Wait, here, I figured out how to do this to make it easier for you -

And by the way - Greetings from USA! I feel privileged to be talking to my fellow UK'ers across the world! =)

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I shouldn't think anyone on this Forum supports the peat industry.

Most people here probably already know the damage that using peat does to the environment and peat bog ecosystems, and try to avoid using peat products. We have several peat-free composts widely available at garden centres here in the UK. As gardeners, we know that peat is pretty useless for growing things in. There's already a post here about the disadvantages of peat pellets.

Perhaps people in the US are not aware of the problems associated with using peat in gardens, but I assure you we've been aware of it over here for decades and most gardeners are already trying to avoid it.

Hmmmm...That's an interesting point you bring up.

I guess what I would have to say is that (from my perspective, and I'm sure, yours as well -) the UK has a larger base of (or popularity for) 'eco-friendly' philosophy. Additionally, the abundance of peat sites close to you helps raise awareness, I'm sure.

I would *hope* that most people are aware of the bad things that come from mining peat. It has been my experience over here in America (and, granted, I'm only a 22 year old new-bee to the world) that many people still support peat. It seems very popular to me. It's always on the shelves at large commercial stores like Home Depot, etc. I've worked with many commercial gardeners that use bales of the stuff in order to amend large plots of land.

The reason being, in my mind, is that -

-Peat is popular
-It's convenient
-And many people are persuaded by those around them to use it
-Also, many don't give 1 thought to the environmental impact that mining it has! Eek.

That's just my experience, it may be incorrect, who knows. That's just the feeling I get, having been involved in the hobbyist/commercial (and by commercial I mean small business) horticultural sectors...

I'm glad I can have the chance to hear from you all across the pond..Regardless, I hope my post will shed some light for people that were not otherwise aware of the problem.

Later!

I had also thought that one of the reasons we may be more aware of the problems of using peat is that this is such a small land mass compared to the US that the issue is fairly local to all of us, and also that our television channels and newspapers cover the whole country, compared to the huge number of TV channels in the whole of the US, which probably means that only those affected there get to hear anything about it.

The problem of large-scale use by people 'amending' the composition of their soil is also almost non-existent over here. We tend to go with whatever we've got, and find plants to fit our soil, rather than attempt to change our gardens to fit what we would like to grow. And, of course, our gardens are much smaller (100' x 100' is bigger than average).

Peat is popular with large-scale growers because it's lightweight and cheaper to transport, so it's mainly used for cheap packs of pretty annuals in garden centres. People who grow at home usually use some sort of compost, which is probably more easily obtainable than pure peat.

People who grow at home usually use some sort of compost, which is probably more easily obtainable than pure peat.

I think that's being overly optimistic. By far the majority of potting composts sold for home use in the UK are still peat. They don't proclaim it quite so proudly on the label any more because most people now have an awareness that peat is somehow "bad", but whatever is on the shelf is what most people will buy.

I'd like to show you the responses from the US gardenweb forum. It interests me to see how very different the responses are between the UK forum and the US forum.

They sure keep me busy over there at the US forum! Haha =)

I linked them to you, as well.

Man I love the 'net sometimes...talking across the globe with such ease..

Here is a link that might be useful: US gardenweb response

What exactly is used by the nursery business over in UK for the containers?

That's all I'm gonna say. He seems extremely biased on this stuff. It's not what it seems but whatever.

Hooray

This link might interest you. I think that in the UK stopping using peat is similar to things like smoking, seat belt wearing and drink driving. It started off totally acceptable, went through a lone voice of protest phase, started going mainstream and is now pretty much accepted as a sensible way to go. However, that doesn't meant that there are not people who still use peat although progressively more shame facedly as time goes on.

Lou - I can't add two links but if you either google 'peat alternative in horticulture' or use this URL you will get an answer to your question.
www.defra.gov.uk/hort/peat/index.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: RHS and Peat

"Wetland ecologists say that peat is being harvested at non-sustainable rates. While the peat industry argues that peatlands can be managed at sustainable levels, it recognizes that alternatives to peat must be developed in order to meet environmental concerns of consumers and contend with increased regulation of peatland exploitation."

