TV and Radio permalink
Peat - the burning question!
This discussion has been closed.
-
Message 1.Â
Posted by norabigbone (U13890819) on Friday, 27th March 2009
I noted your programme with interest however, remembering previous comments by Alan Titchmarsh, about peat usage, I think you missed a vital point.
Eighty percent of peat mined in Ireland is burnt in power stations the most recent of which was purpose built in the year 2000. How does this percentage compare to horticultural use? -
Message 2
Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Saturday, 28th March 2009
Good point, it was not mentioned at all. I think the 'green' movement failed, in not finding a working arrangement with nuclear power.
I think the conclusion of the programme was that using peat in seed composts and to pot up ericaceous plants is acceptable. After that we should use mixes or better still peat free blends.
Why are Coir blocks and blends not available at garden centres? Why is it always the peat mixes available 3 for £12 and not the peat free bags?
Surely Kew Gardens grow Carnivorous plants which are grown in a peat medium? -
Message 3
Posted by pinktequila (U2803141) on Saturday, 28th March 2009
"I think the conclusion of the programme was that using peat in seed composts and to pot up ericaceous plants is acceptable"
I think I must have watched a different programme, I think everyone seemed to see what they anted to see
Also, do we need four threads discussing this? -
Message 4
Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Saturday, 28th March 2009
Clearly peat is available, whether to burn or use as compost. So many gardeners feel they are the victims of an arbitrary decision and have not been represented properly.
Also for use in hanging baskets, a school commissioned two large hanging baskets which I create for them twice a year. The winter versions are in flower now, a riot of pansies and spring bulbs. They are so good they even got a mention at assembly. The water timer has made the difference but the peat-based compost has literally held it all together.
I often use the New Horizon peat free in containers but not for indoor plants as it seems to attract fruit flies which is unacceptable in the office environment. Again peat is sterile which is so useful. -
Message 5
Posted by Goldilocks (U2169760) on Saturday, 28th March 2009
Sorry if I am about to go off on one, but I reckon we are all subect to a massive con job by government and environmentalists.
The government is approving new coal and gas power stations, approving new runways, not charging VAT on aircraft fuel, shipping oure recycled waste to China with all the associated carbon footprint, and who cares if they then bury it on Chinese soil, it lets the major manufacturers get away with excessive packaing (have you checked to see the amount of packaging on a typical Easter egg, but is there a peep from the government??)
But we, the public, are admonished for using plastic bags at supermarkets, even though they are biodegradable (well Tesco's are) and I use them for my kitchen bins We are told we must not use peat as it damages the environment, so we pay the nose for alternatives becaue Monty Don and the like would never have dreamt of letting an alternative viewpoint get heard on GW (well done Toby for giving a balanced view, and it is mooted that we consumers may shortly find weedkilelrs like glyphosate banned because of environmental concerns, yet theh government intends to exempt the agricultural industry, which uses 99% of all glyphosate.
Much of the guff that comes out to make us feel guilty is a smokescreen to create the illusion that the government is environmentally conscientious and is providing leadership, when in reality it is playing lip service to the environment and supporting big business interests. -
Message 6
Posted by Goldilocks (U2169760) on Saturday, 28th March 2009
"not charging VAT on aircraft fuel"
- meant to say 'not levying fuel tax' -
Message 7
This posting has been hidden during moderation because it broke the in some way.
-
Message 8
Posted by Jenks812 (U5452843) on Monday, 30th March 2009
I don't think it should really matter that another industry is using peat or not or what the government is telling us to do.
You are either for the environment or against it.
If you're for it, don't use peat.
People should stop trying to say, "well they're using it, so why should I stop using it?"
Well, because you can stop. You don't need it.
Stop looking for excuses to use it and find an alternative.
If you can't, ask Kew Gardens or ever Trillium on these boards as they both don't use it.
Rant over.
Happy peat free gardening. -
Message 9
Posted by Helen (U7966981) on Monday, 30th March 2009
To answer hereisabee's point on Peat-Free compost offer, in Focus they had their own brand Peat-Free multi purpose compost on offer last week, 3 for 2. It was the same price as the same compost with peat in and the same size bag, so I don't think price is an issue.
