Topic: Useless compost.

[carolinej]

I have lost loads of seedlings this year, including all my melons. Most plants seemed to be stagnant. I bought Focus compost. One tomato plant went in some miracle grow compost I had given me about 3weeks ago, and this is 20 times healthier and more vigorous than any plant in the Focus stuff.

As a last ditch attempt, I added pelleted chicken manure and calcified seaweed to the big pots. Within 48 hours, new , healthy growth has started.  The new growthis green instead of sickly looking.

Has anyone else had problems with Focus compost? It looks more like woodchip than compost!

Oh, I have now learned not to put pelleted chicken manure into pots in your conservatory unless you have lost your sense of smell and love to see small flies buzzing around your pots ::)

cj :)

[MrsKP]

they do wiff a bit don't they ?   8)

can't help with the compost, never go to Focus.

 ???

[carolinej]

can't help with the compost, never go to Focus

I dont think I'll rush back there, either!

cj :)

[Marymary]

Caroline I had some which sounds similar from  B&Q last year - complete rubbish - ended up using it as mulch.  I noticed they have changed their bags & the contents this year - they must have had complaints - maybe you should tell Focus what you think of their product. It's so frustrating when you put all that time & effort in and you can't rely on their compost.

[carolinej]

I am a bit frustrated that I didnt keep my reciept. I never thought that the compost could be bad. I have some empty bags though, so maybe I could take them to the store to complain.

I am not a very good complainer though. I usually just let things go, as I dont like confrontation. Perhaps I could send OH to do my dirty work........... ::)

cj :)

[Si]

I stick my finger in the bags to see what I'm getting.

[Trevor_D]

I suspect they all re-formulate every year. We used Homebase potting compost for years, but about three years ago it was rubbish; we switched to Erin; now that's rubbish. But Homebase is better again. Best of all was Westland, bought in Wickes; went back for some more yesterday, but they'd run out; remembered seeing some in Homebase, so bought it there; it's rubbish!

Perhaps that's why there are always so many broken bags lying around the stack: everyone sticks their finger in the bag to see what they're getting. Good idea!

[carolinej]

Mmmm, better brush up on my finger poking action ;D

cj :)

[growmore]

There seems to be quite a lot of naff compost about ,
I tried the enviromently friendly stuff last year (peat free etc etc ).
It dried out very quickly water didn't seem to penetrate down into the pots and it seemed to contain quite a bit of uncomposted material  ..
I Think lesson I learned  was stick to the ones that I know although they may be more expensive ...

 

[sand]

I've used Focus compost this year as I had a 15% discount card sent to me.  Not had any problems (so far).  But it wouldn't surprise me if it turned out rubbish as most things from there turn out to be poor buys!  We have been caught out so many times that we are very wary what we buy from there nowadays  >:(

[tim]

Caroline, funny thing to put in pots - Calcium??

[carolinej]

Caroline, funny thing to put in pots - Calcium??

Didnt have a clue what I was doing, so just added anything that may have some nutrients in it. Was that a bad idea then?

cj :)

[Melbourne12]

Another vote here for Wickes compost, but we normally add nutrients.  This year's success has been Westland compost also bought from Wickes.  Very good stuff, and we've grown all our seeds in it with high germination rates and helathy plants (except for chillies and melons for some reason  ??? )

I think that a lot of the peat-free composts contain coir or something similar, which has little in the way of nutrients, and is a beggar to wet once it dries out.

[pompeydude]

It's funny you should post about compost, as I was going post about the New Horizon peat free stuff I've been using for years.
I won't, out of principle, use any peat containing compost.
So over the years I've tried to find the best substitute,  and I think I may have found the answer,  I buy a bag of New Horizon peat free, and another of New Horizon Coir compost, I then mix it 50:50,  but I sieve the peat free stuff, and throw the very woody bits that you get in the peat free stuff onto my woodland garden with a barkchip floor.
The resulting 50:50 mix  is just right, I never have any problem, and it's great to work with, and my conscience is clear.

Also, they use the New Horizon stuff on GW, and they also sell it at Wisley, so maybe it can't be that bad ?

Phill
 ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Multiveg]

OH bought 2 big bags of the focus stuff 2 weeks back as we had run out of Levingtons and we'd been to a few places that had sold out.

I notice that some places keep the bags of composts outside subjected to the elements. A number of bags may have holes or tears in, so rain and things work their way in. Perhaps being baked in sunlight doesn't help either?

I have my fingers crossed for the focus compost - got an awful lot of things to pot on.

[Tee Gee]

I think compost is very much what you pay for!

A mate and I have ganged up and we buy wholesale and bulk buy.

When you consider a pallet normally has 42 x 60/70 litre bags on it and I use around a dozen and so does he, plus the others on our plots we can soon get rid of a palletful.

We insist that the pallet load is new from the suppliers and hasn't been hanging around for months leeching out fertiliser.

Two years ago we were reimbursed a whole pallet because what they sent was rubbish, now they know better.

This years batch (Humax) has been very good.

We generally buy reputable brands which initially might be a little dearer but because of bulk buying it still works out cheaper than chainstore brands'

[caroline7758]

I've used New Horiazon for a few years now and found it to be fine. I sieve out the big bits for sowing too. It came out best in a Which trial of peat-free composts. Even the bags left from last year that I got at a bargain price seem fine.

[davyw1]

Like Tee Gee I only use Humax and i have to agree its been spot on this year and at £3.50 from tho lottie shop i have no complaints

[mc55]

I've got the which compost guide - if anyone would like a copy please pm me your e-mail  :)

[cambourne7]

I use the 1/2 bag of the john innis stuff i have left with mixed results partly down to me not being able to keep the seeds warm and wet enough.

But i have picked up some vermiculite and want to make my own potting compost as this bag is almost gone for next year which should be fun :-)

I have always been warned to get the best potting compost i can when starting off trays no short cuts and no short measures as you only get a chance to grow a seed once :-).

Cambourne7