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.

Peat-free compost disappointment

1234579

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Fantastic controlled trial @MrMow ???
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • MrMowMrMow Posts: 160
    Was not meant to be a trial just a plant I missed to pot up :D


    I am going to my Microscope out and have a look at the Biology in the soil  B)

    I know most of the plants I repotted are responding at last, but I think I should have pinched some of them out,  you never stop learning in this world but enjoying it.

    Need a show dropping garden for the ladies big birthday party this year. 
    I never knew retirement would be so busy. :smile:




  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    Last year my wife came back from Home Bargains with three 50L bags of Growmoor 'Grow Plus' peat free compost for £2.99 each. I'd never seen the brand before and because I think of this store as a bit 'troggy' (rather disparaging I know) I dismissed it as a waste of money. How wrong was I? It's really nice stuff - great smell & feel - and is enriched with seaweed. The pots she did with it last year grew really well. I went back for some this year and it's still available but now up to £4.99. Still good value though.
    This is the stuff.



    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful

  • bssmrosebssmrose Posts: 1
    I have seen glowing reports for Durstons peat free compost but I switched from their compost with peat this year and have had big problems. Either seedlings fail to mature or plug plants die within a few weeks. Does anyone know the answer?
  • bssmrose said:
    I have seen glowing reports for Durstons peat free compost but I switched from their compost with peat this year and have had big problems. Either seedlings fail to mature or plug plants die within a few weeks. Does anyone know the answer?
    Yes, buy peat based compost. You have 18 months left till it's banned (my money is on it being extended). If you don't somebody else almost certainly will.
    Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with buying products that align with your environmental beliefs but that still doesn't change the fact that peat free compost (on the the whole) is crap & poor value for money. And in these cash strapped times I'm guessing the latter is fast becoming the number one concern for the vast majority. 

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Some peat free compost is crap, just like some peat containing compost is crap.
    You only need to look at the quality of plants from many nurseries, who are now peat free to realise tha it can be done.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • punkdoc said:
    Some peat free compost is crap, just like some peat containing compost is crap.
    You only need to look at the quality of plants from many nurseries, who are now peat free to realise tha it can be done.
    There's a lot more in those pots than just peat free compost...especially when you're relying on healthy plants for a living. 
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Yes, there's bound to be extra in the peat-free compost used by nurseries (slow-release fertiliser, grit etc), just as there is in the compost used by nurseries which aren't avoiding peat, @Chris-P-Bacon.  But the important thing is that there ISN'T PEAT.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • Yes, there's bound to be extra in the peat-free compost used by nurseries (slow-release fertiliser, grit etc), just as there is in the compost used by nurseries which aren't avoiding peat, @Chris-P-Bacon.  But the important thing is that there ISN'T PEAT.
    Yes, I know....  ;)

    The original question was;

    "I used Durstons peat based compost but I switched to their peat free compost then had big problems.  Does anyone know the answer?"

    Answer (well, mine) .."Yes, switch back to peat based compost".. (at least while you can)

    Vitax, Levingtons, Westland, Jamison etc all still sell peat based compost so I'm guessing there remains a market for it?.. and will do for professional use until 2028!

    FWIW I have no issue at all with anybody buying peat free compost if they wish but it's a debate that has a tendency to become quite polarised.
    This is an interesting article I read recently..

    https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/phasing-out-peat-use-in-horticulture-defra-call-for-evidence/

    If you get Garden News, Ian Hodgson has written some very balanced pieces surrounding peat use & the impacts of alternatives.



  • How I agree with everyone the potting composts are rubbish. I put some plants into a peat free compost recently and mushrooms are coming up! All fibre and rubbish soil. I have had to mix in my own compost to add some body to the bought ones. The water is running through otherwise. 
Sign In or Register to comment.