I tend to buy the compost which works for the plants I grow and produces best results and it has peat in it...admittedly something of a laid back approach.
JAB's seed and cutting compost is very good and has a reduced peat content. I've tried a soil based one and to let it get a little dry is a mega mistake, it went like concrete in the propagator
A local Nursery is selling bags of moss peat! Silly Q...I read the link....but is that the same as the peat we are told not to use...what is moss peat...is there a difference in peat's... or is the planet in trouble no matter which one we buy!
Having used Bowers multi purpose compost for many years now, I bought a couple of 100lt bags recently ,and it does not resemble the previous years product in any way.
I still have some of last years to compare it with.
I am so dissapointed in it that I will be using it as mulch rather than compost.
It is full of wood chippings, bark , twigs, and plastic etc, with a very small trace of compost.
Fortunately I got it cheap from a wholesaler, so it's not a disaster but I will have to look again for some replacement.
Bought B&Q Verve compost,the worst compost I have ever bought, full of twigs course material so just spread it on my flower beds. Just been to Homebase and bought theirs which looks ok.
What's even more puzzling is that 'Which? Gardening' list Verve from B&Q in their top four - **** /88-91% test score. Just goes to show its always good to know opionions from those who actually use the product. I have bought Verve again this year and find it to be much the same as it always is, but in the past I haven't really been a 'serious' gardener, but now I'm paying more attention maybe it will realise its short comings.
Well I bought some bags of verve because the other stuff I bought was so bulky and lumpy it would have taken an age to sift it. totally unsuitable for my small seedlings in pots. The verve is lovely...crumbly, fine and my only worry is that it will dry out quickly.
We bought Verve seed and pottiing compost which appeared okay but after growing seedlings in it and nothing happening, looked in the pot to find white mould. We then purchased Miracle grow peat free multi purpose which had white mould growing on the wood particles as it first came out of the bag. We are now using last years Verve peat based compost until we find an alternative that's free of fungus, not so worried about the peat free now. 2 novice gardeners
Last year I used Levingtons and some Lidl. Lidl Ok but the levingtons multipurpose had lumps of old china in it.I had to pick pieces of wood and stuff out of it. This year levingtons appears to have new manufacturers and I have had Levingtons M3 mixture which is a vast improvement. Lovely in trays and modules. Plants growing really well. Tomatoes in it in large buckets are 2ft high, really healthy and about to flower.
I too have noticed white fungus in bags of compost...not the verve too dry! I'm afraid I carried on and used it anyway.
In past years I have found Westland very good. It really is a lottery isn't it.
I am very envious of fidgetbones if your tomatoes are 2ft high. Mine have been incredibly slow to get going this year...compost or weather?
Beans: runners & climbing French also soooooo slow. Some still have not sprouted after 3 weeks. Guess they probably won't now. Disheartening but then that's gardening, ups and downs in equal measure
Posts
I tend to buy the compost which works for the plants I grow and produces best results and it has peat in it...admittedly something of a laid back approach
.
JAB's seed and cutting compost is very good and has a reduced peat content. I've tried a soil based one and to let it get a little dry is a mega mistake, it went like concrete in the propagator
A local Nursery is selling bags of moss peat! Silly Q...I read the link....but is that the same as the peat we are told not to use...what is moss peat...is there a difference in peat's... or is the planet in trouble no matter which one we buy!
Having used Bowers multi purpose compost for many years now, I bought a couple of 100lt bags recently ,and it does not resemble the previous years product in any way.
I still have some of last years to compare it with.
I am so dissapointed in it that I will be using it as mulch rather than compost.
It is full of wood chippings, bark , twigs, and plastic etc, with a very small trace of compost.
Fortunately I got it cheap from a wholesaler, so it's not a disaster but I will have to look again for some replacement.
Thanks Lyn I'll look out for some
Bought B&Q Verve compost,the worst compost I have ever bought, full of twigs course material so just spread it on my flower beds. Just been to Homebase and bought theirs which looks ok.
What's even more puzzling is that 'Which? Gardening' list Verve from B&Q in their top four - **** /88-91% test score. Just goes to show its always good to know opionions from those who actually use the product. I have bought Verve again this year and find it to be much the same as it always is, but in the past I haven't really been a 'serious' gardener, but now I'm paying more attention maybe it will realise its short comings.
Well I bought some bags of verve because the other stuff I bought was so bulky and lumpy it would have taken an age to sift it. totally unsuitable for my small seedlings in pots. The verve is lovely...crumbly, fine and my only worry is that it will dry out quickly.
We bought Verve seed and pottiing compost which appeared okay but after growing seedlings in it and nothing happening, looked in the pot to find white mould. We then purchased Miracle grow peat free multi purpose which had white mould growing on the wood particles as it first came out of the bag. We are now using last years Verve peat based compost until we find an alternative that's free of fungus, not so worried about the peat free now. 2 novice gardeners
Last year I used Levingtons and some Lidl. Lidl Ok but the levingtons multipurpose had lumps of old china in it.I had to pick pieces of wood and stuff out of it. This year levingtons appears to have new manufacturers and I have had Levingtons M3 mixture which is a vast improvement. Lovely in trays and modules. Plants growing really well. Tomatoes in it in large buckets are 2ft high, really healthy and about to flower.
I too have noticed white fungus in bags of compost...not the verve too dry! I'm afraid I carried on and used it anyway.
In past years I have found Westland very good. It really is a lottery isn't it.
I am very envious of fidgetbones if your tomatoes are 2ft high. Mine have been incredibly slow to get going this year...compost or weather?
Beans: runners & climbing French also soooooo slow. Some still have not sprouted after 3 weeks. Guess they probably won't now. Disheartening but then that's gardening, ups and downs in equal measure