You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. As we mentioned above, peat takes many years to form which means that the loss of peat through harvesting for horticulture and agriculture is irreversible over human timescales.

The wool is also full of slow-releasing nitrogen which, as we already know, is really important for strong plant growth. The Soil Association is the UK's largest organic certification body and has over 70 years' experience. The ideas for the range of composts comes from old gardening books and are all made on a small Lakeland hill farm, near Penrith, Cumbria. Wool features a high natural level of potassium (potash) which is a major nutrient for any plants including fruit, vegetables, and flowers. Once the use of peatlands are phased out, which is inevitable, this source of habitat will never be replenished in our lifetimes.

On the market today no other growing media has such a naturally high concentration of nutrients, for improving plant size and quality. Completely peat-free – this compost is 100% peat-free which means it has great environmental benefits (you can read more about that below!

It can hold up to 20 times its own weight in water and according to the ONS, in the UK alone, peatland represents 27% of the UK ecosystem service accounts. This project is supported by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) for which Defra is the Managing Authority, part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas. It provides a firm foundation for a healthy start in plant life with a gentle sustained feeding to take plants through to potting on. I first came across Dalefoot Compost at RHS Chelsea in 2015 and felt rather ashamed that despite living in the Lake District I had very little knowledge of the company or their products. I tried this compost for the first time last year and have never had such a wonderful crop of tomatoes.

The fine texture and drainage properties of this compost will create the perfect environment for encouraging your seeds to germinate. Made on a traditional farm in the Lake District, Dalefoot composts are all totally sustainable and entirely free of peat.

Completely peat-free – this compost is 100% peat-free which means it has great environmental benefits (you can read more about that below! Potash-rich bracken forms the base of the compost, which is blended with sheep’s wool for improved water retention and slow release nitrogen. The addition of Comfrey has high, yet balanced levels of potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen that will give your seedlings a great first feed.Helps with water management – peat plays an important role in the hydrological cycle helping to maintain water quantity and quality. Wool Compost component bracken gives this growing medium a high level of natural potash, essential for fruiting and flowering. Bracken provides naturally high levels of potash, essential for fruiting and flowering, and significant levels of iron and magnesium to nourish strong healthy plants.