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Fixing or reusing awful peat free compost?

Mrs_MigginsMrs_Miggins Posts: 60
in Problem solving
Ive bought several bags of peat free compost (growmoor multi purpose) and used it in containers where it has been a disaster. Plants that would usually be romping away in that spot (petunias in windowboxes, thunbergia in sunny trough) are barely getting going. Two salvias in smaller pots i left for a week are dead. Slug eaten dahlias ive put aside to recover havent. And yes ive been feeding things, far more than ever. And watering. 

Im not going to buy peat compost but i would like to know what to do to turn it into something useable. 

Is it any use to add to my london clay borders? Is there any type of plant that actually thrives in it? Ive got a large plastic box I put old compost in, and have put in some uneaten fruit and veg hoping it will compost and enrich it. No room for an actual composter. I do make leaf mould but have run out. 

Ive added manure to a couple of small pots (tipped them out, made an almost 50/50 mix and repotted). But not sure about the windowbox as it has pelargoniums in it too. 

I can see how its lack if holding water could be useful sometimes (just) but im not experienced enough to know where. The perlargoniums in it arent doing well either. 
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Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Yes, dig it into the borders a bit later in the year, or use it as a mulch around plants.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I’ve found that mixing peatfree MPC about 60/40 with sterilised topsoil bought in bags from the garden centre makes a pretty good mix for Hostas. I think it’d be fine for toms etc too. 

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





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'd just boycott peat free until it's " fit for purpose "
    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Thing is … I don’t want to boycott it … I’d rather find a way to make it work for me … but what I suppose we ought to do is to feed back to the producers what it is we’re having to do to make it work satisfactorily. 

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





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Surely THEY know it's total crap?
    Devon.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I've not bought any potting compost this year. 
    Devon.
  • EustaceEustace Posts: 2,290
    I'm now wary of using peatfree after having used weedkiller-contaminated stuff on some of my tomato plants. When I opened that particular bag, it had a strange smell; may be that was the clue and didn't make much of it. Anyway have complained to HB; haven't heard back from them yet.
    Oxford. The City of Dreaming Spires.
    And then my heart with pleasure fills,
    And dances with the daffodils (roses). Taking a bit of liberty with Wordsworth :)

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I've mixed it with sieved homemade compost to increase water retention and with bagged topsoil to give it some weight and "body", about 1/3 - 1/3- 1/3. So far so good.
    It will be fine added to the soil too.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I’ve had success with my home made compost and garden soil,  my pepper plants are thriving in just the compost, I’ve fed them once,  I would normally have potted them on by now when using bought compost but these are good as they are.  I sowed and pricked out all veg seeds in my own compost.
    I planted the tomatoes out in the green house in my compost,  with garden soil and I had a couple of Levintons  grow bags that I added just to get rid of them,  tomatoes and lettuces and cucumbers best they’ve ever been. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    I had reason to complain to 3 different manufacturers last year &only got a satisfactory response from one. The other two may as well have said we can't use peat put up with it for all the help they were. 
    AB Still learning

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