not what i would expect, too much wood bits.....i then found the remnants of the john innes seed compost from last year and there's not comparison, the JI is more soil/sand based and much finer......but found it too late, i just did another batch of seeds this weekend in the Aldi stuff....so i should be able to report back in a few weeks on whether it is any use.
Which consumer magazine did a recent test of composts and, as you would expect from them, the testing was systematic and based on evidence. They ranked composts under three headings and, for each, the top five composts are listed.
Seed sowing
Melcourt SylvaGrow 90%
Levington Original MPC 87%
T&M Incredicompost 84%
Bathgate Champions Blend 84%
Wilko Lightweight MPC 83%
For young plants
T&M Incredicompost 95% Scott’s Black Magic 93% Miracle Gro All Purpose 89% Wyevale MPC 87% Erin’s Excel MPC 79%
For containers
Lidl MPC 85% B&Q Verve MPC 80% Scott’s Black Magic potting 79% Melcourt SylvaGrow with JI 75% Erin Excel MPC 72%
Which reports do not factor in the price when making their judgements. Incidentally, they were unimpressed by Jack’s Magic, lauded upthread, placing it 16/22, 16/24 and 21/25 in the three categories.
I always use Erin, for seed sowing, cuttings, potting on and baskets. Last year I tried Levingtons as my mum used to use it donkeys years ago, awful, very disappointing wouldn’t use anything but Erin now.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
@Picidae - do you know if Which obtained multiple samples over a period of time? I'm just wondering if the quality of a particular brand can vary, or if the best brands are relatively consistent in what they produce ...
Good question, DGM. In the report on their methodology they say that 4 secret shoppers in different parts of the UK bought the compost from a range of venues - garden centres, supermarkets, DIY stores etc. Four bags of each compost was available to check for consistency. The composts were also compared against professional grade peat compost unavailable to amateur growers.
The article goes on to say that Which has over 20 years’ experience in testing composts and it grew a range of seeds and plants with differing requirements. The trials were conducted at, and supervised by, a leading agricultural research institute. In making their judgement a range of attributes was investigated such as germination rate, plant size, leaf colour, plant bushiness, crop yield, disease occurrence etc.
Clearly it was an objective trial and I think it can be given a lot more credence than the gut feeling of an amateur gardener comparing growth one year against recollections of growth using a different compost a previous year.
One of the problems with things like compost reviews is that they were probably conducted at least a year ago and producers do change their formulations.
One of the problems with things like compost reviews is that they were probably conducted at least a year ago and producers do change their formulations.
Indeed, most brands have 'new' something or other each year and I strongly suspect supermarket/garden centre/builders merchant 'own brands' also change their suppliers regularly; Same bag, completely different contents. As these big chains have stores all over the UK, there is also a good chance that logistics dictate 'SuperDooperPottingMuck' bags bought in Manchester may have contents supplied by one producer and those bought in Colchester, another.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
Whatever you use,do not use Aldi peat free compost!! I purchased 2 bags and potted up all my pots and hanging baskets. It is thick black sludge which does not drain and has killed many of my plants. I have had to repot everything. The worst of it is that it leaks black liquid which stains.My patio and walls are ruined. Even after jet washing we cannot remove it.Its even stained my trousers. Please,do not buy this compost.
Whatever you use,do not use Aldi peat free compost!!
Interesting to get an unprompted corroboration of what I've found with some of this I recently bought. Heavy, muddy, odd smell and plants seem to struggle to get water from it.
Posts
not what i would expect, too much wood bits.....i then found the remnants of the john innes seed compost from last year and there's not comparison, the JI is more soil/sand based and much finer......but found it too late, i just did another batch of seeds this weekend in the Aldi stuff....so i should be able to report back in a few weeks on whether it is any use.
Seed sowing
T&M Incredicompost 95%
Scott’s Black Magic 93%
Miracle Gro All Purpose 89%
Wyevale MPC 87%
Erin’s Excel MPC 79%
For containers
Lidl MPC 85%
B&Q Verve MPC 80%
Scott’s Black Magic potting 79%
Melcourt SylvaGrow with JI 75%
Erin Excel MPC 72%
Which reports do not factor in the price when making their judgements. Incidentally, they were unimpressed by Jack’s Magic, lauded upthread, placing it 16/22, 16/24 and 21/25 in the three categories.
Last year I tried Levingtons as my mum used to use it donkeys years ago, awful, very disappointing wouldn’t use anything but Erin now.
The article goes on to say that Which has over 20 years’ experience in testing composts and it grew a range of seeds and plants with differing requirements. The trials were conducted at, and supervised by, a leading agricultural research institute. In making their judgement a range of attributes was investigated such as germination rate, plant size, leaf colour, plant bushiness, crop yield, disease occurrence etc.
Clearly it was an objective trial and I think it can be given a lot more credence than the gut feeling of an amateur gardener comparing growth one year against recollections of growth using a different compost a previous year.
I purchased 2 bags and potted up all my pots and hanging baskets.
It is thick black sludge which does not drain and has killed many of my plants.
I have had to repot everything.
The worst of it is that it leaks black liquid which stains.My patio and walls are ruined.
Even after jet washing we cannot remove it.Its even stained my trousers.
Please,do not buy this compost.
Interesting to get an unprompted corroboration of what I've found with some of this I recently bought. Heavy, muddy, odd smell and plants seem to struggle to get water from it.