10 Best Peat-Free Composts UK 2024 | Westland New Horizon, Miracle Gro and More

This unusual-sounding wool and bracken compost is made on a traditional farm in the Lake District using the fleece from sheep in the National Park. Like the peat it replaces, wool has excellent water retention qualities – just think how heavy a saturated woollen garment is after handwashing it! 

As a seed compost, the particle size is small enough for shoots to push aside and the nutrients from the decomposed bracken gently sustains new growth. Newer bags of this compost will include additions of nutritious comfrey. The 12-litre bags are handily 'carry size', and though the price point is higher, you are paying for a completely traceable and sustainable UK product.

Natural Grower's organic compost is made in the UK from the by-products of a renewable energy plant, including only locally grown crops such as maize. The compost holds moisture well (despite being peat-free) and is well suited to hanging baskets and indoor plants, as well as seed sowing. 

Certified by both the Soil Association and the Vegan Society, this is a fully traceable product that you can use with confidence. It is a new product, but the company's maize-based, fully natural liquid fertilizer has become a popular choice amongst organic gardeners – and this compost looks set to follow in its footsteps.

SylvaGrow prides itself on its eco-credentials. It blends coconut coir (from a single, traceable source), finely milled bark and wood fibre from sustainably managed British forests, plus nutrients to support growth for 4-6 weeks.

It does not include green waste, so there is no danger of finding plastic fragments within. Suitable for potting on, planting out, or use as a grow bag, this professional-quality compost is impressively RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) approved, too. 

This Homebase compost is a 2021 Which? Best Buy and is a pleasingly cost-effective option for your garden. As a multipurpose compost, it can be used throughout your plot, for both flowers and for vegetable growing.

The affordable compost contains composted bark, coconut coir and West+ (this is a patented FSC wood fibre and fertiliser) nutrients to support growth for six weeks. For those indoor jobs, a houseplant version of this peat-free compost is also available.

This organic Soil Association-approved compost is supplemented by seaweed, volcanic ash and Envii Foundation, a beneficial mix of bacteria and fungi which acts like a probiotic for the soil. 

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information about the main content of this mix, however, it is very fine so there is no need to sieve it before sowing seeds. It is suitable for growing both ornamental flowers and edible fruit and vegetable crops, and has received great feedback from tomato growers. 

Miracle-Gro's compost with moisture control is comprised of wood fibre, bark pieces, coconut coir and composted green waste. The exclusive Aquacoir® formula stores excess water and releases it when needed, to keep hard-to-water pots, containers and hanging baskets properly hydrated.

This compost is suitable for all mature plants and will feed them reliably for three months. The inclusion of green waste has moved this option further down our ranking, as the risk of plastic-waste contamination is an important consideration.

Both organic and Soil Association approved, Rocket Gro's compost is made in Somerset from green waste and their own mix of soil improver. It is formulated with 100% British components too, meaning that nothing is imported from overseas. 

Nutrients are released by this compost for three months, with good results when used in pots, containers, window boxes and hanging baskets. It is further down our list as some issues have been reported with contamination of the product by plastic, due to the inclusion of green waste. 

This compost is made from a mixture of predominantly wood fibre, bark and coconut coir, plus nutrients which slowly release for three months. It is a multipurpose compost and thus useful for many garden jobs, including pots, beds and borders. 

It is also labelled as pet-safe and child-friendly for your peace of mind. However, as it doesn't specify whether or not green waste is included, there could be a risk of it containing shredded plastic.