It also explains how coco coir use is a means of waste disposal

Here's the link since gardenweb won't let me link it
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=904&storyType=garde

And another interesting resource:

Peatbogs: carnivorous plants, amazing archives and carbon "sponges"

Each year in the UK, around 2.5 million cubic metres of peat are sold to commercial and amateur gardeners. In Great Britain, over 94% of the 69,700 ha of peatbogs have been damaged or destroyed. Most of this damage has occurred in the last 50 or so years, since the promotion of large-scale use of peat for the horticultural industry.

Peatbogs are important sites for wildlife. They are unique habitats which support a fascinating variety of birds, invertebrates and plants. Carnivorous plants such as sundews (Drosera species) thrive in these low-nutrient ecosystems. They trap insects and digest them to supplement their food supply.

Peat is partially decomposed plant debris, and can include trees, shrubs, herbs, sedges, grasses and mosses. Peat forms where plant debris is added faster than it is broken down. In cool, waterlogged conditions, the lack of oxygen and low temperatures limit the rate at which micro-organisms degrade plant material. In places the peat can be many metres deep. The lowest layers of peat can be thousands of years old. Peat preserves trapped plant remains, pollen, human artefacts and even bodies such as "Pete Marsh", the 2,300 year-old Lindow Man in Cheshire. To scientists and archeologists these natural archives can reveal stories of past civilizations, botanical history and climate change.

Peatbogs also help to protect the earth from global warming. As plants grow they absorb carbon dioxide. It is 'locked up' within the plant structure, and stored as the plants turn to peat. When peatlands are drained or disturbed, the peat starts to decompose. The carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere where it acts as a potent greenhouse gas.

http://www.kew.org/ksheets/peat.html

What exactly is used by the nursery business over in UK for the containers?

Peat, with very few exceptions.

HECK! I'm just gonna post the whole darn article it's so good!

Check this out.
This has strongly reinforced my views!

PDF version:
[url]http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda Chalker-Scott/Horticultural Myths_files/Myths/Horticultural peat.pdf[/url]

Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D., Extension Urban Horticulturist and Associate Professor,
Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University

The Myth of Permanent Peatlands:

"Peat moss is an environmentally friendly organic amendment essential for many
horticultural purposes"

The Myth

Peatlands are specialized types of wetlands whose value to human civilization has been
recognized for centuries. Perhaps the most continued use of peatlands is as a fuel source:
chunks of peat are cut from bogs, dried, and used for cooking and heating purposes. Though
many societies have turned to other forms of energy production, this practice continues today
especially where other fuel sources are absent.
Peat moss, a principal plant component of peatlands, has also been an important part of the
horticulture industry; itÂs used as a soil amendment both in gardens and container plants and as
an aesthetic topdressing for potted plants and floral arrangements. Consisting primarily of
Sphagnum species, peat moss has an amazing capacity to hold water like a sponge, slowly
releasing it as the surrounding soil dries out. Since peat is 100% natural, it must be a truly
"green" gardening product  right?

The Reality

The "greenness" of any product is determined both by the environmental friendliness of the
product and its method of production. Unfortunately, there is no economically realistic,
environmentally friendly way to harvest peat moss. This is a natural resource that accumulates at
the glacially slow rate of 0.5 Â 1.0 mm per year, or about 1/4 of an inch. Peat harvesting involves
the removal of deep layers of peat that have literally taken centuries to accumulate. In fact, since
harvesting implies sustainability, it is more accurate to describe commercial peat removal as
mining.
While peat used for fuel can be necessary for human survival, that used for modern horticultural
purposes is not and therefore represents luxury consumption. For consumers to make an
informed decision about whether or not to use peat moss requires an understanding of the roles
peatlands play in the environment. Like other wetlands, these systems help purify and store
water. Perhaps most important is that they are the single largest terrestrial store of carbon,
equivalent to 75% of all carbon in the atmosphere (CC-GAP, 2005). Paradoxically, the
destruction of peatlands is not yet recognized as a significant part of global climate change.
Most damaging to educational efforts regarding peatland conservation is industry assertions that
there are no substitutes for peat moss in horticultural applications. Similarly, there is often a
perception that this natural...

Interesting and civilised debate.

