Plastic and peat free propagation

The days are lengthening and it is time to sow seeds for this summers blooms. In previous years, we would line up rows of plastic seed trays, fill them with peat-based compost and stick in plastic labels.

These days, we do things differently. Now, we are peat free and plastic free. Our seeds are sown into soil blocks. Using a nifty little device, the soil blocker, we make hundreds of cubes of pressed compost and pop our seeds on top. Alternatively, you could try making newspaper pots, using cardboard kitchen roll tubes or coir pots. For labels, we use wooden lolly sticks. It is now 50 years since the botanist and TV presenter, David Bellamy, warned that using peat was destroying precious ecosystems, and alternatives should be sought. Over the years, peat-free composts have been criticised for there variable quality, but they are now much improved. As an eco-friendly garden, we are proud to say that Borders Eco Flowers is entirely peat-free.