Why I changed my mind about peat

Everything from carnivorous pitcher plants to acid-loving blueberries can be grown without peat. No more excuses: it's time gardeners kicked the peat habit

I used to be a staunch believer that some plants couldn't be grown without peat.

I couldn't see how I could grow Proteas, Banksias and the like unless I used it. Its fibrous, moisture retentive and long lasting nature created just the right environment for their specialised root systems. I grow a lot of peat-loving plants such as Shortias and Vacciniums too. There certainly seemed no way these would grow without the substrate to which they are so inextricably linked in the wild.