2 x Bags of Dalefoot Wool Compost peat-Free, Sustainable: 30 litres

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Peat really is a wonderful resource for us and our environment. Peat is an incredibly unique and diverse habitat, playing home to many specialist species that cannot exist elsewhere. It is also a powerful water filter and a huge carbon sink. Once we are aware of all the amazing natural services that peat provides, we are sure to see it as more valuable in the ground, than in our gardens. There are two main types of compost: multipurpose and composts for specific use, such as raising plants from seed or growing plants in patio containers. Multipurpose and all-purpose composts

Reach out with little acts of kindness where you can; a warm hello, a compliment to someone who is looking sad… it offers hope for a more resilient future for us all, together. A mini wildlife pond can be created out of an upcycled basin buried into the ground with stones placed in and around. You may attract amphibians, and many wildlife will also benefit from a water source of this kind. No dig also reduces weeds because you’re not bringing up annual weed seeds by digging. It doesn’t mean no weeds, you still need to hoe and trowel out any weeds that blow on and germinate, but there are significantly fewer. It’s important too to ensure that weeds don’t try to sneak in from grassy paths and edges. I have creeping buttercups here in my garden which keep trying to colonise the veg beds by stealth so I regularly weed the edges. Of course, this isn’t something we see on peat-based compost very often for the simple reason that peat is inert. It exists in waterlogged conditions that the fungi cannot inhabit. But of course, neither can anything else, making peat quite different from non-peat-based composts.

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Trees growing in forests have a particular use for their fungal friends. As their roots are “plugged in” to the fungal network beneath the soil, they use this connection to communicate with one another. You may wonder what a tree might have to say to another tree on earth, which is a fair question. Trees use this fungal web to warn one another about the presence of a pest or disease. Mycorrhizal fungi enter into the roots of plants, sometimes even going into the actual cells themselves. This connects the plant to the incredible web of hyphae under the soil, which acts like a secondary root system. The fungi can hunt down nutrients and water for the plant, using its tiny strands to penetrate parts of the soil inaccessible to plant roots. Plants can even make chemical requests to fungi for specific nutrients to aid their growth and health. The right balance of nutrients - a good seed or potting compost should have the right balance of nutrients to grow a range of plants during this stage of their development, whereas a multipurpose compost should be able to support plants at all growth stages. Remember that most composts only have enough fertiliser to last around four weeks, so after this you will need to add liquid feed or one of our Best controlled-release fertilisers . Sheep ‘dags’ form a protective layer over the soil and are ideal for established plants. ‘Dags’ are the soiled parts of the fleece which are otherwise discarded after shearing.

Biodiversity is a word used to refer to the number of species and individual organisms in a particular area. When we look at biodiversity, we are often looking at specific areas, like our gardens or nature reserves. Peat bogs are wonderfully biodiverse environments, supporting a whole host of life. Because of the specific environmental conditions in peat bogs, there are many species of plant, insect and animals that rely on these areas. They have formed specific niches within these environments and cannot easily adjust to life elsewhere. I make hummus year round, using whatever vegetables I am harvesting. This is a great way of using up vegetables lurking in the fridge, too. Keeping the structure of the soil intact allows fungi, worms and other soil life to create tiny tunnels in the soil, which creates a superb soil structure, increases drainage and oxygenates the soil. Mycorrhizae networks remain intact, connecting all of the plants in a symbiotic relationship which aids plant and soil health. Digging breaks up and destroys this balance in the soil. Stopping digging enables the soil to recover and thrive. Try and ditch the power tools and gloves. Get properly connected with your garden by hand as much as you can. It helps you see so much more and understand how everything is interconnected. Looking forwards, it is a good idea to mulch everything by the spring if you can, to help conserve moisture in the ground before the main sowing and planting commences in the spring.

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We also test grow bags - see our round-up of the best grow bags. What are the different types of compost? Great news! We have been selected as a finalist in the Micro Business of the Year category of the prestigious Growing Business Awards.The awards recognise the UK’s most outstanding entrepreneurs and high-growth businesses. A medium-crumbly texture - is ideal. Composts that are too fine are prone to water logging, while those that are too coarse tend to need more frequent watering. A crumbly structure will allow excess water to drain through, while holding enough water and air for roots to thrive. Some composts, such as some municipal waste composts, can be very low in nutrients and require extra feeds.

Clean water is crucial for creatures during the winter months, for drinking and washing. Here I have a selection of homemade pools for insects - dishes filled with small stones - which are refilled daily and cleaned out often. A simple way to make a bird bath/drinking pool is to use a “dalek” composter. Once the compost bin is full, invert the lid and add some large stones as perches and to ensure creatures can safely get out of the water. This provides a source of water out of reach of most predators.

We have seen more and more extreme weather events in the last 10-20 years as a result of climate change. In the UK this often presents itself as very high rainfall. When coupled with the draining and depletion of peatlands, the result is catastrophic flooding, which has a very real impact on those living in these areas.