Why we were the first, and why it still matters
Rymer Trees and Hedging was the first nursery in England to be wholly peat-free. That's not something we say lightly - it was a deliberate and considered decision, made because we believe the horticulture industry has a responsibility to stop using a resource it is depleting far faster than nature can replenish.
Peat bogs are some of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth. Although they cover less than 3% of the planet's surface - around 12% of the UK - they store more than twice as much carbon as every tree on Earth combined.
Despite this, we extract peat far faster than it can naturally regenerate. It takes over a decade to naturally replace just 1 - 2cm of peat - yet soil erosion alone strips that much from the surface each year where bogs have been drained. The process of draining peat bogs releases significant greenhouse gases, equivalent to around 10% of all annual fossil fuel-related emissions. It also destroys habitats entirely.
In the UK, over 80% of peatland has already been negatively affected. The public is slowly becoming more aware of this - peat use in the UK did see a 2.3% decline between 2018 and 2019 - but the COVID gardening boom reversed that progress, with use rising 9%.
We use a coir-based compost that consists of coir fibre, wood fibre, and a heat-activated slow-release fertiliser. Coir is a by-product of coconut processing - it would otherwise be waste material. It is a far more sustainable substrate and produces excellent results for cell-grown stock.
We don't just take our own word for it. We've had external assessors come to review our compost mix - companies who stood to benefit commercially from recommending we switch. Their conclusion was that it's the best option available for our situation. That said, we're always looking to improve: we continue to experiment with organic fertilisers and alternatives to vermiculite.
Being peat-free isn't a constraint - it's a standard. We've proved you can grow healthy, vigorous trees without touching a single peat bog.
When you buy from Rymer Trees, you can be confident that your trees have been grown without contributing to peatland destruction. For projects with environmental credentials - grant-aided woodland, BNG schemes, SFI agreements - that matters. And increasingly, buyers, ecologists and project managers are asking for it.
We see going peat-free as part of a broader commitment to responsible growing that includes our Plant Healthy certification, UKISG assurance, and Integrated Pest Management approach. Each of these things individually makes a difference. Together, they mean you're buying trees from a nursery that genuinely cares about what it sends out into the world.