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Peat free compost - shop-bought recommendations and DIY mixtures (for sweet peas and other stuff)

TingersTingers Posts: 4
in Tools and techniques
Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie to the forum so please be nice...!

Since switching to peat free compost a few years ago, I don't feel like I've quite found (or created) a potting medium with the right consistency. A lot of the shop-bought peat free composts don't seem to retain enough moisture. From chatting to people, I realise that with peat-free compost there perhaps isn't such a thing as 'all-purpose' any more. Perhaps one needs to add grit or vermiculite, depending on the plants...

Please could somebody advise me on the best compost for sowing (and then growing) sweet peas? And additionally, if anyone has found any good mixtures for growing other flowers, fruit and veg, I'd be really interested!

Specifically, I'd like to know which brands...

Thanks!
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Posts

  • TingersTingers Posts: 4
    P.S. Monty Don did a huge segment on this in the last year or two, but unfortunately, he relies quite heavily on homemade compost, which I don't have right now!
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    edited March 2023
    In a very recent Gardening Which survey of peat free composts Homebase peat free was the number one choice for growing plants on. When it came to growing in larger pots it did pretty well but was not the best. The top four places went to YouGarden peat free MPC, Melcourt Sylvagrow Tub and Basket, Moorland Gold MPC and Melcourt Sylvagrow MPC. All four were at least 50% more expensive than Homebase.

    For fertilising pots or garden plants the winning brand was Miracle-Gro All Purpose continuous release plant food. Photos of the different performance of plants grown in controlled conditions using best and worst compost/fertiliser were astonishing.
    Rutland, England
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    I haven't found any consistency in any of the peat free composts.  One bag seems great and the next dries out as you take it out of the bag (slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean).
  • TingersTingers Posts: 4
    Thanks @BenCotto There's a place up the road that sells both types of the Melcourt Sylvagrow so I'm going to get the MPC and the Tub and Basket to see if I can tell the difference. They cost £9.49 and £10.49 respectively, compared to £7 for Homebase MPC, but if they do the job, then I don't mind paying.

    The plant food sounds good too, although I try to be organic so there's another hoop to jump through!
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Note that Sylvagrow bags are 40 litres and Homebase are 50 litres.
    Rutland, England
  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    I’ve used 20+ bags of Homebase in the last couple of years. All have been good in the sense that plants grew strongly. I add grit when a plant needs good drainage and grit plus topsoil if it is going to be in the pot long term. 
  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    They often do offers around Easter time so I stock up when they do.
  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    https://www.jackwallington.com/peat-free-compost-trials-2021/

    The above has some good advice
  • LeadFarmerLeadFarmer Posts: 1,500
    The last few bags of peat free I've bought have been from Home Bargains and has been quite decent. I mix it 50:50 with peat compost so at least I've reduced my peat compost buying by 50%
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    edited March 2023
    LeadFarmer said:
    The last few bags of peat free I've bought have been from Home Bargains and has been quite decent. I mix it 50:50 with peat compost so at least I've reduced my peat compost buying by 50%
    We get ours from there. Growmoor it's called. Really nice consistency and very water retentive. Grew my tomatoes & cucumbers in it last year.


    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. 

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