I enjoyed the program and it has definately made me think abit more about the compost I buy, although I didn't agree with the fact that they never mentioned the use of peat in power stations; seemed quite convenient to the Peat-Free cause to omit that from the program! -
Message 10
Posted by Goldilocks (U2169760) on Monday, 30th March 2009
Hi RantingJenks,
Well, I had a rant, so why can't you eh?
I think that I, like many others on these boards, will not follow dogma unthinkingly, but will act as sensibly (IMHO) as I can on these issues:
1. I will use peat for sowing, and peat-free for potting on etc.
2. I will avoid the use of systemic pesticides except for lily beetle and vine weevil.I will use Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer (organic) for snails rather than metaldehyde pellets.
3. I will avoid the use of weedkillers except where there is no reasonable alternative for me - e.g. ground elder, bindweed, etc..
4. I will recycle everything I can in my two compost bins, but will not have guilt pangs if I forget to take plastic bags to Tesco - I will ask for their biodegradable bags, and use them to line my unrecyclable waste kitchen bin.
I reckon I could sell these principles to most reasonable people, and if everyone followed them then the impact on the environment would be significant (IMHO). I do feel that the dogmatic all or nothing approach of some, with no intelligent and balanced discussion (eg Monty Don for one) is just not practical for many, so they continue to indiscriminately use pesticides, weedkillers, peat, or give up on gardening because they are too infirm to dig out the bindweed year after year, or are just fed up losing their lettuces, and they hard landscape their gardens instead. -
Message 11
Posted by hereisabee (U2342191) on Monday, 30th March 2009
Saving the best peat bogs is the right thing to do. Not using peat is the arbitrary decision, as it alienates the very people who are the natural custodians of the land. We need both preservation, harvesting and re-generation to be on-going. Boycotts, Chinese Walls, etc. do as much harm as good.
-
Message 12
Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Monday, 30th March 2009
Having visited Scotland where they cut peat for burning on domestic fires then I can see where this thread is coming from.
I live in an area where there are some huge quarries and the limestone goes in everything from food to high grade electrical components and the roads we drive on. Its an industry and it is needed and provides jobs.
We have just had 5,000 ltrs of compost delivered which contains peat and it was roughly 3p per ltr. Peat free would have been well over 5p per ltr.
The last peat free we tried was a disaster I lost loads of very rare plants and even the normal items suffered. The peat free had residue of pesticides and herbicides in it and high levels of nickel and cadmium in it for some reason. My brother is an industrial chemist so it was tested properly and he was shocked about some of the chemicals in there. It may say that is peat free but it does not say what other rubbish is in there. -
Message 13
Posted by PILKIPA1 (U13895358) on Tuesday, 31st March 2009
Did they happen to have any coir on sale? I went to a Carden Store yesterday and was told that they don't stock coir because the sweet smell attracted rodents.
-
Message 14
Posted by 1stClassAlan (U2459016) on Friday, 3rd April 2009
Rowan Cottage The last peat free we tried was a disaster I lost loads of very rare plants and even the normal items suffered. The peat free had residue of pesticides and herbicides in it and high levels of nickel and cadmium in it for some reason. My brother is an industrial chemist so it was tested properly and he was shocked about some of the chemicals in there. It may say that is peat free but it does not say what other rubbish is in there. Â
Yes, I quite agree - it sort of follows the old adage of a little knowledge being a dangerous thing!
When I studied Horticulture in nurseries during the 1960's they used to swear by composted human waste and added it to all the bedding composts and reccommended it wholeheartedly to folks growing vegetables - I had a few black looks when I questioned what was in it as I knew all kinds of stuff was tipped down the drains both legal and illegal, knowing that nothing was done to get it out again. Later test showed it was off the scale for Mercury and other heavy metals like Cadmium and Copper to the extent that Lettuce grown on it were probably poisonous !
You can relax as the product was withdrawn from public sale in bags but farmers can still have it sprayed on their fields at quite heavy rates. -
Message 15
Posted by jo4eyes (U13654107) on Friday, 3rd April 2009
Goldilocks, message 10. Totally agree- we seem to do the same things. J.
About this Board
Welcome to the new Gardening Board. If this is your first time, then make sure you check out the
or  to take part in a discussion.
The message board is currently closed for posting.
Weekdays 09:00-00:00
Weekends 10:00-00:00
This messageboard is .
Find out more about this board's
Search this Board
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.