How long did it take for manufacturers to come up with a suitable and consistent product when they first started selling bags of MPC?
It’s early days yet in the development of the peat-free equivalent, plus the huge increase in demand since lockdown gardening became a thing must have impacted on the availability of the ingredients … don’t know whether Br**it has had an effect too, but I wouldn’t be surprised. 🙄
For crying out loud, you can't blame Brexit or lockdown for the problems with compost. Most bagged compost has been rubbish for a good few years. Going back 10 years I would never find lumps of branches and even what appeared to be pieces of trellis in compost. There is no excuse whatsoever for not using screens which would at least remove larger rubbish like that.
I've been buying bagged compost from garden centres for years ... usually either Levingtons or Notcutts own ... I've never ever had a problem with lumps of wood or other stuff in it. Not once.
I'm using either reduced peat or peatfree nowadays ... whichever I can get ... again usually the brands above as that's what our local GC stocks. It's not perfect, but with a bit of mixing with homemade compost, bagged soil conditioner or a bit of JI2 or 3 we seem to get stuff to grow ok. But then I've never used just neat MPC except for tubs of bedding plants, or tomatoes etc. I've always 'amended' it to suit my needs.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I wonder @KT53 if the companies have been caught out by the slowing of peat coming from abroad ( including Ireland) and the increased quantities needed, so they are churning out half composted stuff that is really not yet ready to use.
I wonder @KT53 if the companies have been caught out by the slowing of peat coming from abroad ( including Ireland) and the increased quantities needed, so they are churning out half composted stuff that is really not yet ready to use.
I have a similar theory but I blame it at least partially on increased demand. We all know it takes time and space for it to be heaped for "stuff" to turn into compost, whether it's green waste, bark, wood chip or whatever, so it can't be easy to increase production without months of notice (at least). Add to that possible import delays on coir and peat which don't need composting, and you have a recipe for companies putting out material that could do with a few more months rotting down.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
If you are paying £6 for a bag of multipurpose compost I would imaging only a fraction of the cost goes to the production of the compost the majority would be taken up in transport, bagging and handling, profit for manufacturer and retailer. A decent product would cost more and are gardeners willing to pay more for quality?
GW and Beechgrove presenters and all gardening magazines used to say, use a "good quality" MPC, what ever that was?
Now they all parrot "I'm using a Peat free compost" which they then start adding all the components missing from their original choice.
McEnroe from the tennis has just admitted that he was paid to throw a tantrum and behave like a spoilt brat all those years ago, I wonder if all those who parrot "peat free" are paid to say it as I cannot believe that would say it willingly.
Ps I forgot to mention Wickes compost says on the bag"free from green waste", so no wood, sticks or even stones as I have found in other bags!
McEnroe from the tennis has just admitted that he was paid to throw a tantrum and behave like a spoilt brat all those years ago, I wonder if all those who parrot "peat free" are paid to say it as I cannot believe that would say it willingly.
I would strongly suspect so. The BBC pays their wages and almost certainly promotes the "themes" that crop up ad-nausea; plastic, peat free, don't cut the grass...etc etc.. The "Paradise Garden" for example was built (I'm sure) to promote his book & more importantly for the BBC, the resultant TV programme.
I wonder @KT53 if the companies have been caught out by the slowing of peat coming from abroad ( including Ireland) and the increased quantities needed, so they are churning out half composted stuff that is really not yet ready to use.
There could be something in that purpleallim, but there is still no excuse for the rubbish which is getting into the compost. Decent screens to capture larger pieces would prevent it happening. I have literally found a piece of what looks like trellis timber at least 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, plus many pieces of branch of similar size.
Years ago, probably at least 50 years, my mum always bought Levingtons Professional , it’s deteriorated so much over the years she stopped using. when we had a lockdown I ordered some from a local chappie who delivered it to the gate for me, horrible stuff, seeds didn’t germinate in it, plants didn’t grow on well, all bits of fibrous wood chips and stalks. my GH centre now has what I’ve always bought 4 bags for £20. I think they’re selling it off cheap to get rid of the peat composts. when they’ve run out or not selling it will be the day I don’t do anymore gardening, no more seeds.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Posts
https://www.forestryjournal.co.uk/features/19205057.brexit-soil-root-nis-plant-import-problems/
I've been buying bagged compost from garden centres for years ... usually either Levingtons or Notcutts own ... I've never ever had a problem with lumps of wood or other stuff in it. Not once.
I'm using either reduced peat or peatfree nowadays ... whichever I can get ... again usually the brands above as that's what our local GC stocks. It's not perfect, but with a bit of mixing with homemade compost, bagged soil conditioner or a bit of JI2 or 3 we seem to get stuff to grow ok. But then I've never used just neat MPC except for tubs of bedding plants, or tomatoes etc. I've always 'amended' it to suit my needs.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have a similar theory but I blame it at least partially on increased demand. We all know it takes time and space for it to be heaped for "stuff" to turn into compost, whether it's green waste, bark, wood chip or whatever, so it can't be easy to increase production without months of notice (at least). Add to that possible import delays on coir and peat which don't need composting, and you have a recipe for companies putting out material that could do with a few more months rotting down.
The "Paradise Garden" for example was built (I'm sure) to promote his book & more importantly for the BBC, the resultant TV programme.
There could be something in that purpleallim, but there is still no excuse for the rubbish which is getting into the compost. Decent screens to capture larger pieces would prevent it happening. I have literally found a piece of what looks like trellis timber at least 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, plus many pieces of branch of similar size.
This is a much bigger issue than " peat free " composts
when we had a lockdown I ordered some from a local chappie who delivered it to the gate for me, horrible stuff, seeds didn’t germinate in it, plants didn’t grow on well, all bits of fibrous wood chips and stalks.
my GH centre now has what I’ve always bought 4 bags for £20. I think they’re selling it off cheap to get rid of the peat composts.
when they’ve run out or not selling it will be the day I don’t do anymore gardening, no more seeds.