Gardenhead: Deep Thought for Gardeners

Episode 1 - Peat The first episode of Gardenhead focuses on peat. Listen to find out what peat is and why it's used in compost, what the problems are with peat extraction and 5 things that you can do as a home gardener to resolve these problems. The episode is written, hosted and produced by Dr Fay Edwards and features appearances from Dr Flo Renou-Wilson (research scientist, University College Dublin), Craig Macadam (Conservation Director, Buglife), Chris Dean (Partnership Manager, Moors for the Future Partnership) and Jane Barker (Owner, Dalefoot Composts). Join the discussion on the Gardenhead Facebook Group, follow me on Twitter for episode updates or support the show and get access to special bonus content on Patreon. Show Notes 5 Things Home Gardeners Can Do to Address Problems with Peat 1. Buy Peat-Free Composts This Ethical Consumer/Friends of the Earth pdf has a guide to peat-free products on p.24-25. The best performers according to this guide, in terms of their impact on the environment, animals, working conditions and product sustainability are: Dalefoot Composts, Fertile Fibre and Carbon Gold GroChar 100% Peat-Free Compost. SylvaGrow by Melcourt is another 100% peat-free compost, made from bark from sustainably-managed British forests, green waste and coir. To find out more about the different ingredients used in these composts, visit the RHS web page on peat alternatives. Dalefoot Composts provide a list of stockists that will help you to find a seller of their products in your area. For Peat’s Sake also have a helpful map which shows where to find UK sellers of peat-free compost and plants. Floralive provide peat-free compost for carnivorous houseplants that, in nature, grow in peat-bogs. Their formula is called Thrive®. Their products are available at a discount for Gardenhead listeners. Listen to the episode for more. 2. Buy Peat-Free Plants Garden Writer, Nic Wilson, has compiled an extensive list of peat-free nurseries that provide plants grown without peat. Floralive also sell peat-free carnivorous houseplants. Hear more about Sean Higgs’ journey to create the peat-free medium, Thrive®, on episode 103 of Jane Perrone’s On the Ledge podcast. 3. Buy Peat-Free Biodegradable Pots Beware of biodegradable pots and growing kits that contain them. There’s no easy list here, you need to check labels to see whether they contain peat. If there is no information, they likely do. 4. Volunteer to Restore Peat Bogs The IUCN Peatland Programme map is where to look to find peatland restoration projects near you. You can then contact these projects to find out whether they need volunteers. Dartmoor National Park are looking for volunteers to conduct vegetation surveys on the bogs they’re restoring to see how well sphagnum mosses, cotton grasses and heathers are re-establishing. The RSPB had this to say about their peatland restoration projects: ‘The RSPB and United Utilities work in partnership over 4000 hectares of blanket bog in the north of the Peak District National Park, restoring it from its recently degraded state to something that will provide us all with high levels of biodiversity (including lots of birds!), cleaner water (to reduce treatment costs and customers’ bills), that will sequester carbon, reduce downstream flooding and be more resilient to fires and droughts. The RSPB and our amazing volunteers from the local community work to raise the water table by installing gully blocks and restore the plant communities by planting sphagnum moss. It’s hard work in all weathers, but if you would like to join us then please email ryan.lloyd@rspb.org.uk.’ RSPB volunteers planting sphagnum mosses © 2019 RSPB Your local Wildlife Trust may also need help restoring peatlands. Get in touch with them to see if you can help. 5. Support People Doing Right by Peat You can share this podcast to spread the word as well as follow and share the work of these...