Gardening with the RHS Beyond peat
Jan 29, 2026
Mairi Longdon, plants person and grower at Tissington Nursery, shares practical peat-free nursery experience. Scott Spriggs, RHS peat-free research technician, explains trials and growing-media differences. Beth Thomas, conservation practitioner with Yorkshire Peat Partnership, outlines peatland protection and re-wetting. They discuss peatland value, peat-free growing challenges, practical watering and nursery transition tips.
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How Peat Forms And Why It Matters
- Peat forms where waterlogged plant material accumulates and resists decay, producing carbon-rich soil over millennia.
- This makes peatlands uniquely valuable as huge long-term carbon stores and specialist habitats.
Peatlands Punch Above Their Weight
- Peatlands cover ~3% of Earth's land but store over 30% of terrestrial carbon, more than all forests combined.
- They also improve water quality and slow runoff, reducing downstream flood risk when healthy.
Go Peat-Free And Champion Restoration
- Stop using peat in gardening and horticulture to prevent destruction of peat habitats and imported extraction abroad.
- Champion peat protection and support restoration funding to keep carbon locked in the ground.