What is in your garden pot?

Last week we took part in Climate Week (a national campaign to highlight the importance of reducing emissions and adapting to a changing climate).

To end the week, the team set up a stall within our office to discuss gardening without peat! We joined an event – Friday food market, organised with the help of Stirling Food Assembly.

Alongside the local food producers, obviously we were the right candidates to talk about peat as we spend more than half our time out on a peat bog, doing our best to protect and restore the damage previously caused.

Just because Climate Week has ended, it doesn’t mean we move onto the next National week and just forget about why there is such a thing…….Although I have just checked and Chocolate week is fast approaching 9th-15th October!!! (Just saying).

Did you know that gardeners buy 2.1million cubic meters of peat each year? That equates to 24,000 double decker buses full of peat! Have I got your attention now and thinking ‘what is in my garden pot’?

If you have been following the blog so far, I don’t think I need to tell you why bogs are so special. Otherwise, if you’re new to the blog, here are some key points: the peat locks up carbon dioxide helping slow down climate change, it also stores and absorbs rain water which helps reduce flooding and it provides a home for many rare and precious plants and animals.

Gardeners have thought peat being a good growing media, enhancing the soil condition and using it for mulches but now trials have been tested by the Royal Horticultural Society, National Trust and Gardening Which, have found that this is not the case. There are alternatives to peat to be had and it won’t even cost you a thing, so look for the peat-free compost – it’s worth it.

Placing your recycling green/brown waste into a composting bin, grab your fork and turn the heap every so often (a vital task as it needs air), allow nature take its course and once the contents have broken down into good compost, fill your garden pot or spread it on top of your soil. It couldn’t be any easier!

Within the office and at home SNH Staff within the Stirling office do just that.

 

Adding the organic compost to soil can increase the nutrients and aid water retention.

 

When the compost has matured it is then distributed on the wild flower meadow in front of the office.

Next time when you’re creating a bed for your plants and not yet had time to make your own compost, make sure you read the label of your compost bag. There are now plenty alternative composts available which don’t contain peat within the garden stores  – and using these alternatives supports saving a bog!

If you would like anymore information in regards to creating your own compost check out Garden for Life website http://www.gardenforlife.org.uk or Royal Horticultural Society http://www.rhs.org.uk