In This Issue
Happy Christmas to all our readers
Open letter about peat stirs up a twitter storm
Open letter correction from Beadamoss
It’s the most jumperful time of year - raises over £8k for Greenfingers
Mark your diaries – Glee is back bigger & better than ever
Dobbies announces winners of ‘Not Your Average Community’ campaign
Inclusion and diversity consultant at GCA conference
A taste of Yorkshire spirits for Bradford Garden Centre
12 page GIMA Awards Special in GTN November/December 2021 Issue available on-line
Dobbies fundraises £100k for National Charity Partner Teenage Cancer Trust
Sustainability on the menu for Johnston & Jeff
57 garden centres vie for Christmas Greatness in GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards
Experienced Field Sales Agent
Area Sales Agents Required
Area Manager South England
Get your copy of GTN Xtra
Scarlet Opus presents merchandising trends
Unpredictable seasons cause ‘confused’ plants to flower at the wrong time
The best of last week's
An Open Letter on the use of peat
Plans to phase out the use of peat in the amateur horticulture sector
Garden centre expands following nursery acquisition
Woodmansterne features in hit BBC2 show
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
Situations Vacant
Experienced Field Sales Agent
(Commission Only)
 
Read more»
Area Sales Agents Required
North Yorkshire & North East; and Scotland
 
Read more»
Area Manager South England
Traeger Pellet Grills, LLC  South Ferriby, England
 
Read more»
Send us your news and great ideas

Contact us with your news.

Email trevor@pottingshedpress.co.uk or call the GTN News team on 07973 504214

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Open letter correction from Beadamoss
 

Following the publication of the open letter on peat last weekend, GTN has received the following information from BeadaMoss, a company that grows sphagnum moss for use in peat bog restoration:

 

The Editor

Garden Trade News

21st December 2021

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

I am writing in connection with the open letter you published on the use of peat. Unfortunately, the fourth point listed is misleading where it is stated that “Newly planted sphagnum grows rapidly, laying down 5 to 7 cms per year, which makes peat a sustainable and renewable resource (e.g. BeadaMoss®)”.

 

This rapid growth is only seen when Sphagnum is farmed, rather than in restoration. The 5 to 7 cms quoted relates to fresh Sphagnum growth and not peat formation (peat is partly decomposed Sphagnum). Peat formation is very slow at only approximately 1mm per year.

 

Restoring cut-over peatbogs is vital for climate change and should include planting sustainable Sphagnum to ensure future carbon sequestration.

 

As a company BeadaMoss® we support developing sustainable alternatives to peat which will give our UK horticulture industry the quality growing media needed.

 

I hope this clarifies the facts for your readership. Regards

 

 
 

 

 

 

Barbara Wright

 

In response, Peter Seabrook replies:

 

Dear Barbara,

 

Thank you very much for this letter it is most helpful and I will adjust comments accordingly.  The reseeded, cut away bogs I have visited in Lithuania and on the German/Dutch border were developing decomposed sphagnum at a rate faster than 1 mm a year, it was thought at the time of my visit that greater quantities of nitrates in the atmosphere were contributing to both the speed of sphagnum growth and the laying down of harvestable peats.

 

Please keep in touch and correct as soon as possible any misleading comments I may make.  With renewed thanks and my compliments of the Season to you both, Peter.

 

GTN Xtra now published a revised version of the open letter, supplied by Peter Seabrook bearing in mind the correction from BeadaMoss

 

An Open Letter on the use of peat.      

 

The undersigned feel there should be a much more open debate on the peat in horticulture issue with both for and against statements up for discussion.   It should be noted at

the outset we all believe Sphagnum moss peat should not be used for soil improvement.