I am not quite so sanguine about the supposed acceptance of non-peat products in the UK. As has already been stated the industry uses it overwhelmingly. Peat-free compost is often not available whereas peat always is (and at a lower price), and the quality issues still have to be ironed out.

Local council composting is beginning to happen but needs effort to seek out the resulting product whereas everyone knows where to buy peat-compost. I've been compromising by reducing peat rather than cutting it out completely and using more John Innes. However, all of these products require massive fuel expenditure on transportation.

I take the point that home-made compost could and should replace these products. I am a reasonably experienced and willing gardener but even so I can't produce compost reliably and in sufficient quantities to meet my potting needs. So what hope is there for the casual and inexperienced Sunday gardener that just wants to stick in a few bedding plants?

The garden/nursery industry changed out of all recognition when container-grown plants, packaged in peat and carried endless miles around the globe became the norm. Reversing those changes will be slow and difficult if the consumer is to continue getting what they have been used to and the industry is to continue making their profits.

The hope I see for the small scale person is a society that embraces compost more. A society that makes high quality compost (brought via competition between private companies, perhaps) due to consumer demand. The day we see our local gov'ts providing infrastructure to pickup/collect organic waste will be a very good day for me...I hope to see that happen in my lifetime sometime.

"So what hope is there for the casual and inexperienced Sunday gardener that just wants to stick in a few bedding plants?"

That is just it; the hope is in education. I know what you mean, but many more people (everywhere) are beginning to see the light as far as compost goes. It is simple enough to start a compost heap, and there are various types of containers and such from which to choose if an open one is a concern.

We all have to think of the environment as you agree; no matter how small our needs are. I encourage new gardeners especially to become familiar with the merits of composting.

Just start one. Soon you will have enough to meet your needs. :)

Hopflower, I have 6 compost bins in a small garden. Don't patronise me! I just don't see that I could manage them so they would always provide compost at the right stage of decay at the right time in the right quantities. I can do it some of the time but not all of the time, no way. So, if I am to continue to garden in the style to which I have become accustomed I need to buy in a compost product.

nerd, you don't need to always just add compost. Why not just throw down organic mulches which will provide your soil with the same benefits?

I don't use bought compost to enrich the soil. I use it, mixed with John Innes, sand, grit, perlite, and other bagged items available at high environmental cost from garden centres to raise seedlings, grow on young plants and to repot mature plants. Home-made compost could replace SOME of that, but not all. For one thing, it would probably not be suitable for seedlings. It would need preparation and have to be mixed with some of the above items. And it would have to be ready in the right quantities at the right time. As a small-scale amateur gardener I can't guarantee those things.
Also, I like to have large quantities of home-made compost available to enrich the soil. I can't produce enough in my small garden to cover all my needs - and it's not for want of trying.

Hooray, most towns - IME - pick up yard waste or have a place for people to bring it, and also to collect the composted result.The other day I got several truckloads of well-composted leaves and brush. So your dream is and has been a reality for some time, at least partially. Regarding kitchen waste, most folks don't compost it because they don't want to attract pests. I can't imagine how many fine large rats I've raised with my compost pile over the years - hundreds, if not thousands. Restaurants aren't allowed to compost for that reason, and in many neighborhoods neither are residents. High concentrations of food waste without serious pest control will bring epidemics, so you can't have one without the other.

I've never had a rat problem with my compost, though I don't have a CCTV camera trained on the heaps night and day, of course. The most serious concentrations of food waste in my neighbourhood are in the wheelie bins, or dropped on the pavement, and are not causing any epidemics at the moment. With those delights on offer I can't imagine rats are going to opt for the few miserable veg peelings and wilted weeds available on my compost heap. We are always exhorted to avoid cooked waste on compost heaps in order to avoid vermin (though I hadn't realised that rats were that fussy) and by and large, that's what I do. What do you put on your compost, PN?

Everything that we generate - cooked, uncooked, cardboard, you name it. The skunks and rats fight it out over the tasty cooked stuff at night. My rule for them is that if they stay out of my house it's live and let live; a couple years ago they seemed to no longer agree to abide by that rule so things have been pretty brutal: hideous unspeakable messes in my basement and a lot of dead rats. I've been seeing them scurrying about in the daytime again so it's about time to put out poison and traps again, I'm afraid.