Gardening without peat

Current survey: Hobby gardeners pay attention to good organic quality

Gardening with a clear conscience: German consumers are paying more and more attention to good organic quality and the ecological production of seeds, plant seedlings, soil and fertilizer. Almost nine out of ten hobby gardeners (88 percent) rate the quality of soil as important to very important – this was the result of a forsa survey commissioned by toom Baumarkt. Products containing peat, in particular, are being viewed increasingly critically.

A good two thirds of the respondents are aware of the environmental damage that peat extraction brings with it. It takes almost 1,000 years for a meter-thick layer of peat to form in the bog. Intact moors play a major role in the climate and biodiversity. Nevertheless, conventional potting soil usually consists of 80 to 90 percent peat.

It has long been possible without it: Peat-free soils have similar soil-improving properties, but in contrast to peat hardly acidify the soil. Made on the basis of substitutes such as compost, bark humus and wood fibers, this soil is suitable for indoor plants, container plants on the terrace, for balcony planting or for beds in the garden. So there is already the “toom Naturtalent” herb, universal, tomato and vegetable soil in peat-free organic quality.

Peat-free soils are an environmentally friendly alternative for hobby gardeners. In contrast to peat, they hardly acidify the soil.Foto: djd/toom/Shutterstock
Gardening without peat: Soils based on substitutes such as compost, bark humus and wood fibers are also suitable for new plantings or repotting. Foto: djd/toom/Shutterstock