Report Online Symposium: 'Peat and the search for alternative substrates' - All this is going on around peat right now
January 18, 2024
In cooperation with substrate experts, LTO Bomen, Vaste planten en Zomerbloemen, Glastuinbouw Nederland, Plantum and VBN/Royal FloraHolland successfully organized an online symposium for growers and trade on January. 17.
Text by: Arno Engels
The potting soil industry is working hard to transition from less peat to more alternative substrates. The market demand for less peat is increasing, but peat reduction is not yet laid down anywhere in laws and regulations. Growing in alternatives requires adjustments.
These outlines emerged during the digital symposium "Peat in potting soil and the search for alternative substrates" that took place Wednesday, Jan. 17. More than 385 entries, mainly from the cultivation and trade of plants and trees, had registered for the symposium. Several experts from the world of potting soil, substrates, trade and cultivation joined discussion leader Jolanda Heistek (Royal FloraHolland) at the table.
Han de Groot (VPN, Vereniging Potgrond- en Substraatfabrikanten Nederland) first explained the state of affairs surrounding the 'Convenant milieu-impact substrates'. At the end of 2022, a broad coalition of parties signed this covenant. Among other things, they agreed to accelerate the use of renewable raw materials, to extract peat only in a responsible manner. And to set up an information campaign for consumers about used raw materials and the environmental impact of potting soil.
"It is deliberately not called peat covenant," De Groot stated, "because it is not against peat either. It is meant to reduce the environmental impact of substrates in the chain. All raw materials we desperately need, and they all have a certain environmental impact."
'Potting soil transition of magnitude'
VPN members collectively produced 8.2 million cubic meters of substrates in 2022. This represented 12% of the total world volume. Of the Dutch volume, for example, 29% is for pot plant cultivation, 13% for arboriculture. Of that 8.2 million cubic meters, over 62% is peat: still the majority. "You hear a lot about compost in potting soil," said De Groot, "but with 1.4% compost is a very small player in our sector."
Due to the increasing world population, the demand for substrates in the year 2050 will be four times greater than today. De Groot: "We are talking about huge volumes. That means a potting soil transition of stature." The covenant does focus on the Netherlands, but it also takes into account international market developments. "The transition is a serious challenge."
Peat reduction or peat replacement, however, is not yet defined anywhere in laws and regulations. The EU has not made a policy on this. The United Kingdom, however, is planning it. Switzerland has the most far-reaching ambitions: peat-free on the consumer market. Suppose there will be laws and regulations? "There doesn't have to be a reason for that if the transition is toward peat reduction," De Groot said. "Ambitions are driven by the market."
'Demand for peat and sustainability data'
The trade is asking for peat reduction or peat-free: this was confirmed by Lisa Bakker of Hamiplant at the symposium. The company supplies garden centers, building and supermarkets across Europe with houseplants and garden plants. The UK and Germany are the most important retail countries for Hamiplant. "Customers ask a lot of questions about peat, such as: What is the percentage of peat in potting soil? They don't ask about the mixture, but purely about peat," Bakker told me.
There is also more demand for sustainability data. "Like CO2 data. Also, customers are asking what is sustainable and what is not." Hamiplant has a team of sustainability experts, including a substrate expert. "To exchange information about substrates with customers."
In the UK, terms like 'peat ban' are going around. "That confuses entrepreneurs, because there is no peat ban," notes Mark-Jan Terwindt of Royal Anthos, trade association for nursery and flower bulb products. Certain market segments do ask about "peat free. "But does that also apply, for example, to avenue trees from the Netherlands grown in peat?"
During the symposium, Terwindt pointed to peat as a packaging material for perennials and bulbs. "That is internationally recognized. How do you deal with that when a country makes laws and regulations about peat? That requires talks with governments, otherwise we will get stuck at the border by a discussion about packaging."
'One raw material you cannot exchange for another'
On behalf of the RHP, Marco Zevenhoven addressed the availability and quality and hygiene aspects of renewable raw materials. "There is a lot of organic material available, but you can't just trade one raw material for another," Zevenhoven said. "And the challenge is very big to get enough usable raw materials. The construction industry is also looking for this. Insulation boards made from Miscanthus? Then construction is a competitor for the application of Miscanthus in potting soil."
