I gave it up at the start of Covid. I was using Jack's Magic, which is peat based, I couldn't get it. Now I am using composted wood and green waste with added farm manure and perlite. The UK government has since announced the imminent banning of commercial peat sales in 2023, so I am glad I got ahead of the game.
Also as well as peat bogs being a finite resource and a massive carbon soak, the digging of peat releases trapped Co2 into the atmosphere. People should use coco either as it has a massive carbon footprint. Bat Guano and Seabird Guano are bad too, not only do they have a big carbon footprint from air miles, they are decimating ancient bird and bat colonies to get it.
I have taken a big look at the environmental impact of my grow. I have invested in better lights to lower my electricity consumption, I have swapped to a electricity supplier that only offers tariffs that use renewable generation. I have also stopped growing indoors during the summer months and grow Autos in poly tunnels from April to September. I grow in a loft and I waste so much energy controlling heat and humidity in the summer it would be better to use the light and that nature provides. I did two runs of outdoor Autos this summer and the results were superb. I also veg a few photos in my conservatory so I can get going right away in september.
I am only using a locally sourced medium that is made from my garden waste. (I have enrolled in the local council's garden waste scheme, they take my garden waste and it is taken to a local processing plant and composted and I can then buy the compost at cost, a total of about 15 miles round trip, not hundreds or even thousands.) I can buy rotted manure from the local Livery Stables.
My next thing is to stop using bottled nutrients, due to the plastics used in the packaging and the potential air miles. I am looking into dry amendments, I am going to conduct experiments using Fish, Blood and Bone and work from there. I have just taken some clones of RQS Hulkberry to experiment on.
