I think there are a lot of composts about that are like this. For years I've been buying a fantastic multi-purpose compost from a local retailer and it's always been wonderful, lovely smell and texture and the plants loved it. The shop staff informed us that they were not going to be able to get the compost anymore so we bought 6 big bags thinking we were being clever! However, it seems that the manufacturer has recently made some changes to the 'recipe' and the compost is now black and uninteresting and whilst established plants that just need potting on seem to do OK, anything that is very young and fragile forget it, nothing thrives. I mix it with a large helping of my own compost and that works with some plants but not all.
I was'keen to sow some seeds when the homebase'compost was bought in Apr and as I was redoing paths on the plot used the old decomposed bark instead, seemed better quality than some well known compost brands. I 'm pleased to say beans/peas have germinated in it and are doing well.
They’re were loads of these with the witch logo on it but after this thread I was wary and went for a different brand instead. Luckily it was fine but I did go around smelling bags as none were open to check. Some were pongy even though closed so I avoided those. It was difficult to choose.
I bought several bags of the Homebase peat free multi purpose compost. Their blurb says the ingredients are “a blend of West+, composted bark, coir and fertiliser”. I mixed it with perlite and filled some of my patio pots. I was appalled as there is little or no water retention. The water just drained straight through. I dug the plants out and refilled the pots with the same perlite/Homebase mix but added water retention gel pellets and 50% of my own compost from my heap and this appears to have resolved the issue. Won’t be buying this Homebase compost again.
I think the key factor there was your own compost @m.sanerkin. That will have really helped. At least you had that - many people could have been stuck, or would have needed to go back and get some topsoil or some other compost or similar. Very frustrating.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Still getting good results from peat free Homebase compost. Tomatoes have been in an unheated greenhouse for a few weeks now. Compost holds enough moisture whilst being free draining. I water when pot feels light. Root growth has been good.
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At least you had that - many people could have been stuck, or would have needed to go back and get some topsoil or some other compost or similar. Very frustrating.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Got this from Tesco yesterday 2x 40 lites for £6 and it contains some peat! Will let you know how I get on with it.