The quality and safety of raw materials must also be guaranteed. Zevenhoven pointed to damage cases in crops that the RHP investigates. "Half of the damages are caused by new raw materials that are not RHP-certified. For example, we need to prevent human pathogens and pesticide residues in raw materials."
The Responsibly Produced Peat (RPP) certification developed in the Netherlands is gaining ground internationally. Currently, 107 sites are RPP-certified; a total of 25,000 ha of peatlands where peat is extracted responsibly. Europe has a total of 60,000 ha for peat extraction. "The Dutch potting soil sector leads the way with 53% RPP. Next comes Germany with 39%," said Hein Boon of the RPP.
Another certification for responsible coir extraction is in the works: Responsibly Produced Coir. "We are working hard on that. Because there are also more and more questions from the market about the origin and environmental impact of coir."
'Growers need to grow differently'
One raw material is not the other, and there can also be differences within substrates. For example, there are wood fibers with different nitrogen fixation. "With alternative substrates in potting soil, growers will have to grow differently," underlined Zevenhoven (RHP) at the symposium. "Many are already doing that and succeeding. But with many crops, growing in alternatives is difficult. For example, a different watering or nutrient delivery is needed. A sustainable substrate should not lead to more environmental impact at the grower's site."
At the symposium, two growers shared their experiences with peat-poor or peat-free potting soil: Ruben Gommers of perennial nursery Green-One in Zundert, and Alex Leinenga of young-plant company Florensis in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht.
Scaling up peat-free cultivation
Green-One has conducted field trials with 100% peat-free. "The results are good," Gommers told me, "but I do worry: are there enough alternative raw materials available for the future?" In fact, Green-One wants to scale up. The company is already producing a large number of plants in 60% peat-free. "That is possible, with a little more attention to watering. But what will be the price of potting soil with alternatives? At the end of the day, it has to be paid for."
Florensis now has four years of research experience with young plants in peat-free plugs. "When we sow, we assume 95% germination on peat. But what will the germination be on peat-free? You have to relearn that and it's quite complex," Leinenga told me. "And if germination succeeds in January, it doesn't have to succeed in June because the weather conditions are different. And how does our plug with peat behave in a peat-free substrate? That's quite challenging."
Arthur van den Berg (Glastuinbouw Nederland) closed the symposium. "Growing in alternative substrates is possible, but it can take a long time to get there. The watering is different, and maybe your fertilization and crop protection will also be different. It means a lot of testing and making small steps. In short: learning to grow again."
Text by: Arno Engels
The potting soil industry is working hard to transition from less peat to more alternative substrates. The market demand for less peat is increasing, but peat reduction is not yet laid down anywhere in laws and regulations. Growing in alternatives requires adjustments.
These outlines emerged during the digital symposium "Peat in potting soil and the search for alternative substrates" that took place Wednesday, Jan. 17. More than 385 entries, mainly from the cultivation and trade of plants and trees, had registered for the symposium. Several experts from the world of potting soil, substrates, trade and cultivation joined discussion leader Jolanda Heistek (Royal FloraHolland) at the table.
Han de Groot (VPN, Vereniging Potgrond- en Substraatfabrikanten Nederland) first explained the state of affairs surrounding the 'Convenant milieu-impact substrates'. At the end of 2022, a broad coalition of parties signed this covenant. Among other things, they agreed to accelerate the use of renewable raw materials, to extract peat only in a responsible manner. And to set up an information campaign for consumers about used raw materials and the environmental impact of potting soil.
"It is deliberately not called peat covenant," De Groot stated, "because it is not against peat either. It is meant to reduce the environmental impact of substrates in the chain. All raw materials we desperately need, and they all have a certain environmental impact."
'Potting soil transition of magnitude'
VPN members collectively produced 8.2 million cubic meters of substrates in 2022. This represented 12% of the total world volume. Of the Dutch volume, for example, 29% is for pot plant cultivation, 13% for arboriculture. Of that 8.2 million cubic meters, over 62% is peat: still the majority. "You hear a lot about compost in potting soil," said De Groot, "but with 1.4% compost is a very small player in our sector."
Due to the increasing world population, the demand for substrates in the year 2050 will be four times greater than today. De Groot: "We are talking about huge volumes. That means a potting soil transition of stature." The covenant does focus on the Netherlands, but it also takes into account international market developments. "The transition is a serious challenge."
