Topic: JA Bowers compost again.

[grannyjanny]

Perhaps yours is from a different batch Fork. Glad you found it to be ok.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm quite happy to accept that quality varies, and price is a factor, but I don't think it's acceptable when they can't be bothered to sieve the d**n stuff!

[redimp]

LY
You are talking as much rubbish as in a bag of JA BOWERS, if you go to Wickes 4x70 lt bags for £12 this is pure gold no sticks no bricks, last year I used Asda 4x75 lt for £12 another very good quality compost, now if these people who are not a compost/growing medium making company can source/sell good stuff why not JA BOWERS.

lincsyokel2 is "Present Administrator for Professional Sales Division at large horticultural manufacturers " so maybe there is an agenda there - I don't know!
He also rates himself 10 out of 10 at project management so is absolutely faultless.

[chriscross1966]

Another vote here for the B+Q stuff this year. Only failures I've had with seeds were some beans I knew to  be old, and even then some of them made it. All the fresher stock has hatched nicely, and if I grow the few beans from the old stock carefully I'll get enough to use as seed next year. Did have a  universal failure with three different sorts of soybean, which will be my husbandry.... on the other hand everything else looks great, I've got the best looking cabbages I've ever grown, the Hispi look like they're a picture on a seed packet... I module sow nearly everything so I use about 300 litres of compost for that, this year the B+Q has been great and they'vew got a repeat customer here until it changes....

[caroline7758]

Can I ask again, are any of you using B&Q peat-free, or is it just the general multi-purpose?

[OllieC]

Can I ask again, are any of you using B&Q peat-free, or is it just the general multi-purpose?

Just the multipurpose here (the one that mentions on it that it got Silver in the Which? test)... 3 for a tenner type stuff.

[OberonUK]

Same here - I know I should be using peat free. I will place myself on the naughty step. Its just that this B&Q stuff is so nice compared to the rubbish I was using. Call it comfort buying!

I AM making my own compost though this year and planning to also get a wormery, so I'm less reliant on shop-bought stuff.

[goodlife]

The wickes compost this year is been really good stuff...it used to be lumpy but now they have sorted it out and it is good value for the money...
As for professional composts...hmm...not always 'you get what you pay for'...
they use the same peat/alternatives anyway....they just screen they stuff more thoroughly..or should do.... and apply a bit more add on stuff ..nurients, wetting agents, sand, vermiculate..etc...or should do.....
I have use pro-stuff in past for work and for lottie...unless you grow really a specialized stuff ...I don't see no benefit what so ever to spend the amount of money for just a bit of extra feed...let's face it, I can just mix handfull of BFB in compost myself and save pounds...most of the time I make my own mixes anyway... ::) So now I buy good stuff in value ranges...but if they get greedy or lazy with they supply....I'll just shame them and change supply...

[PAULW]

E MAIL SENT TO ME BY LINCSYOKEL

Actually im not "talking rubbish", i work for Sinclair Horticulture who make JAB products. I know more about composts and ferts than you'll ever be able to learn.

AN EXPERT -EX IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN - AND A SPURT IS A DRIP UNDER PRESSURE

[lincsyokel2]

LY
You are talking as much rubbish as in a bag of JA BOWERS, if you go to Wickes 4x70 lt bags for £12 this is pure gold no sticks no bricks, last year I used Asda 4x75 lt for £12 another very good quality compost, now if these people who are not a compost/growing medium making company can source/sell good stuff why not JA BOWERS.

Ive explained  why in two  previous  posts, try reading them, i have no need to repeat the posts. Just because the answer isnt to your liking,  theres no need to take the offensive, agressive  attitude you have taken. Civility costs nothing, but in your case i can see its wasted.

Btw, when you published the above PM, you neglected to mention you started you message with 'Dear Knobhead' . Very nice,  very charming and civilised.

[redimp]

LY
You are talking as much rubbish as in a bag of JA BOWERS, if you go to Wickes 4x70 lt bags for £12 this is pure gold no sticks no bricks, last year I used Asda 4x75 lt for £12 another very good quality compost, now if these people who are not a compost/growing medium making company can source/sell good stuff why not JA BOWERS.

u
Ive explained  why in two  previous  posts, try reading them, i have no need to repeat the posts. Just because the answer isnt to your liking,  theres no need to take the offensive, agressive  attitude you have taken. Civility costs nothing, but in your case i can see its wasted.

Btw, when you published the above PM, you neglected to mention you started you message with 'Dear Knobhead' . Very nice,  very charming and civilised.

