Carbon Gold has succeeded in producing a range of reliable and affordable peat-free composts that offer comparable – if not superior – performance characteristics to peat-based composts, without the associated environmental costs.
Unlike other peat-free alternatives, Carbon Gold’s GroChar composts mimic the key characteristics of peat-based composts. By blending biochar together with coir, and a unique mix of seaweed, bacteria and fungi, our GroChar compost range provides the same reliability, water and air-retention qualities as peat-based composts.
Richard Benyon, the UK’s Environment Minister, comments on the importance of peatlands: “[peatlands] provide a number of essential services and functions for society; supporting rare wildlife and biodiversity, storing vast reserves of carbon, producing food and playing an important role in the water cycle.”
In recognition of the significant environmental impact of peat use in commercial and amateur gardening and horticulture, Defra set up a Sustainable Growing Media Taskforce in 2011. Government initiatives, announced in Jan 2013, to support the task force in their aim to reduce peat in gardening and horticulture include:
- A £1 million five-year research programme, managed in partnership with the Horticultural Development Company, and half funded by Government to overcome barriers to alternatives to peat and demonstrate the viability of new products.
- A £100,000 fund to develop demonstration projects to show the public sector the benefits of using sustainable growing media.
- A new ‘Growing Media Panel’ to oversee and co-ordinate the delivery of plans for the future of the gardening and horticulture industry.
