HortWeek Podcast presents The End of Peat, a four-part documentary podcast about moves to ban the use of peat in horticulture

22 November 2024

Christina Taylor presents The End of Peat, a new four-part podcast series that will hear from leading horticulturists and garden retailers as they navigate a transition to peat-free that is piling pressure on a sector facing stresses on multiple fronts.

Peat is one of the most popular and reliable types of growing media for plants, but peatlands are also a valuable store for carbon and as the UK Government tries to meet net zero targets, a peat ban is likely to be introduced.

The seeds of the idea were sown back in the 1990s, and since then, the horticulture industry has been scrambling to work out how it can survive without, arguably, its most valuable resource.

Growers of plants are on the frontline when it comes to facing the effects of climate change. There is some irony that many feel their livelihoods are being endangered by the threat of a ban on using peat for horticulture.

Meanwhile garden centres are facing challenges in re-educating a generation of amateur gardeners reared on peat compost about how to to grow plants.

Over the four episodes, Christina explores the story of the UK peat ban, how the horticulture industry is facing up to the challenge, and how it might shape the future of the sector.

LISTEN: Episodes 1 - 4

Episode 1: Do we need a peat ban?

This episode looks to unearth why a peat ban is being proposed and understand some of the arguments for and against. Christina examines the history of peat use in the UK, the properties of peat and peat-free growing media, and begin to unearth why the topic has divided the horticulture industry so bitterly.

Episode 2: From multipurpose to pick 'n' mix

For garden centres the peat ban presents a twin threat: the rising costs and difficulties in sourcing peat-free plants to sell, and the challenge of selling peat-free composts products to customers, many of whom do not yet understand how to grow with it successfully.

Christina digs into the nature of these challenges and some of the solutions.

Listen to Episodes 3 and 4

Episode 3: The cost of trial and error

Where peat-free might cause an amateur gardener to lose a batch of lettuce seedlings, professional growers face the loss of entire crops as many attempt to trial new, and quite alien, growing media mixes.

Professional growers tell us their stories of trial and error, what they have learned in the process and discuss the fears that some plants and specialist nurseries will be lost to the UK for good.

Episode 4: A whole new take on horticulture

Finally, we hear from growers who have successfully made the leap to peat-free.

Christina asks whether growers are ready for legislation and industry figures voice how it could work without destroying the horticulture industry in the process.

Written, produced and presented by Christina Taylor

If you have enjoyed The End of Peat, please consider rating and reviewing the series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your podcast platform of choice.

Contributors

Huge thanks to all the guests on the HortWeek podcast and interviewees who gave up their time to record their valuable opinions and insights.


Melanie Asker - managing director at Greenwood Plants	Eliot Barden - aftercare, purchasing and training director at Majestic Trees	Nikki Barker - RHS peat free transitition coordinator	Dr Neil Bell - bryologist at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Simon Blackhurst - chair of the Growing Media Association and horticultural consultant	Michael Buck - head of horticulture at Creepers Nurseries	Andy Bunker - director of Alton Garden Centre	Steve Carter - general manager of Fleurie Plants

Ken Cox - managing director at Glendoick Gardens	Boyd Douglas-Davies - garden centre consultant and chair of the Ornamental Horticulture Round Table Group	Sally Drury - horticulturist and HortWeek technical editor	Darren Everest - Darren Everest Dahlias and Sweet Peas

Alistair Griffiths - RHS science director	Steve Harper - Responsible Sourcing Scheme chair and Southern Trident CEO	Tony Johnson - managing director of P B Horticultural	Sam Rivers - technical manager at ICL Horticulture

Guy Watts - owner of Architectural Plants	Rob Downing - nursery manager, Hyde Park nursery	Jonathan Sheppard - plant collection holder and grower	Sally Drury - horticulturist and HortWeek technical editor

Tony Juniper - chair of Natural England

Series writer, producer and presenter is Christina Taylor

Special thanks to Jonathan Sheppard for his permission to use clips from his podcast In Conversation About Peat Free with the RHS and HortWeek editor: Matthew Appleby.