The only issue we found is that it can dry into rather a hard crust, but as long as you’re watering regularly it shouldn’t harm a seed’s chances. Some are happy to be planted in straight compost, while others prefer their compost mixed with grit, sand or perlite to help with aeration and prevent their roots from becoming waterlogged.

Unfortunately, peat also contains carbon, so when it’s spread on your garden it quickly converts into carbon dioxide, adding to global warming. Organic compost only contains plant matter and animal products – which could be animal manure, fish blood or bone – while non-organic compost may also include manufactured materials such as perlite, vermiculite or rockwool to aid with drainage and water absorption. Depending on what you’re planting – seeds, houseplants, vegetables, roses or cacti – there are different types of compost that are best suited. Gardens will be full of striking colours and beautiful flowers with the help of this Miracle Gro All Purpose Enriched Compost. There’s a high loam content in this compost, as well as added vermiculite to help retain moisture around each seed.Smart release granules release nutrients ony when the growing conditions are warm and moist, providing complete nutrition for up to 6 months. Just to make it more complicated, there are plenty of variants of these potting composts, too, even if they’re in a different field to garden compost. Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “I applaud this commitment as a hugely positive step towards a peat-free future for the UK’s gardening trade, ahead of our proposed ban on peat in the retail sector by the end of this Parliament. As every compost can vary from bag to bag, it’s worth checking for lumps before filling any pots or cells as well.

Luckily, gardeners in their droves are now opting for peat-free alternatives, of which there are many, usually made from a combination of ingredients such as coir (from coconut husks), wood fibres and composted tree bark. It has a neutral pH and a low peat content, instead using 20% surplus wood fibre from sawmills as an added texture ingredient. Our new coir range is just as good as traditional composts - and means we’re using the natural waste materials from coconut growing to fertilise our gardens instead.Smart release feed granules release nutrients only when conditions are warm and moist, providing complete nutrition for up to 6 months. Morrisons is also running a series of peat-free trials at its wholly-owned Lowlands Nursery to understand the best compost alternatives for growing plants. We’re also much appreciative of the additional fertiliser food packet that comes with it – once mixed into the compost, this Incredibloom plant feed will continue to boost plant growth throughout the year, apparently resulting in up to 400% more flowering.