Peat-Free Compost Guide UK

Peat-free compost uses bark, coir, wood fibre and other renewable stuff instead of peat dug from bogs. It works well for nearly every garden job once you get used to watering, feeding and storing it a little differently. Here’s how to choose a bag, use it well and even mix your own.

Why peat-free matters

Peat bogs lock away huge amounts of carbon. When they’re dug up and dried out for compost, that carbon escapes into the air.

Bogs also clean water, help hold back floods and are home to special wildlife like sphagnum moss and sundews. Peat forms incredibly slowly, so a stripped bog takes thousands of years to come back. Going peat-free is one easy way to help.

Is peat compost banned in the UK?

Not yet. You can still legally buy bagged peat compost in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. An earlier target to end sales in England by 2024 came and went without a new law.

The government has promised to ban the sale of peat and peat-containing products “when parliamentary time allows”, but there’s no date. Shops are getting on with it anyway. Plants sold by RHS Garden Centres and RHS Plants are “no new peat” from January 2026, and many garden centres now stock mainly peat-free bags.

How can you tell if compost is peat-free?

Turn the bag over and look for 0% peat. Words like “multipurpose”, “organic” or “eco”, green packaging and leaf logos don’t mean peat-free.

• Peat-free: says so on the front and lists no peat in the ingredients.
• Peat-reduced: still has peat in it, even with green branding.
• Ingredients: look for bark, coir, wood fibre, green compost or bracken.
• Responsible Sourcing Scheme logo: shows the ingredients have been checked for their impact on the environment.

If the bag doesn’t say how much peat is in it, assume there’s some.

Types of peat-free compost

The main ingredient decides how a peat-free compost behaves, so it’s worth knowing the differences.

Stirring in perlite opens up peat-free compost, which seeds and cuttings love.

Which to choose

For pots and containers: coir or blended composts hold moisture nicely and suit most plants.

For sowing seeds: a fine bark or coir compost with some perlite mixed in. Sieve out lumps before filling trays.

For improving beds: green waste compost or home-made garden compost, spread as a mulch or dug in. Save bagged potting compost for pots.

For raised beds: roughly six parts topsoil, three parts peat-free compost and one part sharp sand gives a good mix.

How to water peat-free compost

Check below the surface before you water, not just the top. This is the biggest change when you switch from peat.

The top dries first. Peat-free compost often looks dry on top while it’s still damp lower down. Push a finger in about 2cm, or lift small pots. A heavy pot is still wet.

Little and often. It doesn’t need more water than peat, just a slightly different routine. Check first, then water.

Water seeds from below. Stand seed trays in a shallow tray of water and let the compost soak it up. This stops the top crusting over and trapping seedlings.

If it dries right out. Water can just run off bone-dry compost. Dunk the pot in a bucket of water for 10-15 minutes until it’s soaked through.

Tip: A handful of perlite stirred into seed compost helps it drain and breathe.

Does peat-free compost go off?

Yes. The bark and wood keep breaking down, so it changes with age and loses goodness. Use it in the same season you buy it. The RHS has more handy peat-free tips.

• Buy from a shop that keeps bags under cover. Bags left out in the rain all winter can go sour and soggy.
• Look for a production date on the bag and pick the freshest.
• Fold opened bags shut and keep them somewhere dry and frost-free.
• Old compost that smells sour or feels slimy is best used as a mulch on borders, not for seeds.

Making your own peat-free compost

Making your own from garden and kitchen waste is the cheapest way to go peat-free.

Homemade potting mix

Mix together:

• 2 parts garden compost (well rotted, dark and crumbly)
• 1 part leaf mould (rotted autumn leaves, ready in one to two years)
• 1 part sharp sand or perlite (to help drainage)

This works for potting on young plants, filling containers and topping up beds. For sowing seeds, sieve it through a 6mm mesh and add extra perlite. Home-made compost can bring in weed seeds, so expect a bit of weeding.

A home compost bin turns garden and kitchen scraps into free, peat-free compost.

Making garden compost

A compost bin turns veg peelings, garden waste, cardboard and grass clippings into lovely rich compost. Our guide on how to make compost covers bins, layering, turning and fixing problems.

Leaf mould

Pile autumn leaves into a wire mesh cage or black bin bags with a few holes. In one to two years they rot into fine, crumbly leaf mould. Mixed with sand it makes a good seed compost, and it costs nothing.

Feeding with peat-free compost

Plants in peat-free compost often need feeding a bit sooner. Many mixes hold less food, and wood and bark can soak up some nitrogen as they rot.

Tomatoes in peat-free compost. Pale leaves are a sign they’re hungry.

For pots: start a balanced liquid feed when leaves look pale or growth slows, often a few weeks after potting. Follow the dose on the label.

For tomatoes and other fruiting crops: switch to a high-potash feed, like tomato feed, once flowers appear. Feed every 7-10 days.

For long-term pots (perennials, shrubs, trees): mix slow-release fertiliser granules in when you pot up. They feed for several months.

For beds and borders: a yearly mulch of garden compost or well-rotted manure gives most plants all they need.

Improving poor soil with peat-free alternatives

Garden compost, manure and leaf mould improve soil far better than peat ever did. Use them to improve clay soil or sandy soil:

• Garden compost, the best all-round soil improver
• Well-rotted manure, adds food and body to the soil
• Green waste compost, sold cheaply by many councils
• Leaf mould, opens up heavy clay and helps sandy soil hold water
• Spent mushroom compost, slightly limey, so keep it away from acid-loving plants
• Composted bark, a long-lasting conditioner that improves structure

Fancy blending your own potting mix? See our guide to mixing your own peat-free potting compost.

Peat-free is just one part of a greener garden. See our guide to eco-friendly garden design for more ideas. Peat-free mixes also hold together well in blocks, as our guide to soil blocking for seed starting shows.

Frequently asked questions

Is peat-free compost as good as peat?

Good ones work well for most jobs. Sowing, potting and pots on the patio are all fine. Brands vary more than peat ones did, so you may need to try a few. The main change is watering, as the top dries out before the compost below.

Is peat compost banned in the UK?

No, not yet. You can still legally buy peat compost in every part of the UK. The government has promised to ban its sale when parliamentary time allows, but hasn’t set a date.

What is the best peat-free compost?

Go for one based on fine bark, coir, wood fibre or bracken. Pick a bag with a recent production date. Melcourt SylvaGrow and Dalefoot are well liked by UK growers. Steer clear of the cheapest bags that are mostly coarse green waste.

Can I use peat-free compost for seeds?

Yes, it works well. Use a fine peat-free seed compost and mix in some perlite. Sieve out any lumps before filling trays. Water from below by standing trays in a shallow dish of water.

Why are mushrooms growing in peat-free compost?

Fungi love the bark and wood in many mixes. Little mushrooms often pop up as they break it down. They won’t harm your plants. Just pick them off and pop them on the compost heap.

Can you make peat-free compost at home?

Yes, and it’s free. Garden compost and leaf mould are both peat-free. Mix two parts garden compost with one part leaf mould and one part sharp sand for a handy potting mix. The composting guide covers the full method.