AS the peat-free debate rumbles on, many gardeners are looking for ways of improving their soil and raising plants in a planet-friendly ways.
AG spoke to Dr Anton Rosenfeld, the knowledge officer at the horticultural charity Garden Organic who is an authority on how to make your own peatfree compost and how to successfully grow different plants in peat-free soil including watering and feeding regimes.
He agrees that many gardeners have neither the space nor capacity to make enough of their own compost to enrich all their garden, but can offer solutions to the ‘peat-free compost gap’.
“Homemade compost is the ideal, and the more you can make on site the better,” he said, “because it is made where you want to use it so there are no ‘compost miles’ involved transporting it to your house.
“Your next best bet is green waste, the garden waste collected from the curb and often sold by local authorities at their recycling centre.
“This will have been composted to a high temperature so weed seeds shouldn’t be a problem, as they can be with homemade compost.”
He added that green waste compost has to meet the PAS100 benchmark, set by the British Standards Institution to make sure the product is fit for purpose.
Leaf mould and compost enrich soil
This story is from the June 11, 2022 edition of Amateur Gardening.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 11, 2022 edition of Amateur Gardening.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
To dig or not to dig?
Should we be carrying out a full dig on plots now? Bob considers the pros and cons of the 'autumn dig' debate
The box ball blues
As if his beleaguered box hadn't already taken a beating, Toby now has to deal with some hungry box caterpillars
Save your own seeds
Masterclass on: seed saving
Strange sightings
Three unusual insects turn up in Val's garden in one day
A bolt from the blue!
Cornflowers are perfect for garden and vase
Winter moth prevention
Ruth shows you how to avoid maggoty tree fruits
Create a winter container
There are as many options as in summer
Lightweight gardening tools
AS well as being good for our mental health, gardening is also great exercise.
Autumn price round-up
AG finds better bargains in lesser-known brands
Rudbeckias
Rudbeckias are ideal for sunny summer patios and borders, with some able to survive our coldest winters