Across the pond, the U.K. has banned the sale of peat and peat products by 2024 in an effort to protect peatlands, Earth’s biggest carbon sink. Even though peatlands cover just 3 percent of the planet, they store more than twice the carbon as the world’s forests. (For more on why we should all stop buying and using peat-based soils and composts, see Just Say No to Peat: It’s Time to Rethink the Compost and Soil You Buy.) But here in the U.S., the conversation around the harm of harvesting peat has only just begun, and if you’re trying to be an eco-minded gardener and use peat-free garden products, you may have a hard time sourcing them. Recently, though, we’ve noticed more peat-free potting soil on the market. (Hallelujah!) Here, some options:
![Not only does the Sustainable Soil Mix from California-based company, DEN, contain biochar and worm castings, among other locally sourced, natural materials, but it also comes in compostable packaging; \$\18 for 4 qt. at Housework.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/sustainable-potting-soil-den-733x731.jpg)
![Organic Mechanics\2\17; Premium Blend Potting Soil is peat-free and certified organic; \$\18 for 8 qt. at Ed\2\17;s Plant Shop.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/organic-mechanics-premium-blend-potting-soil-733x627.jpg)
![The Mix, by Noot, is soilless and contains coconut husk, chips, and fibers blended with coarse perlite; \$\19.99 at Home Depot. (Note: Perlite is also controversial; see Rice Hulls: A Better, Eco Alternative to Perlite in Soil Mixes.)](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/noot-the-mix-soil-733x733.jpg)
![Native Earth\2\17;s PurelySoil Potting Mix is made up of composted dairy cow manure, sand from Idaho, and aged forest products; \$\2\2.99 for 3\2 qt.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/native-earth-purelysoil-potting-mix-733x639.jpg)
![](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/rosy-soil-indoor-potting-mix-733x733.jpg)
![](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ivy-may-redwoods-potting-soil-733x756.jpg)
For more on sustainable gardening, see:
- Ask the Expert: 5 Tips for a Sustainable Garden from Landscape Architect Marian Boswall
- A Greener Indoor Garden: 9 Best Practices for Sustainable Houseplants
- The Garden Decoder: What Is ‘Permaculture’?
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