[ECO]Wimbledon’s Peat-free Gardens

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Wimbledon’s peat-free gardens

Since the mid-20th century, commercial and ******** growers have been using peat in their gardens.

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is popular in horticulture because it is mixed with soil to increase the moisture-holding capacity of sandy soils and the water infiltration rate of clay soil.

Peatlands (where peat comes from) are wetlands that contain deep accumulations of decomposed organic material. As a result, they are important carbon sinks, sequestering more carbon than any other vegetation type. Removing peat for commercial and horticultural purposes increases the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

In 2022, the

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to ban the ***** of peat for use in private gardens in England. This new law is supposed to pass at the end of 2024.

Some gardeners in

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are getting a head start by finding alternatives to this peat ban. Wimbledon, famous for its tennis tournaments, is also renowned for its flowers, namely the roses, hydrangeas and petunias that bloom yearly. In 2021, over 15,000 petunias were planted throughout the grounds. This year they announced 50,000 plants would be added to the venue.

Wimbledon gardeners are committed to using peat-free compost to keep the plants blooming all summer long. This year, they are testing the peat-free compost in 100 modules and 24 baskets to ensure the right amounts are used for adequate blooming. They are also planning on using homemade compost in this garden. These commitments align with the All England Club’s commitments to reducing emissions and contributing to a “net gain” in wildlife in its operations by 2030.

One ingredient in their homemade compost comes straight from the staff breakroom. The gardeners are mixing used coffee grounds with their compost. This is also part of the organizer’s efforts to do more with

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and drink waste.

Coffee grounds are good natural additives to composts because they are rich in nitrogen. They can help balance the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio that is necessary for effective compost decomposition. Coffee grounds improve compost structure as they help to aerate the mixture and improve drainage. They also attract beneficial microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, which help break down the organic matter and create rich, nutrient-dense compost.

Coffee grounds (and even brewed coffee) will help produce healthy green growth and strong stems. In addition to nitrogen, coffee contains calcium and magnesium, which benefit plant health. Roses and hydrangeas—two famous plants on the Wimbledon grounds — are among the many plants that benefit from coffee. Organic matter like compost will also benefit petunias by helping ensure that the soil is well drained.

As Wimbledon is moving toward peat-free in their gardens, compost is a good alternative because, when added to soil, it can improve soil structure, increase water infiltration and retainment and add beneficial microbes. It is also significantly less damaging to the planet than peat. There is hope that with the peat ban coming into effect at the end of the year other venues in the *** will follow suit.

Using coffee grounds from the staff room is an easy way to contribute to homemade compost, especially with the benefits of coffee and coffee grounds. Wimbledon’s efforts to comply with the upcoming peat ban and the

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show that making environmental changes can be simple. They also show that these efforts can be replicated in your own backyard.

Your blooming flowers, which contribute not only to beauty but also to the natural environment, should be as natural as possible. As we move away from unsustainable practices like uprooting peatlands, it is encouraging to learn about the sustainable and easy ways we can contribute to the planet.

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