Announcing Otter’s own brand peat free compost

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Otter Garden Centres has unveiled its first own‑brand peat-free multi‑purpose compost, marking a significant step forward in the family‑run business’s commitment to sustainable gardening.

With peatland protection now a major environmental priority, demand for high‑performing peat-free alternatives has grown rapidly. Early versions of peat-free compost often struggled with moisture retention and consistency, but Otter is confident that this new blend will deliver noticeably improved results for gardeners.

The project has been led by Otter’s Managing Director, Jacqui Taylor, who said: “This new peat free multi‑purpose compost is a real step forward in making change; we’re proud to have been proactive in supporting development for our own‑label brand which our in-house trials have shown to offer superior performance to previous peat-free compost options.”

Here we answer some questions you might have about the product:

What materials are used in the compost?

Biofibres such as wood fibre, biochar residuals and base fertiliser are used to create this peat-free, coir-free formulation, which is also 100% guaranteed to be free from green waste.

Where do the materials come from?

All the bulk materials are sourced and manufactured in the UK.

Can you explain what certification the compost has?

We maintain an FSC Mix certificate under code FSC-C012510 which means products are sourced from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social, and economic benefits.

At the moment the compost doesn’t have organic certification although this is something we will be looking at in the future.

Is moisture retention improved?

This peat-free blend has a reasonably good water holding quality, superior to the original peat free compost which dried out quickly causing stress to the plants growing in it. For hanging baskets and summer tubs you can add some water retaining gel which will help further.

Is it suitable for seed sowing?

Currently, no. Whilst it is suitable for established plants, for seed sowing we continue to recommend specialist seed mixes.

Which nutrients are included?

We use a standard base fertiliser pack for multi-purpose composts. This lasts between 4-6 weeks and will slowly release over this time. We always recommend feeding plants with a good fertiliser in the summer to help produce more fruit or flowers and give the best results possible. You can add a slow release granular feed when planting or water in a soluble feed when watering the plants. Either will give you great results.

Where is the compost made?

The compost is produced in Cheshire. They have high green credentials; for example, all electricity is bought from renewable vendors.

Does this compost encourage beneficial microbes?

Yes, our biofibre naturally contains a large number of beneficial soil microbes, which play an important role in transforming compost into a living ecosystem supporting plant life and environmental health.

What about packaging?

The bag is made from PE, which, while it isn’t recyclable at home, can be recycled at commercial premises. Many supermarkets have a drop off point for packaging, and PE is accepted at these. The bag film has 30% recycled content, and the environmental ‘hoods’ are made from 100% recycled material.

This new peat free multi-purpose compost is a real step forward in making change, and Otter is proud to have been proactive in the development of our own-label brand.

Our Beautiful Spring Magazine includes a voucher for two bags of Otter peat-free compost for £10 (46 litres per bag). We hope to repeat the offer in our Summer magazine.

If there’s anything else you would like to ask, please do use our website contact form or ask instore.

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