Peat reduction or peat replacement, however, is not yet defined anywhere in laws and regulations. The EU has not made a policy on this. The United Kingdom, however, is planning it. Switzerland has the most far-reaching ambitions: peat-free on the consumer market. Suppose there will be laws and regulations? "There doesn't have to be a reason for that if the transition is toward peat reduction," De Groot said. "Ambitions are driven by the market."
'Demand for peat and sustainability data'
The trade is asking for peat reduction or peat-free: this was confirmed by Lisa Bakker of Hamiplant at the symposium. The company supplies garden centers, building and supermarkets across Europe with houseplants and garden plants. The UK and Germany are the most important retail countries for Hamiplant. "Customers ask a lot of questions about peat, such as: What is the percentage of peat in potting soil? They don't ask about the mixture, but purely about peat," Bakker told me.
There is also more demand for sustainability data. "Like CO2 data. Also, customers are asking what is sustainable and what is not." Hamiplant has a team of sustainability experts, including a substrate expert. "To exchange information about substrates with customers."
In the UK, terms like 'peat ban' are going around. "That confuses entrepreneurs, because there is no peat ban," notes Mark-Jan Terwindt of Royal Anthos, trade association for nursery and flower bulb products. Certain market segments do ask about "peat free. "But does that also apply, for example, to avenue trees from the Netherlands grown in peat?"
During the symposium, Terwindt pointed to peat as a packaging material for perennials and bulbs. "That is internationally recognized. How do you deal with that when a country makes laws and regulations about peat? That requires talks with governments, otherwise we will get stuck at the border by a discussion about packaging."
'One raw material you cannot exchange for another'
On behalf of the RHP, Marco Zevenhoven addressed the availability and quality and hygiene aspects of renewable raw materials. "There is a lot of organic material available, but you can't just trade one raw material for another," Zevenhoven said. "And the challenge is very big to get enough usable raw materials. The construction industry is also looking for this. Insulation boards made from Miscanthus? Then construction is a competitor for the application of Miscanthus in potting soil."
The quality and safety of raw materials must also be guaranteed. Zevenhoven pointed to damage cases in crops that the RHP investigates. "Half of the damages are caused by new raw materials that are not RHP-certified. For example, we need to prevent human pathogens and pesticide residues in raw materials."
The Responsibly Produced Peat (RPP) certification developed in the Netherlands is gaining ground internationally. Currently, 107 sites are RPP-certified; a total of 25,000 ha of peatlands where peat is extracted responsibly. Europe has a total of 60,000 ha for peat extraction. "The Dutch potting soil sector leads the way with 53% RPP. Next comes Germany with 39%," said Hein Boon of the RPP.
Another certification for responsible coir extraction is in the works: Responsibly Produced Coir. "We are working hard on that. Because there are also more and more questions from the market about the origin and environmental impact of coir."
'Growers need to grow differently'
One raw material is not the other, and there can also be differences within substrates. For example, there are wood fibers with different nitrogen fixation. "With alternative substrates in potting soil, growers will have to grow differently," underlined Zevenhoven (RHP) at the symposium. "Many are already doing that and succeeding. But with many crops, growing in alternatives is difficult. For example, a different watering or nutrient delivery is needed. A sustainable substrate should not lead to more environmental impact at the grower's site."
At the symposium, two growers shared their experiences with peat-poor or peat-free potting soil: Ruben Gommers of perennial nursery Green-One in Zundert, and Alex Leinenga of young-plant company Florensis in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht.
Scaling up peat-free cultivation
Green-One has conducted field trials with 100% peat-free. "The results are good," Gommers told me, "but I do worry: are there enough alternative raw materials available for the future?" In fact, Green-One wants to scale up. The company is already producing a large number of plants in 60% peat-free. "That is possible, with a little more attention to watering. But what will be the price of potting soil with alternatives? At the end of the day, it has to be paid for."
Florensis now has four years of research experience with young plants in peat-free plugs. "When we sow, we assume 95% germination on peat. But what will the germination be on peat-free? You have to relearn that and it's quite complex," Leinenga told me. "And if germination succeeds in January, it doesn't have to succeed in June because the weather conditions are different. And how does our plug with peat behave in a peat-free substrate? That's quite challenging."
Arthur van den Berg (Glastuinbouw Nederland) closed the symposium. "Growing in alternative substrates is possible, but it can take a long time to get there. The watering is different, and maybe your fertilization and crop protection will also be different. It means a lot of testing and making small steps. In short: learning to grow again."
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