Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Gardening Maths LOL

Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
in The potting shed
From this article on the website:

There’s an increasing range of peat-free potting mixes available, including multipurpose compost, compost suitable for seed-sowing, and even ericaceous mixes. Often these are aren’t available in garden centres, but can easily be bought online. Alternatively you can make your own potting mix, using a mix well-rotted leaf mould, garden compost, vermiculite and garden soil. (Monty Don’s formula is 75  per cent leaf mould, 25 per cent garden compost, 15 per cent vermiculite and 10 per cent garden soil.)

I somehow don't think that Monty Don is *that* innumerate.
“Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    It'll be super- good compost. 25% better than the best.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    If anyone can, MD can ;)
    East Lancs
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Dodgy maths notwithstanding, my garden centre (not the best, it has to be said) has all three of those peat-free potting mixes, even ericaceous! Shame on them for encouraging us to buy online with added environmental impact rather than support our local GCs.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    The article is mainly about making your own potting mix 👍... but for those without their own transport, and there are many, buying online is  often the only option ... it's good to let them know that the peat free options are available there too.  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Yes of course tell people it’s available online @Dovefromabove, but it was the statement ‘Often these are aren’t available in garden centres, but can easily be bought online’ that I felt sent the wrong message and we should be sustaining local businesses where we can. Is it really difficult to get peat-free compost in UK GCs?? If online is your only option because you don’t have/can’t arrange transport that’s of course a different matter.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The one I bought looked like Hoover droppings and wicked the moisture up to the surface of my containers. I bunged the leftovers on the compost heap. An expensive mistake.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Peat-free compost is readily available here (eg B&Q) but the quality is variable even in the same packaging. This summer I've bought allegedly the same product twice - one was really good, nice fine texture, but the other was somehow both twiggy and claggy at the same time, only fit to use for mulching around shrubs. I suspect they were using composted green waste that could have done with an extra month or two composting time. Apparently demand has been much higher than usual this year, so I suspect it was an attempt to keep shops supplied, with quality suffering as a result.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Sign In or Register to comment.