Our peat-free compost range made from sheep’s wool, bracken and comfrey has been shortlisted for the first ever RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year Award.
Dalefoot Wool Compost with Comfrey, which we launched earlier this year, is one of ten shortlisted products to be recognised for their green credentials in this prestigious RHS competition.
We spent five years perfecting the addition of comfrey, a plant superfood, into our popular peat-free Wool Compost range. Known as the organic gardener’s best friend, comfrey has high levels of potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen for healthy plant growth, larger flowers and bigger crops.
Comfrey is now grown sustainably at Dalefoot farm as a commercial crop allowing us to scale up our peat-free compost production to supply many more garden centres and nurseries across the UK, plus online for home delivery. Blending comfrey into the composts complements our on-farm approach to no-till soil management, adds structure and additional flowers and biodiversity to the landscape benefitting insects and pollinators, and, importantly from a horticultural perspective, provides increased nutrient content in the final compost product.
Professor Jane Barker: “As firm believers in true sustainability – social, economic and environmental - our team is over the moon to get this recognition and be shortlisted. We take real care to employ environmental best practice at Dalefoot, from the sourcing and harvesting of ingredients, to packaging and delivery. Our premium products also provide gardeners with a sustainable alternative to using environmentally damaging peat in their outdoor spaces.”
With a hat-trick of performance-packed natural ingredients - comfrey, bracken and sheep’s wool - the Wool Compost range feeds plants for at least a season, requires less watering, as wool cleverly retains moisture, and is Soil Association-approved for organic gardening. Wool Compost is available in Potting, Seeds, Vegetables & Salads, Tomatoes, Double Strength and Ericaceous*.
We source bracken from Exmoor, Northumberland and Wales, as well as locally in Cumbria – helping a diversity of farming communities and local landscapes. Bracken is an invasive plant but when harvested sustainably and composted, provides rich potash for plants and acts as a fantastic soil conditioner. Sheep farmers are benefitting too as supplying undipped wool for the compost means they have a market for a product they struggle to sell. We are a significant local employer and are Living Wage-accredited, and we also restore damaged peat bogs for organisations such as Natural England and the wildlife trusts.
Over the past 12 months, compost production has doubled at Dalefoot, with more than 175 garden centres and nurseries now stocking our products.
About RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year - The RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden Product of the Year was launched in 2011 to recognise the best new garden products at the show. In line with the ever increasing importance to ensure products offer sustainable solutions, the 2021 competition will award the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year for the first time. Other shortlisted products include New Vegebag by Vegepod UK, Composting Loo by Green Oak and Ocean Plastic Pots, made from discarded rope and fishing net. An expert judging panel will consider environmental sustainability as well as innovation, visual appeal, functionality and quality and the winner will be announced during Virtual Chelsea (17 - 21 May). A trophy presentation will take place on Press Day at RHS Chelsea Flower Show now being held in September.
* Wool Compost Ericaceous, Lakeland Gold and Bulb Compost do not contain comfrey