What raw materials do we use

What raw materials do we use?

When selecting raw materials for our substrates, we consider not only their unique characteristics, such as water retention and air capacity, but also their environmental impacts. This approach helps us support plant health while considering selected environmental impacts of the raw materials.

Peat in our growing media

Peat is a unique organic raw material formed from partially decomposed vegetation in wetlands. It is classified as a slowly renewable biomass resource by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Why do we use it?

Peat is the safest, cleanest, and most widely used growing medium component because it:

Is free from weeds and plant pathogens
Improves soil structure
Increases water retention capacity
Helps reduce nutrient leaching
Tolerates pH fluctuations well, enhancing the soil’s buffering capacity
Enables the use of new circular raw materials in growing media mixes

Our goal is to increase the share of circular raw materials in our growing media to 45% by 2030.

Circular raw materials include all renewable, recycled, and reused materials. We follow the circularity definition established by one of the leading global authorities on sustainability, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Below you will find more information of our raw materials. Click + to read.

Coir (circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Renewable material + Good structure and stability + It provides a favourable balance of air and water to plant root + High re-wetting capacity + Holds its structure well + Low bulk density Read more about coir in growing media		– Treatment needed to prevent release of phytotoxic levels of salts – Cleaning and buffering is a water intensive process – Through processing, higher risk for phytosanitary and chemical pollution – Nitrate and other salts will come into the environment because of the buffering treatment

Wood fibre (circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Renewable material, produced from PEFC or FSC certified wood + High total porosity and air holding capacity after treatment + It is used to optimize the physical properties of other material components (e.g. reducing bulk density and increasing air space)Read more about Wood fibre in our growing media		– Need of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, is higher when using wood fibre – Rarely used as a stand-alone growing media component because it retains insufficient plant available water and tends to become compressed

Reed canary grass (circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Circular material, grown in Europe + High air capacity, which increased root development & uniform distribution in the pot + High drainage capacity for better fertigation steering + Suitable for plants in small-medium pots with medium-short growing cycle + Suitable for winter mixes when increased drainage is necessary Read more about Reed canary grass in our growing media		– Low water holding capacity – Need of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, is higher when using grasses – New material, less experience

Green compost (circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Composts are high in nutrients + Composting allows for the re-use of many waste materials that would otherwise end up in landfill or incineration plants + Composts can support in pathogen suppression		– High bulk density (70–85% of the consists of minerals) – High pH and nutrient levels (mainly potassium and phosphorus) – Requires other materials to operate (usually peat) – Prone to contaminants

Bark (circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Good structure for long period + Good drainage + It has a high air capacity + Excellent for epiphytes (e.g. orchids)		– Very low water holding capacity – Secondary treatment needed to make sure no pine tree nematodes are transported – As a waste product its physical, chemical and biological properties can vary – Use in low amounts in mixture – Nutrients mainly potassium, sodium and chloride – Growth inhibition when used in high amount

Sphagnum moss (circular)

Miscanthus (circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Circular material, grown in Europe + High air capacity, which increases root development + High drainage capacity, improving re-moistening + Available in coarse fraction chips, allowing application in big pots + Stiff and strong structure with low decomposition rate, suitable for long growing cycle + No weeds		– Low water holding capacity – Need of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, is higher when using grasses

Peat (non-circular)

Benefits		Risks
+ Possess excellent physical, chemical and biological properties for plant growth + Safe in many ways: no human pathogenes, no pesticides, very low plant pathogenes, no fertilization issues, good food safety + Usable for acidic plants + Peat is an extremely well understood, reliable and consistent option for many growers + Harvesting under very strict environmental regulations + Excellent availability Read more about peat in our growing media		– Low re-wetting capacity – Peatland growth is slow (~1 mm per year)