Articles
GROWING MEDIA DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UK
Article number
819_1
Pages
23 – 26
Language
English
Abstract
The UK growing media industry has evolved considerably over the last twenty years.
After an arguably less complicated phase of mixes based predominately on peat during the 1980s, the last 5-10 years has seen increased blending of peat with a range of other materials.
This has brought some problems but a lot of new opportunities.
Many growers have found that reduced peat substrates give better results than peat alone (although cost is an issue); a few have even moved away from peat altogether.
The recent trend started in the 1990s when the environmental lobby groups in the UK became more active.
The UK government decided to commit to reducing peat use in all horticultural soil improvers and growing media and targets for this were set under the UK Biodiversity Action Programme (UK BAP). The interim target for 40% of total market requirements for soil improvers and growing media to be supplied by non-peat materials by 2005 was agreed and has been achieved.
The government also set a more demanding target of 90% peat replacement by 2010 and this will be much more challenging for the industry.
In 2005 the overall proportion of non-peat peat materials in soil improver and growing media products was 47%. Much of this reduction in peat use has been due to replacement of peat used in soil improvers, however there has been a decrease in the overall percentage of peat used in growing media.
The 2005 survey indicated an average of 84% peat for retail products and 80% for professional media.
The sector with the greatest consumption of peat is the amateur gardening sector (66% of total peat use) and therefore changes in the proportion of peat in retail products will have the greatest influence on overall peat use in the UK.
After an arguably less complicated phase of mixes based predominately on peat during the 1980s, the last 5-10 years has seen increased blending of peat with a range of other materials.
This has brought some problems but a lot of new opportunities.
Many growers have found that reduced peat substrates give better results than peat alone (although cost is an issue); a few have even moved away from peat altogether.
The recent trend started in the 1990s when the environmental lobby groups in the UK became more active.
The UK government decided to commit to reducing peat use in all horticultural soil improvers and growing media and targets for this were set under the UK Biodiversity Action Programme (UK BAP). The interim target for 40% of total market requirements for soil improvers and growing media to be supplied by non-peat materials by 2005 was agreed and has been achieved.
The government also set a more demanding target of 90% peat replacement by 2010 and this will be much more challenging for the industry.
In 2005 the overall proportion of non-peat peat materials in soil improver and growing media products was 47%. Much of this reduction in peat use has been due to replacement of peat used in soil improvers, however there has been a decrease in the overall percentage of peat used in growing media.
The 2005 survey indicated an average of 84% peat for retail products and 80% for professional media.
The sector with the greatest consumption of peat is the amateur gardening sector (66% of total peat use) and therefore changes in the proportion of peat in retail products will have the greatest influence on overall peat use in the UK.
Publication
Authors
S. Holmes
Keywords
growing media, reduced peat substrates, peat alternatives
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