Topic: DONT BUY THIS !!!!!!

[goodlife]

We just had our usual amount of various composts delivered from wholesales into our lottie shop...and it looks like with all this 'bad' compost around has had effect of people wanting to get 'proper' stuff.
We've sold 1/3 of our compost stock in a week.. :o , and that lot normally last for us rest of the year! As it is going, this rate we need to make new order and soon.. ::) Then again..its good news for our accounts.. ;D ;D

I've also had to advise people how to do their own compost mixes from basic incredients..something that very few usually do..but even base mixes are selling well.

[green lily]

I stick to Arthur Singleton and Westland's top  range and don't even bother with the others. I can't afford rubbish what with the expense and time and disappointment of having to return heavy bags. I walked out of the garden centre in Brigg when they didn't have what I wanted. I notice the better ranges are now back in stock......

[bluecar]

Hello Goodlife.

Who is the manufacturer of your compost and have you got details of the supplier? I'll pass them on to the person who orders for our allotment shop.

Thanks in advance.

Bluecar

[lottiedolly]

hubby got me this miraclegrow compost and it dries out so quickly and looks like it has never been watered, i have never seen anything like it. we seem to be consistently getting bad compost across the ranges available. it seems that the manufacturers either cannot keep up with the quantity required as so many more people seem to be into gardening and veg growing or they are relying on the fact that with more people purchasing the product that are new to growing, they are not going to be aware of what a quality product is like. either way it is very bad news for the consumer and it seems to be getting worse every year.

 >:(

[George the Pigman]

I have noticed that the compost I have been buying recently seems to have a lot of "chunky" bits in it compared to previously. I bought some Murphys compost recently and  it was rather woody and lumpy but it seemed to work OK.
However last year I bought some Levingtons seed compost and it was the opposite! So fine it was like dust! Very poor germination. Ended up mixing it with good compost and using it in pot plants!
Is it the way they are making their compost now? Has the process changed?

[cornykev]

My miracle gro, gro your own has been good for me this year, no woody bits what so ever.   :)

[brown thumb]

 I  buy westlands multi compost never had a bad one yet been using it for the past five years   120 litres x 3 for £16  or is 160 litres  in a bag?

[sunloving]

I tried a bag of the Aldi multipurpose yesterday but it felt like it was just sieved council compost. In the first litre i found a few sticks and a shard of glass and when it was wet it became very sticky.

I saw that homebase have 3 x 120l of theirs for £19 anyone been using this this year. I don't feel that i trust any of the brands at the moment and there are some shocking prices for miracles grow and other brands.

xsunloving

[Digeroo]

I gave up on Westlands some years ago.  I had a bag full of little twigs and they started growing so I had little willow trees sprouting all over the place.

I can sieve my own recycled compost I do not need to pay top whack for it.  On a more positive note my seedlings are actually growing quite well in the Wickes stuff.  A  packet of Suttons sunflowers has failed to show but my own saved seeds are jet do very well indeed, so I presume the problem is the seed rather than the compost.

[bridbod]

well on a positive note, if any of you are heading for Yorkshire's east coast, call in at a place called Reighton Nurseries (no I don't work there). They do a multipurpose compost in plain white bags (50 litres ish) and its fabulous. Not expensive and not bulked out with twigs and bits of rubbish and grows great seedlings. Its what compost should be like. Not far from Filey if anyone is interested.

[goodlife]

Hello Goodlife.

Who is the manufacturer of your compost and have you got details of the supplier? I'll pass them on to the person who orders for our allotment shop.

Thanks in advance.
Bluecar

I'm awfully sorry I haven't answered to you enquiry....I only just noticed your post when reading back on this message. We buy our compost from Codnor horticultural suppliers.. here; http://www.gro-welldirect.co.uk/

[bluecar]

Thanks Goodlife.

I've forwarded the link.

Regards

Bluecar

[cambourne7]

I don't make compost but now considering getting some cheap compost bag/bins (as posted in bargains galore) and just using it to store soil one for council soil improver and one for decent bought in fen stuff never seam to have enough soil around when I need it :(

[strawberry1]

I see on the news today that there is a warning of a link between some composts and legionnaires