Help your plants thrive and protect the planet.
Seed trays 
Wildflower potting 
Seed tray cells
At PlantWild we grow all our plants in peat free compost, we feel passionately about using peat free compost for all our growing,
By growing British Native wildflowers and all our plants in peat free compost we are fostering a greener tomorrow, to grow plants in an alternative media to those composts traditionally containing peat; read on to understand why.
Using peat free composts, is helping to preserve precious peatlands, which in the UK covers around 12% of the UK land area. Peatlands are carbon rich wetlands and are one of the the most carbon rich ecosystems on Earth. They offer areas of biodiversity, providing important habitats for insects, plants and feeding grounds for birds.
Preserving peatlands, not only protects these species rich habitats, but also has other environmental benefits:
- A peat bog is a carbon store of CO2 but when peat is extracted stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere contributing to climate change.
- Peatlands hold a large amount of water, so help with water management and reducing flooding.
- Using peat free compost is a renewable source, whereas peat extraction depletes the peatlands far quicker than peat can build up over time.
How do we grow our plants peat free?
All our seeds are sown in Peat free compost, and when the seedlings are large enough they are pricked out into plug trays filled with peat free compost. Our plug plants are then potted into another peat free mix to grow on.
What may you need to consider when making the switch?
- Watering can appear to be more tricky, but it just takes a little time to understand how peat free compost can look different. It may appear dry on top of the surface, especially in containers, but it is likely to be wetter underneath, so always check through the depth of the compost. As we mentioned, peat compost easily retains water , but always check with peat free as it may hold more water than you think – otherwise you could be over watering!
- Depending on the peat free mix used, nutrients may be released more slowly over time. The wood based peat free mix we use has added organic nutrients for slow release over 3 months. This allows strong growing plants that grow at their own pace. If you need to add extra, choose an organic feed.
It takes a little time to understand how peat free compost may look and feel different to those traditional composts containing peat. But we feel it is worth that time, to give our peatlands an opportunity to recover, so that the planet can benefit in the future.
