Growing media – As defined by the European Committee for Standarization (CEN), a growing medium is a material, other than soil in situ (in its original place), in which plants are grown. The growing media sector produces a wide range of products to provide an optimum rooting environment for plants. The range of growing media constituents includes peat, other organics like coir, composted materials, and mineral constituents like perlite. Growing media are often formulated from a blend of different raw materials in order to achieve the correct balance of physical and chemical properties for the plants to be grown.
Key role played by peat in growing media
- Of all the different and varying growing media, due to its unique properties of stimulating plant growth, peat represents 86% of all constituents used in the professional sector and 69% of the constituents used for the hobby growing media market within the EU. A general substitute for peat in growing media is not available.
- As a carrier, peat provides a higher added value to other constituents, e.g. compost. Compost on its own is never suitable as a growing medium due to unfavourable chemical, physical or biological properties, and requires blending with peat and possibly other materials.
- Peat is a key component of most readily available, easily processed, high performing and cost-effective growing media.
Growing media trade issues
- The growing media industry is committed to working on the removal of existing trade barriers that are impeding the full development of GM intra-EU trade flows.
- The growing media industry aims to find solutions to the increasing diversity of rules and regulations among EU Member States, such as labeling, packaging and bureaucratic requirements, in order to enhance the freedom of circulation of goods in the single market.
- The growing media industry highlights that a common legislative framework across the European Union can certainly help to improve market transparency and freedom of choice for consumers.
Source: EPAGMA – European Peat and Media Growing Association – Peat and Horticulture
