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Sally Nex

@sallynex

Gardener, food grower, author and dog lover in Somerset, south-west UK. Peat-free advocate for the Peat-free Partnership hosted by @plantlife also professional gardener, online tutor with Learning with Experts, lecturer. All views my own

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07.03.2025
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Latest posts by Sally Nex @sallynex

Five people holding a box representing 16,000 signatures in front of No 10 Downing Street

Five people holding a box representing 16,000 signatures in front of No 10 Downing Street

People walking on a street in London, with one person holding a sign saying 'Protect our bogs'.

People walking on a street in London, with one person holding a sign saying 'Protect our bogs'.

Someone dressed in a costume representing a peatland bog, holding a box with 16,742 written on it

Someone dressed in a costume representing a peatland bog, holding a box with 16,742 written on it

One week on & the call to end peat sales continues to grow!๐Ÿ“ข

Last week we went to Downing Street to hand in our 16,000+ petition.

Coming together as eNGOs, growers & supporters, we called for the destruction of peatlands to stop! There's still time to add your voice ๐Ÿ‘‰ https://loom.ly/2owB_VM

05.03.2026 02:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Lol never need much of an excuse to do that! ๐Ÿ˜‹

04.03.2026 12:51 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Wooden cutlery make great #plasticfree plant labels. Here I've laid them on their sides as I have a glass cover over my seed trays but when stood up they are tall enough not to wick water as far as the writing (unlike eg lollipop sticks) swap for slate when planting outside #sustainable #gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

04.03.2026 09:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

๐Ÿ˜‚

02.03.2026 08:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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My poor overwintered broad beans are making a bid for recovery ๐Ÿ’š followed usual routine, sow in Oct, move outside once germinated as they need cold to grow sturdy - but these just drowned ๐Ÿ˜ฅ first time it's ever gone wrong & now rethinking how I grow them in future #climatechange #gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

02.03.2026 06:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Thank you! Favourited ๐Ÿ’š

01.03.2026 19:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Well the theory goes that since the moon governs the tides, it also governs water levels in the soil - which seems to make sense to me. I don't buy the more woo-woo stuff about planting by the zodiac ๐Ÿ˜‚ not aware of scientific proof of results but just a fun experiment for me ๐Ÿ˜Š

01.03.2026 09:07 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Happy March! ๐Ÿ’š soon it'll be spring... I am planting by the #moon this year so here are this month's phases:
๐ŸŒœ1-2: waxing: flowers & salads
๐ŸŒœ 3: full: rest
๐ŸŒœ 4-11: waning: roots
๐ŸŒœ 12-18: waning: rest
๐ŸŒœ 19: new moon: rest
๐ŸŒœ 20-24: waxing: leafy veg
๐ŸŒœ 25-31: waxing: above ground annuals
#gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

01.03.2026 08:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 9 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Yes I'd imagine so ๐Ÿ˜‰ you get what you pay for with peat-free ๐Ÿ’š

01.03.2026 00:51 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Also important to store it under cover so the rain doesn't drench it and make it deteriorate ๐Ÿ˜‰

28.02.2026 16:49 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

What brand of peat free are you buying? My squash seeds germinate absolutely fine (and have done for years) in peat-free - I generally buy Melcourt Sylvagrow though have had success with other brands too ๐Ÿ˜Š cannot bear the thought of the environmental damage I'd do by using peat ๐Ÿ˜ฅ

28.02.2026 16:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

That's a good one - corn & peas have all they need to grow already without having to have perfect compost too ๐Ÿ’š

28.02.2026 08:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Getting ready for planting and sowing ๐Ÿ’š if you have part-used bags of #peatfree compost left over from last year use with care: peat-free is best fresh, used within 6 months of buying. I bought this one last July (date is printed on the bag) - so mature plants and container top-ups only #gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

28.02.2026 07:32 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sign the petition to end peat sales! No more delays: Let's get peat out of gardens once and for all. The time for uncertainty has ended.

actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal... please keep signing - it's open till at least the end of March and now nudging 17,000 ๐Ÿ’š

26.02.2026 18:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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16,742-strong petition for legislation this year to #EndPeatSales handed in to Downing Street! ๐Ÿ’š

Supported by @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social, @davegoulson.bsky.social, @plantlifeuk.bsky.social, @gardenorganicuk.bsky.social, & #RHS

Huge thanks to everyone who signed and shared!

