Peat-Free Compost

Peat-free compost is a growing medium made entirely without peat, using renewable materials such as composted bark, wood fibre and coir instead. For decades peat was the standard base for most bagged composts because it is light, holds water and is consistent. The problem is where it comes from, so peat-free composts recreate those qualities using sustainable materials rather than digging up peat bogs.

Peat bogs are among the most valuable habitats we have. They lock up enormous quantities of carbon, support rare wildlife and take thousands of years to form, so once a bog is dug up it is effectively gone for good. Draining and extracting peat also releases that stored carbon into the atmosphere. Because of this, the UK is phasing out the sale of peat in gardening, and choosing peat-free means you can garden well without contributing to that damage.

A good peat-free compost performs just as well; it simply behaves a little differently. Because the mix of materials is different, peat-free composts often drain a touch faster and can look dry on top while still being moist underneath, so it is worth checking below the surface before watering. They can also run out of feed a little sooner, so plants benefit from being fed once established. Used with those small adjustments, peat-free gives excellent results.

Use it as you would any compost, with two small habits. First, check moisture below the surface rather than going by the top, since peat-free can look dry on top while damp underneath, and overwatering is easy if you only judge the surface. Second, start feeding a few weeks after potting or sowing, as peat-free composts tend to hold slightly less reserve nutrition. Otherwise, sow, pot and plant exactly as normal.

Our Black Gold Peat Free is an all-purpose compost, so it suits the vast majority of jobs: filling pots, containers, raised beds and hanging baskets, potting on, and growing fruit, vegetables and flowers. The Tomato Planter is designed specifically for tomatoes and other hungry crops. For a few specialist plants, such as acid-lovers or cacti, a dedicated compost is still the better choice, but for everyday growing this does the lot.

Ours is enriched with pure worm casts. Worm casts improve the structure of the compost, help it hold moisture evenly, and make nutrients more readily available, which is exactly the sort of support a peat-free mix benefits from. The result is a genuinely peat-free, all-purpose compost that is easy to work with and gives strong, healthy growth, with no compromise for choosing the sustainable option.