Gardeners across the UK are set to receive new support to help them successfully grow with peat-free compost following a major funding boost from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

The three-pronged project will include a scheme to train 12,000 garden centre staff in best practice in a bid to help educate the public.

The funding will help tackle some of the biggest barriers to peat-free gardening – including inconsistent compost quality and confusion among gardeners about how best to use peat-free products.

Delivered through the Enrich the Earth partnership created by Sizzle Innovation, the project will provide practical support across the horticulture sector from garden centre staff training to citizen-science trials with amateur gardeners.

The new programme will include:

• Training for garden centre staff
  • Working with the Garden Centre Association, two new video modules will be produced for the GROW training platform used by more than 12,000 garden centre employees. The training will tackle common myths around peat-free compost and highlight successful growing techniques.
     
• Citizen science with 100 gardeners
  • Newcastle University will run experiments with 100 amateur gardeners, testing different peat-free products and exploring how advice and messaging influence gardeners’ confidence and results.
     
• A new quality standard for peat-free compost
  • Working with the Growing Media Association, Enrich the Earth will help finalise and promote a new independently assessed Quality Standard designed to reassure gardeners that peat-free composts are reliable and fit for purpose. 

Enrich the Earth was created to bring together progressive organisations that want to accelerate the shift away from peat while ensuring gardeners continue to achieve good growing results.

The partnership has already produced peat free guidance for gardeners backed by more than 20 organisations including DEFRA, identified policy options to support the transition and delivered a pioneering community growing initiative in the North East of England.

Trewin Restorick, Founder of Sizzle Innovation, said: “The Government has restated its ambition to ban peat in horticulture. The challenge is to ensure gardeners have the confidence and the products they need to grow successfully without peat. This funding allows us to focus on practical solutions – better information, better training and better compost.”

Peter Burks, CEO of the Garden Centre Association, said: “Garden centres are on the frontline of the transition to peat-free gardening. Staff are regularly asked for advice by customers who want to make the switch but aren’t always sure where to start.

“These new training modules which will add to our existing resources will give teams the confidence and knowledge they need to support gardeners.”

Simon Blackhurst, Chair of the Garden Media Association, said: “An independently assessed Quality Mark for peat-free composts will be a major step forward in building gardener confidence. This project will help ensure the standard is recognised and trusted.”

More information about Enrich the Earth can be found here.