#EndPeatSales

26.02.2026 13:10 ๐Ÿ‘ 50 ๐Ÿ” 10 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 5 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Well done @sainsburysuk.bsky.social - bedding pansies grown 100% #peatfree ๐Ÿ˜ so nice to shop with a clear conscience. It's such a shame we need to remember to double check b4 buying - with legislation to #endpeatsales we wouldn't have to actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal... #gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

25.02.2026 06:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 10 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I so agree ๐Ÿ’š

24.02.2026 06:47 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

#gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

23.02.2026 07:18 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Our thanks to @gardenorganicuk.bsky.social @jackwallington.com @davegoulson.bsky.social @guyshrubsole.bsky.social Riverford Organic Farmers The RHS @barnsdalegardens.bsky.social @kneppwilding.bsky.social and many, many more for spreading the word far and wide ๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’š

23.02.2026 07:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Aw thank you ๐Ÿ™ we are working with garden centres to make them places gardeners want to go again - I still go to my local but buy so little nowadays as so much is plastic/peat/pesticide based ๐Ÿ˜ช there is much work going on to change things tho and awareness customers want different ๐Ÿ’š

23.02.2026 07:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sign the petition to end peat sales! No more delays: Let's get peat out of gardens once and for all. The time for uncertainty has ended.

Big week for us at @peatfree.bsky.social - we're taking the petition to Downing Street ๐Ÿ’š over 16.200 people have now signed - smashing our original 10k target ๐ŸŽ‰ solid proof of the public support we always knew was there 4 legislation to #endpeatsales actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal...

23.02.2026 06:57 ๐Ÿ‘ 50 ๐Ÿ” 16 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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It's tidy-up time! I'm dashing out between showers to slowly clip out dead stems and reveal the start of the spring garden ๐Ÿ’š I try not to remove any debris from the garden - what doesn't go on the compost heap ends up in my dead hedge or chop'n'dropped back onto the borders as mulch #gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

22.02.2026 08:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Sign the petition to end peat sales! No more delays: Let's get peat out of gardens once and for all. The time for uncertainty has ended.

The trouble is it's so difficult to avoid if you buy for the garden, eg peat content isn't labelled & most plants you buy at the garden centre are grown in peat. Legislation to end peat sales guarantees we can all shop without buying peat by mistake: actnow.peatfreepartnership.org.uk/end-peat-sal...

22.02.2026 07:24 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Yes we have similar things go happening here, just a complete denial of obvious realities. I'm not sure how long it will take us to learn the lessons... if we ever do ๐Ÿ™„

21.02.2026 12:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I do think that this is the Levels doing what they are meant to do - act as a buffer to absorb all the water and hold it away from inundating surrounding communities. But because we have insisted on settling and draining nature's buffer zones there is so much hardship caused when this happens ๐Ÿ˜ข

21.02.2026 12:19 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I have been saying this for years ๐Ÿ˜… gardening is a real force for good - tho it does have to be #peatfree, and no plastic pesticides or petrol. That takes dedication when the hort industry is so dependent on them... but in your own garden there is lots you can do to garden in nature friendly ways ๐Ÿ˜Š

21.02.2026 08:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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This is what 52 consecutive days of rain looks like: the #Somerset Levels hasn't had a full 24 hours of dry weather this year. Those are fields, gardens, roads. And still politicians & voters continue to shirk action on #climatechange. The cost of doing nothing is so much higher than acting now ๐Ÿ˜ฅ

21.02.2026 07:55 ๐Ÿ‘ 12 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Love this new take on hanging baskets i spotted on the crocus.co.uk stand at the #GardenPressEvent this week ๐Ÿ’š like little plant-filled hammocks #gardening ๐ŸŒฑ

20.02.2026 08:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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MAD Moisture | Make a Difference Ltd (MAD) 100% Organic, Carbon Neutral, Water Retaining Granules. MAD Moisture will bring the life back into your soil and cut your water and fertiliser use by up to 40%. A single use leads to healthier, bright...

Here you go ๐Ÿ˜Š madcompany.com/product/mad-...

19.02.2026 15:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Yay! How lovely. My local nursery sells pea & bean seeds by the scoop too ๐Ÿ’š

19.02.2026 15:01 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0