  • It is universally agreed peat should not be used for soil improvement, there are plenty of alternatives for this use, including garden compost, well-rotted manures and leaf-mould.
  • Sphagnum Moss Peat from Raised Bogs has been and remains the best constituent for seed, cuttings and potting composts.  Peat to case spawned mushroom growing media currently has no alternative.
  • Moss peat use in seed and potting composts is currently, by all available measures, an environmentally friendly growing media and in most uses, results in the absorption of CO2, plus the sequestration of carbon in woody growth and the soil.
  • Cut-away raised peat bogs can be restored, where water levels are raised and harvested areas re-seeded with the correct species of sphagnum. Newly planted sphagnum grows rapidly, laying down green moss at 5 to 7 cms per year, which make peat a sustainable and renewable resource.  (e.g. Beadamoss on Farming sphagnum; A B Rekyva, Lithuania)
  •  Restoring cut-away bogs and the rapid growth of seeded sphagnum absorbs carbon dioxide in great quantity.
  • Most current peat-free composts need much higher rates of base fertilizer (up to four times more) to replace plant foods absorbed by breaking down fibres.  They also need more regular watering (at least double), which in turn leads to nitrates being lost in drainage water.  Peat has excellent water retention qualities and holds onto base fertilizers to feed plants.
  • The growth of some plants is not as good in many of the peat-free composts currently available and this includes all the ericaceous subjects, namely azaleas, camelia, heathers and rhododendrons.
  • Air dried peat can be compressed and is light in weight, so uses thinner polythene in wrappers and less fossil fuel to transport.
  • Sphagnum moss peat is sterile, clean to handle, pest and pollutant free.  Unlike some of the peat free alternatives, where there is a risk of introducing weedkillers and plant diseases.
  • Peat free composts are made up to widely differing recipes, so it is very difficult for home gardeners to adapt their watering and feeding practices when the compost mixes are no longer standard.  Where they experience poor growth and failures, we risk losing the attraction for people to stay at home gardening and growing some of their own food.

 

           Signed:-     

Sir Brian H  Donohoe Ret'd MP Secretary of the Gardening and Horticultural Group 1992—2015

Peter Seabrook, International TV Gardening Presenter/Gardening Editor, The Sun.

Robert Hillier, Director Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres.

Jim McColl, Presenter BBC TV The Beechgrove Gardening Progammes.

Adrian Bloom, Chair Blooms Nurseries Ltd.

Jason Bloom, Managing Director Blooms Nurseries.

Bunny Guinness, Garden Designer and Broadcaster.

Andrew Tokely, Horticultural Director, E. W. King & Co Ltd.

Garry Coward Williams, Editor, Amateur Gardening Magazine.

Robert Wharton, Director Wharton’s Roses (fears unfair European Competition).

Paul Wharton, Director Wharton’s Roses.

Alan Sargent, Founder Association of Professional Landscapers.

Paul Cooling, Chair Coolings Garden Centres. (Currently not enough Peat Free alternatives).

Neil and Nicci Gow, Experienced and long-term Garden Retailers.

Steve McCurdy, Managing Director, Majestic Trees Ltd.

Kenneth Cox, Director Glendoick Nursery and Garden Centre, Ericaceous Plat Exporter.

Christine Walkden, Gardening Broadcaster and Lecturer.

Steve and Val Bradley, Authors, Social Media, National gardening Columnists.

Graham Richardson, Group Managing Director Johnsons of Wixley and six fellow directors:-

John, Andrew, Iain, Robert, Eleanor and Jonathon Whitemore.

Douglas Wilson, Director/Partner, Trioscape Garden Centre and Nursery.

Jo Davey, Horticultural Marketing Research and Development Manager.

Michael Smith, Director Grange, Nurseries and MeadowCroft Garden Centre.

Simon Crawford, Director, Burpee Europe.

Tim Kerley, Director, Kerley & Co, Plant Breeders.

Derek Jarman, Director Hayloft Nurseries Ltd.

Michael Oliver, Former UK Sales Manager Bord na Mona.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Del.icio.us Digg | Comment (0)
Comment
Name:*

Email Address:*

Comment:*