbon dioxide, while hydrogen is drawn from water absorbed by the roots. Other important soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium and sulphur. Most garden soils contain enough of these nutrients to support healthy plant growth.

  as well as some other materials.
• Wood bark – most often the bark of pine trees, again this component can be treated in different ways to give the bark various properties for different uses. Bark is very stable and porous, so can help add air to a compost.
• Green waste – many local authorities and private companies collect and anaerobically compost green waste. The resulting compost tends to have a high nutrient content but can be very variable throughout the year without careful management. Green compost is subject to PAS 100 standards, which ensure that these composted materials adhere to specific criteria and a minimum quality level. 

Other ingredients
Research is ongoing into a number of materials that, if locally available, may be useful ingredients in blended products, such as arable straw waste, sustainably farmed sphagnum moss, wool and paper and cardboard production waste.

Home-made potting compost
You can mix your own peat-free potting compost using home-made garden compost, leafmould and inorganic materials (loam and sand). This has the great benefits of being very low cost and having a much smaller carbon footprint than buying bagged compost, but the results can be variable. It can be difficult to standardise the pH, moisture retention and available nutrients in your compost throughout the year, and to ensure that the final mix is weed-free.

Home-made potting composts are best avoided for seed sowing, because of the potential for them to contain fungi that can harm seedlings

A seedling is a young plant grown from seed.

or cause damping-off disease.

Composting

Leafmould

Alternatives to peat

RHS endorsed Melcourt products