Emma Cooper

I’m very disappointed by Titchy’s decision. I make a fabulous growing medium which uses leafmould instead of peat. Titchmarsh is being lazy.

To make a leafmould alternative to peat takes a bit of time; the leaves need to sit for a couple of years… mine sit in a big chickenwire enclosure for almost a year, and are then put in plastic sacks which is the first sorting, removing stones, sticks, plastic contraries) and they sit in the plastic bags for as long as needed. Then I riddle them… I use a mechanical riddle because of the large volumes of material I need to put through the screen. This results in a really lovely material, very similar to riddled peat, low in nutrients, allows drainage, holds moisture like a sponge.

To make a growing medium, a ‘John Innes’ style compost, I mix leafmould with riddled loam (from stacked turves) and riddled rich garden compost. This year, I’ve had access to a few sacks of sand, so I’ve added a bit of this too. The ratios vary, but for seed compost, more leafmould and loam, for container medium, more rich compost. And my crops are FINE!

I’d love Titchy to try this method, and see if he can cut his carbon footprint, set a good example and be a proper caring gardener!
John ‘Compost’ Cossham, York, UK

Brilliant podcast Emma and a balanced and informed summary of where we are, how we got here, and what we need to do.

John ‘Compost’ Cossham: “…set a good example and be a proper caring gardener!” Hmm, I think that given the profit-driven, short-termism that underpins our gardening industry, we might be in for a long wait (by which time there may be no lowland raised bogs left in the UK).

Very nicely put together Emma – I will do my best to spread your words.

I've never heard about any of this from my usual environmentally-conscious sources of gardening info. After a little research, it sounds like peat isn't an issue here in the US. Our supply is from Canada, where it is harvested at a sustainable rate and the government requires the harvester to restore the peat bogs after harvesting. At least that's what Canada says ;)

Hey there! This post is for BenR.
Ben, you may want to listen the May 2nd podcast by my second favorite gardening podcaster Margaret Roach, found here http://podcasts.am1020whdd.com/~am1020wh/shows/index.php In it she says that the U.S. peat supply is not environmentally friendly. I’m not sure of her sources, but I thought you might like to hear a second opinion on the matter. Knowledge is power and all that :)