Scientists have just discovered that bees see colours that are invisible to the human eye. These colours known as iridescence are found on the petals of flowers and are there to attract bees for pollination along with colour. Iridescence is not a pigment but is due to the surface structure and will change according to the angle.
After all the publicity and debates about the decline of peat, customers are still buying peat compost in in their droves. We as gardeners are peat bogs biggest threat. Recent statistics show that gardeners are accountable for 70% of peat used in horticulture. This a horrifying statistic. There have been alternatives on the market for many years now. However these alternatives are swamped at garden centres by peat based products, so no wonder many still buy peat products.
Peat bogs annually release as much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere as 400,000 family cars. Furthermore irreplaceable ecosystems are being destroyed when peat is extracted. 95% of our peat bogs have been lost this century, mainly due to gardeners. Our love for peat has to stop. The alternatives on the market do the same job and building your own compost heap will also provide you with lots of nutritious food for your plants.
It can be extracted sustainably, as I saw when visiting Northern Ireland last summer. Here it is extracted by hand rather than mechanically and only locals use the peat. When done mechanically vast reserves which have taken thousands of years to form can be destroyed over night.
Peat bog in Northern Ireland
Wildlife trusts have campaigned for many years now and have been instrumental in urging the government to take action. They are working on industry people to get in line with government targets of getting 90% of products peat-free by 2010.
If your local garden centre does not stock peat-free products ask why not. Also ask your local authority if they have signed the peatland protection charter (details from your local wildlife trust). For those of you who live or nearby Brighton visit Brighton Community Compost Centre to get your peat free compost.
Check out this very cool pollinating bee log available at www.henandhammock.co.uk. It is a home for mason bees and other solitary types. As you are all aware the bees are in trouble. Their decline is unprecedented and is extremely disturbing. Before we know we may not have any meadows or honey left to name a few. One way of helping is creating planting schemes with plants that are nectar rich. Also just creating habitats like the one above will help the bees.
For more info on the decline of bees click the link below:
