I've bought both the Westland Multi-Purpose with John Innes and the Westland Vegetable compost. The veg compost is about £1 cheaper per 60 ltr bag than the MP+JI with both types on same special offer buy 2 get a 3rd free. I used the veg compost to pot on some Courgette plants today in large patio containers mixing in a bit of Growmore as Courgettes do feed voraciously and need a fast release fertiliser. The veg compost is good but for my money the MP+JI is better and worth the extra money. How they will compare in actual growth remains to be seen as I have potted up some in identical containers but using both types - I'll try and remember to post results.
Am not a big fan of B&Q; they really failed with a kitchen that I bought at one time, but their Verve is ok, am finding compost this year far less likely to have white mould in them than last year.
I agree wholeheartedly with all the adverse comments on the J Aurthur Bowers standard compost. This year's offering is dreadful... utterly useless for seeds unless you sieve it first, and not much better for potting on. Probably just about good enough for a mulch
I pointed this out to my local GC and they recommended the JABowers compost with added John Innes... a bit dearer but is definitely better.
They should take the "which" 2012 recommendation off the bags... it's out of date and now totally misleading.
Just one other thing regarding taking compost back because it's rubbish. Although I judge a lot and make decisions on texture, that isn't necessarily a guarantee that the compost is or isn't rubbish. A manufacturer or supplier might (quite rightly) ask 'have you tried it and proven it to be useless?' Plants have a funny habit of doing quite well in all kinds of substrates - just because it doesn't look good doesn't necessarily mean it isn't: if the nutrients are there and it is balanced for the plants it's made for. Manufacturers don't just chew up a load of material and throw it into a sack to sell it: they normally have quality control and R&D labs and do a lot of research before the product gets anywhere near the end user so they will know what their product will and will not do. However, I do think it's folly to produce a product that doesn't look as though it's quality and for all my experience I wouldn't buy a product that looks and feels horrible - at least - not a second time!
Someone 'in the know' once told me that if you drive past one of the compost manufacturers/distributors in winter and see mountainous piles of bagged compost then it means it didn't get sold the previous summer, and will be stored for sale the following summer. By that time the compost won't be at its best.
Thers one such manufacturer near Kings Lynne that I drove past.
I'm not sure how to put a photo in the garden gallery. I only managed to get the avatar photo by accident after about 3 attempts & still don't know how I did it. I will happily give it a go with a few other pics showing how I made the raised beds in the very section if someone can show me how to do it.
To post a picture, first ensure the photo is stored on your computer, then create yourself an account (free) with Photobucket: http://s232.photobucket.com. You can then create different titled albums such as garden, holidaysetc
At the top of the photobucket screen will be a button that says "Upload".
This will bring up your PCs file folders. I think the default place for Photobucket to look is in "My Pictures", if it's not - then just travel to the folder that has the pictures you want to upload. You can upload one at a time or many (if you want to upload more than one, click the first picture then before you click another one hold the 'Ctrl' key down while you choose all the others). When your done release the Ctrl key and click on "Open" - Photobucket will automatically begin the upload process.
Once it's done it'll take you to another page where you can label/tag your pictures. I've never found this useful and it's time consuming, so I skip it. Just click "Save". Photobucket will then go back to the album you placed your pictures in.
When you're ready to post a picture here, have the thread open and a reply box ready to go. Type your text and then open up another screen page and go to Photobucket.
When you look at your uploaded photos you will see two boxes underneath each image. Click in the Direct link box for the picture you want to post and then right click 'copy'.
Then, come back to your message here and put your cursor where you want the photo to appear.
Now click on the little icon of a green tree in the bar at the top of you reply box,
click on the 'an external site' tab and then right click in the top URL box and paste the info you copied moments earlier.
Click on Submit reply when your message is complete. Check the message you have just posted and if you ant to change it then click on 'edit' and make your changes. You cant edit a post here if someone has already replied to your new message.
You can miss out the Photobucket stage and upload images straight from your computer, but I find Photobucket is a really useful programme to use. Sounds complicated, but its not.
Posts
I've bought both the Westland Multi-Purpose with John Innes and the Westland Vegetable compost. The veg compost is about £1 cheaper per 60 ltr bag than the MP+JI with both types on same special offer buy 2 get a 3rd free. I used the veg compost to pot on some Courgette plants today in large patio containers mixing in a bit of Growmore as Courgettes do feed voraciously and need a fast release fertiliser. The veg compost is good but for my money the MP+JI is better and worth the extra money. How they will compare in actual growth remains to be seen as I have potted up some in identical containers but using both types - I'll try and remember to post results.
Am not a big fan of B&Q; they really failed with a kitchen that I bought at one time, but their Verve is ok, am finding compost this year far less likely to have white mould in them than last year.
I agree wholeheartedly with all the adverse comments on the J Aurthur Bowers standard compost. This year's offering is dreadful... utterly useless for seeds unless you sieve it first, and not much better for potting on. Probably just about good enough for a mulch
I pointed this out to my local GC and they recommended the JABowers compost with added John Innes... a bit dearer but is definitely better.
They should take the "which" 2012 recommendation off the bags... it's out of date and now totally misleading.
Just one other thing regarding taking compost back because it's rubbish. Although I judge a lot and make decisions on texture, that isn't necessarily a guarantee that the compost is or isn't rubbish. A manufacturer or supplier might (quite rightly) ask 'have you tried it and proven it to be useless?' Plants have a funny habit of doing quite well in all kinds of substrates - just because it doesn't look good doesn't necessarily mean it isn't: if the nutrients are there and it is balanced for the plants it's made for. Manufacturers don't just chew up a load of material and throw it into a sack to sell it: they normally have quality control and R&D labs and do a lot of research before the product gets anywhere near the end user so they will know what their product will and will not do. However, I do think it's folly to produce a product that doesn't look as though it's quality and for all my experience I wouldn't buy a product that looks and feels horrible - at least - not a second time!
Someone 'in the know' once told me that if you drive past one of the compost manufacturers/distributors in winter and see mountainous piles of bagged compost then it means it didn't get sold the previous summer, and will be stored for sale the following summer. By that time the compost won't be at its best.
Thers one such manufacturer near Kings Lynne that I drove past.
John Harding, if that's your garden in your avatar it looks great. Any chance of posting a photo of it in the Garden Gallery 2013 thread please?
I found verve of poor quality last year but bought a large bag at the beginning of this year cut price as it was spilt, it looked good stuff and was.
Murphy's multi purpose compost has also been good this year.
I'm not sure how to put a photo in the garden gallery. I only managed to get the avatar photo by accident after about 3 attempts & still don't know how I did it. I will happily give it a go with a few other pics showing how I made the raised beds in the very section if someone can show me how to do it.
Last post should have read vegy section not 'very' section! Predictive text drives me nuts!!!
John, heres some info that might help..
To post a picture, first ensure the photo is stored on your computer, then create yourself an account (free) with Photobucket: http://s232.photobucket.com. You can then create different titled albums such as garden, holidays etc
At the top of the photobucket screen will be a button that says "Upload".
This will bring up your PCs file folders. I think the default place for Photobucket to look is in "My Pictures", if it's not - then just travel to the folder that has the pictures you want to upload. You can upload one at a time or many (if you want to upload more than one, click the first picture then before you click another one hold the 'Ctrl' key down while you choose all the others). When your done release the Ctrl key and click on "Open" - Photobucket will automatically begin the upload process.
Once it's done it'll take you to another page where you can label/tag your pictures. I've never found this useful and it's time consuming, so I skip it. Just click "Save". Photobucket will then go back to the album you placed your pictures in.
When you're ready to post a picture here, have the thread open and a reply box ready to go. Type your text and then open up another screen page and go to Photobucket.
When you look at your uploaded photos you will see two boxes underneath each image. Click in the Direct link box for the picture you want to post and then right click 'copy'.
Then, come back to your message here and put your cursor where you want the photo to appear.
Now click on the little icon of a green tree in the bar at the top of you reply box,
click on the 'an external site' tab and then right click in the top URL box and paste the info you copied moments earlier.
Click on Submit reply when your message is complete. Check the message you have just posted and if you ant to change it then click on 'edit' and make your changes. You cant edit a post here if someone has already replied to your new message.
You can miss out the Photobucket stage and upload images straight from your computer, but I find Photobucket is a really useful programme to use. Sounds complicated, but its not.