HortWeek's panel at the BOA conference analysed in-depth how growers and suppliers are working towards peat-free, with the big messages being that retail product needs to be better and that the Government needs to offer clarity to the horticulture industry.
A HortWeek Bonus Session at British Ornamentals Association conference hosted a growing media panel, on February 4 at Stoneleigh.
Panellists were Chris Reid, Westland head of technical – growing media, David Denny of the HTA, Robin Squance, ex-Brookhouse Nurseries and BOA technical committee chairman, Michael Smith – W D Smith & Son, and Steve Carter – Responsible Sourcing Scheme and Fleurie Nursery.
TOPICS
1. When will the Government give certainty to nurseries about peat use
2. Do the panel want peat to be banned?
3. When is a good date to ban peat?
4. What are you doing to progress to peat-free?
5. Did peat use rise in 2025 and will it stay static in 2026?
6. Quality standards: do we need one baseline standard to measure if a peat-free is good?
7. Are peat-free nurseries at a commercial disadvantage?
8. Can going peat-free be a positive story"?
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