Author Topic: DONT BUY THIS !!!!!! (Read 20593 times)

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 15, 2012, 22:27:19 »

The Lidls stuff I bought has been OK so far... decent germination considering most of my seed is either a year old or home-saved..., not much obvious rubbish, the occasional twig or lump of pulped bark that hasn't rotted.... that gets chucked in the hole in the GH for later.... but mostly it's been good, crumbly, holds moisture OK without waterlogging too easily.... for cheap compost it's been better than I expected and a lot better than I feared...

budgiebreeder · « **Reply #21 on:** April 16, 2012, 08:55:20 »

The ones i bought from Asda are the same :(.(very poor to put it politely)

sarahbell · « **Reply #22 on:** April 16, 2012, 08:57:10 »

So to those complaining about quality here

- have you taken it back to the shop?
- complained to the manufacturer?

The more who return it and complain - the less chance they'll try selling twigs and rubbish in sacks next year.

grannyjanny · « **Reply #23 on:** April 16, 2012, 09:52:08 »

I complained 2 years ago to JAB & they're still at it ::).

Digeroo · « **Reply #24 on:** April 16, 2012, 10:01:28 »

I agree it is C***. I posted a thread a few days ago about buying hedge clippings.

It is awful. When you wet it the water runs off and it dries out really quickly.

Good pic. Just like mine.

I am going to take it back as not fit for purpose.

I can buy far better quality recycled Hills Warrior compost for £1 a bag so I am not paying that price for a vastly inferior product.

Ellen K · « **Reply #25 on:** April 16, 2012, 10:11:51 »

I've bought Wickes MP in the past and found it good value but wont be buying this year, thank you.

I have a few bags from last year and have also bought Lidls MP £1.99 offering (40 l bags) and after you have chucked the solid bits out it isn't too bad.

But Aldi's 99p grow bag is 100% recycled brown waste - good for soil improvement and not a bad buy for the money (20 litres) but I wouldn't put plants directly in it.

Now I poke the bags in the shops to see how loose the contents are, if it doesn't feel flour-like, move on.

Not good :(

Anisemary · « **Reply #26 on:** April 24, 2012, 22:50:35 »

Just to take up on this again, I also have used Wickes MP compost for the last few seasons and been happy with it, but this year as said it is a different formula. Managed to germinate some of the larger seeds, albeit with some effort, but the smaller seeds had no chance. I e-mailed Wickes about this and got a phone call from HO in super quick time. Basically they told me they have had several complaints about this item, and are 'looking into it', but suggested that I took it up with the store I had bought it from. I 'phoned them and they passed the complaint on to the manufacturers - WESTLAND! Their explanation was that composts are 'made to a price', and also hinted that some of it had been bagged wrongly and it was not suitable for sowing seeds, (not what it said on the packaging) but the formula was improved on previous years for potting on etc. They were very hepful and professional, and offered to send me a voucher for some Westlands compost at a store of my choice, fair result. Having said that, I really felt that this should have been dealt with by Wickes, not Westland, as that's who took my money. And it's too late to replace the time I have wasted waiting for things to germinate!

tomatoada · « **Reply #27 on:** April 25, 2012, 07:10:50 »

I so agree with the above.

goodlife · « **Reply #28 on:** April 25, 2012, 07:54:21 »

Code: [Select]

they passed the complaint on to the manufacturers - WESTLAND!
AHHH!..now that explains some things...sort of.. ::)
When the new formula stuff hit our local wickes ,apprantely there was quite few custormers who took their compost back..our wickes soon had Westland multipurpose compost (proper stuff) in offer. Their bags are 5 litres bigger than wickes 'own' brand and the offer was for same price as 'wickes own'...and it was 'as long as the stock lasts' offer.
I did that same day several trips and each time loaded my car up... ;D
Now I wonder..if that offer was given by the 'branch' feeling quilty and tryin to keep customers..or did it came from Westland trying to get some customers to buy their brand compost when the price goes back up after the offer ends.
???

dtw · « **Reply #29 on:** April 25, 2012, 09:02:29 »

Do the wood bits cause fungus, as a friend of mine told me not to put sawdust in my compost because of this.

goodlife · « **Reply #30 on:** April 25, 2012, 09:41:50 »

Quote from: dtw on April 25, 2012, 09:02:29

Do the wood bits cause fungus, as a friend of mine told me not to put sawdust in my compost because of this.

Propably yes..but most of the fungus that pop up when digesting the woody stuff is perfectly harmless and all part of the natural composting process.
BTW..thin layers of sawdust amongst other compostable material doesn't hurt..it is the large quantities that are not recommended as sawdust take long time to rot down.

Duke Ellington · « **Reply #31 on:** April 25, 2012, 10:04:11 »

I decided to use my Wickes "woody" compost as a potting on compost and yes the wood has developed a white and fluffy coating. This compost is awful :-\ :-X and isn't even suitable for potting on!

Garden Manager · « **Reply #32 on:** April 25, 2012, 10:53:54 »

Quote from: Duke Ellington on April 15, 2012, 17:10:51

Last year I bought Wickes Multipurpose Compost and was really happy with it.
This year they have changed it to their *NEW AND IMPROVED FORMULA*
Its ~~crap~~ horrible stuff! >:( Why did they have to mess with a good compost and bulk it up with wood.
Heres what I mean...

Duke >:( >:(

Looks like dried up manure rather than compost. Amounts to the same in the end. Both s**t ;)

tomatoada · « **Reply #33 on:** April 25, 2012, 11:00:21 »

Anyone got a phone no. to ring please?

RenishawPhil · « **Reply #34 on:** April 25, 2012, 13:45:33 »

I bought that b n q stuff today as well. I think ill try my runner beans in it and see how they get on

Deb P · « **Reply #35 on:** April 25, 2012, 18:20:30 »

Having had well documented problems with JAB compost I also used the B&Q you show and found it rather pleasant; but I still mix it with some John Inness !!!

claybasket · « **Reply #36 on:** April 25, 2012, 18:37:55 »

I bought John Inness ,for seeds and for potting on ,it's heavy but mixed our own compost sieved to lighten it got no complants not like the rubbish last yr from Wyvales don't mind the extra cost if the seeds grow .

tomatoada · « **Reply #37 on:** April 26, 2012, 10:48:43 »

Yesterday I phoned Wicks and after listening to my complaint agreed a refund. Visited this morning and got same.
I had not kept my receipt but took in an empty bag and a picture from the start of this thread.
So go for it.
They were out of stock of the other better composts. ? ? ?

Ananke · « **Reply #38 on:** April 30, 2012, 23:16:48 »

Quote from: budgiebreeder on April 16, 2012, 08:55:20

The ones i bought from Asda are the same :(.(very poor to put it politely)

I got mine from asda too and it's terrible.

strawberry1 · « **Reply #39 on:** May 02, 2012, 18:07:20 »

I am fed up with bad compost and bits of wood and goodness knows what else so I have been trawling the net for some of the good makes recommended by various gardeners on the net. Nope, nothing until purely by accident, I found a place not far from me that mixes their own composts and it sounds superb stuff. I just bought some and prices are excellent, It isn`t some flash garden centre but a down to earth place that I will be happy to go back to time and again. He even offered to open bags for me to look at
In somerset
Michael king at walton

News:

Author Topic: DONT BUY THIS !!!!!! (Read 20593 times)