Donal Hickey: Why peat-free is so important

Peat compost has not been banned for sale in private gardens here yet — a ban on this comes into effect in England in 2024

Peat-free compost is one way to tackle our biodiversity and climate crisis says the Irish Peatland Conservation Council

With BBC gardening guru Monty Don supporting, the campaign in England to ban the sale of peat for use in private gardens and allotments has an influential backer.

Don has lots of followers here in Ireland, where a similar campaign has been underway for some time, and he is a celebrity visitor to various gardening shows here. Our Government, however, has been long-fingering plans to introduce such a ban, which takes effect in England in 2024.