Being a Lincolnian (although I do keep the fact well hidden) I always by JAB and especially New Horizon peat free and I can honestly say I have never had a problem with it.  The last lot I bought hardly had any woody stuff in it and the plants are thriving - although they do get worm wee as well.  I have always found people at Sinclairs to be an absolute pleasure to do business with as well.

PS - i.e. none I have come across are knobheads. ;D
PPS - I did wonder which horticultural company you worked for thus my agenda post.  Knowing it is Sinclairs has confuddled me. :-\

[lincsyokel2]

LY
You are talking as much rubbish as in a bag of JA BOWERS, if you go to Wickes 4x70 lt bags for £12 this is pure gold no sticks no bricks, last year I used Asda 4x75 lt for £12 another very good quality compost, now if these people who are not a compost/growing medium making company can source/sell good stuff why not JA BOWERS.

u
Ive explained  why in two  previous  posts, try reading them, i have no need to repeat the posts. Just because the answer isnt to your liking,  theres no need to take the offensive, agressive  attitude you have taken. Civility costs nothing, but in your case i can see its wasted.

Btw, when you published the above PM, you neglected to mention you started you message with 'Dear Knobhead' . Very nice,  very charming and civilised.

Being a Lincolnian (although I do keep the fact well hidden) I always by JAB and especially New Horizon peat free and I can honestly say I have never had a problem with it.  The last lot I bought hardly had any woody stuff in it and the plants are thriving - although they do get worm wee as well.  I have always found people at Sinclairs to be an absolute pleasure to do business with as well.

PS - i.e. none I have come across are knobheads. ;D
PPS - I did wonder which horticultural company you worked for thus my agenda post.  Knowing it is Sinclairs has confuddled me. :-\

Its always been netiquette not to public  print PM's, thats the point of a Personal Message , so i wont, but his PM to me was offensive and threatening. All i did was explain the position about possibly why there so much variation in composts, and I most certainly am not talking rubbish. My efforts at offering an insight did not deserve such an obnoxious, agressive, offensive and threatening response.  I have reported his PM and post to the mods. I have also received further PM as part of his threats.

[powerspade]

I don't have a problem with potting compost -  I simply make my own out of leaf mould, sharp sand and sieved compost from the compost heap. Costs me pennies (sharp sand) per sack. Product far better than shop bought and quality control standards are under my own personal Control

[goodlife]

lincsyokel2.....don't let what happened to upset you..I'm truly interested your opinion and input..it is not often that we get somebody who work for the industry to talk from their point of view...but as you might have noticed...it's not always easy....I'm sure you are not personally there with bucket and spade mixing the stuff...it only takes one who is not interested doing their job properly and things go wrong..and those other end of phone gets the blame..
It is same in so many other jobs..... ::)
I haven't seen anything wrong with your posts... ???..for to get angry that way.. ???  ::)
...everybody!...deeepp breath..... ;D ;D ;)

[Ninnyscrops.]

YHS is my favourite compost, tried most of the others over the years. I bought some John Innes from Homebase this year and had terrible problems with damping off.

Ninny

[bluecar]

Powerspade -  I don't have leaf mould, but I have plenty of well rotted compost. What ratio of compost to sand do you use and would the fact that I do not have leaf mould be a problem?

[SMP1704]

Well, here's my twopenn'th

My local GC is selling 4x60 bags of JAB multipurpose for £12 and it has been fine - as always.  True when I did get picky and do a bit of seiving for seed sowing, quite a few solid lumps came out, so they are in the compost bin for more cooking. 

I also bought a split bag of JAB seed compost for £1.99 and fab no lumps, twigs or anything, so perhaps the clue is in the produce title?

[grannyjanny]

SMP1704. Sinclairs asked for a sample of the MPC  & said it was "Far to LUMPY to be satisfactory" in the letter they sent me. It would have taken hours to sieve enough for a few seeds trays. I don't have the time or the inclination to do this ::). They had a problem with some of the batch I had purchased as they did last year. I have used their products for years & not had problems until last year. I don't buy MPC to put most of it in the composter. The bags you bought were obviously not from the problem batch. Lucky you ;).

[queenbee]

No one has mentioned the awful small when opening the JAb bags. Sewage!!! I sent an e-mail to JAb complaining of the quality but to date have had no reply. I will compost the bags that I have and hope the sewage source will make good manure for next year.

 

[redimp]

I never seem to have had a problems batch with my New Horizon.  I have planted out some of the best plants I have ever had this year using the stuff.  And at least their customer service is honest.