What is peat? I realised recently, although we sell peat free compost, I've never really thought about what that means, or stood in front of peat and properly looked at it. So at the weekend I had a Google for local peatlands and decided to head down to Eskdale to see if I could see what it was all about. 

If you have done a bit of fell walking in the Lake District, you'll probably have taken a step at some point and sunk into dark, spongy, waterlogged ground that seems to swallow your boot. That's often peat - layers of partially decomposed mosses and plants that have built up over thousands of years. Which funnily enough is how long I think it will take the smell to get out of my trail shoes!

Why peat free matters

Peat has long been used in gardening, but it’s environmental cost is high. Peatlands are vital carbon stores, in the UK alone peatlands store over 3 billion tonnes of carbon! Not only that, they are vital wildlife habitats for birds such as Curlews, Golden Plover, Snipe and Lapwing which rely on wet peat soils to feed and nest. Also many insects and amphibians lay their eggs and breed and these species form the base of the food chain- lose them and everything above them suffers. Once damaged, they take generations to recover. Choosing peat-free compost helps protect these ecosystems while still supporting healthy, productive soil.

I wasn't expecting to see much wildlife as the weather was grim for most of the walk, but I found some frog spawn and along the edge of the path I did find lumps of what looked like thick wallpaper paste. It turned out to be Nostoc Commune - sometimes called "Star Jelly". It dries up almost to nothing, then swells into soft, translucent blobs after rain. Not glamorous, but quietly incredible. It's one of the oldest types of life on Earth and helps fix nitrogen into the soil. Proof that peatlands aren't lifeless wastelands, they're alive in ways you don't always expect! 

 

 

Peat-Free Compost and Soil Health

Modern peat-free composts are designed to improve soil structure, retain moisture, and feed soil life without relying on peat. When used correctly, they support strong root development and long-term soil resilience.

Made from recycled green waste, the peat free compost we make at West Coast Composting Ltd is made up of grass cuttings, bark, wood fibre and other organic materials, which continue to break down in your soil, feeding beneficial microorganisms and improving soil life.

Due to the compost still being biologically active, it releases nutrients slowly and steadily into the soil.

 

How to Use Peat-Free Compost in March

- Apply peat-free compost as a surface mulch to beds and borders
- Use it to top up raised beds and containers
- Avoid heavy digging — let worms and microbes incorporate organic matter naturally

 

Sowing Under Cover in March (North West England)

In the North West of England, outdoor sowing is still limited in March. However, peat-free compost is ideal for starting seeds under cover, giving plants a strong, sustainable start.

 

Some vegetables you could try sowing under cover this month:

• Tomatoes
• Peas
• Chillies and peppers
• Lettuce and salad leaves
• Spring onions
• Leeks
• Beetroot
• Carrots 
  

 

Herbs to Sow Under Cover:

• Parsley
• Coriander
• Chives
  

 

Peat-Free Seed Starting Tips:

- Use fine-textured peat-free seed compost, sieve if needed.
- Keep compost lightly moist, not waterlogged
- Provide good light to prevent leggy growth
- Harden off seedlings gradually before planting out

 

Looking Ahead

By choosing peat-free compost now — for both soil care and seed sowing — you support healthier gardens and a healthier environment. These small choices in March set the tone for the entire growing season. 

Order your compost and get growing! Remember, we can deliver free locally in Whitehaven, Workington, Egremont, St Bees, in fact our local free delivery area runs from Holmrook to Aspatria! Outside that area is a small charge.

Happy planting!