Author Topic: Rant about the quality of potting compost....... (Read 41383 times)

Ishard · « **Reply #60 on:** April 13, 2009, 07:36:39 »

Firstly, Eristic >:( please dont ever refer to me again as a 'silly girl' that is patronising and insulting and as with Deb it has been a long time since i have been a 'girl' and almost as long since i have been classed as 'silly'.

Secondly, you stated that your 'standards' are higher than mine lol how on earth would you know? You have no idea what my standards are! Again very patronising.

Thirdly, YOU stated that "good" compost should be between 12 - 15 pounds not Debs or myself, and then you go on to say even you wouldn't pay 15 quid per bag. What a stupid throw away comment about costs in the first place.

Now rant over.

I'm lucky in that if I need any extra over and above the compost I make I buy quite good stuff, Clover professional 80 litres, from our allotment assoc. at 5 quid a bag. I have always had good results with this so dont feel the need to change.

It will be interesting to see how the makers respond to Debs in this instance but it seems there may be an ongoing problem with a few manufacturers.

caroline7758 · « **Reply #61 on:** April 13, 2009, 09:28:08 »

Purpleheather, can you tell us which supermarket chain you use and whether it's peat-free?

angle shades · « **Reply #62 on:** April 13, 2009, 20:03:47 »

:) I find Morrison's compost fine for home use , i don't have a car ,have to use a taxi to get my compost with my shopping :P

at the lottie we have someone who works at Sinclair's which is A J Bowers who when they have a mishap at the factory and mix the compost up incorrectly to the wording on the bags (are you still with me :)) he gets it cheap and we use it at the lottie and it's always been fine.

I'm sure they will sort it out for you Deb/ shades x

lushy86 · « **Reply #63 on:** April 14, 2009, 20:25:34 »

Got some multi purpose from Wickes - £10 for 4 75litre bags - seems ok to me - but what do I know I'm probably a silly girl too!! ;D ;D

THE MASTER · « **Reply #64 on:** April 15, 2009, 01:50:52 »

Quote from: STEVEB on April 05, 2009, 21:23:42

a quid for 20 l from tescoos a nd good stuff

i beg to differ
use that stuff and youl have more weeds than ive had hot dinners

and yes i have tryed it >:(

STEVEB · « **Reply #65 on:** April 15, 2009, 20:54:11 »

master
allways good in the past lets wait and see
this could be the longest running thread in a4a history and ive been here for 3/4 years
:D :D :D

chriscross1966 · « **Reply #66 on:** April 15, 2009, 23:29:24 »

Quote from: lushy86 on April 14, 2009, 20:25:34

Got some multi purpose from Wickes - £10 for 4 75litre bags - seems ok to me - but what do I know I'm probably a silly girl too!! ;D ;D

I've just had some of that too and it seems pretty good..... the miracle-gro I got on special from tescos a few weeks ago seems to haver a bit too much twig for my liking.... I mix it 50:50 with JAB's John Innes Seed and it seems to get ok germination for most things though...

chrisc

Deb P · « **Reply #67 on:** April 16, 2009, 11:11:29 »

No reply from the manufacturers yet, but as I needed to get some more potting compost OH bought me a couple of bags of B&Q multi purpose with extra JI to be getting along with.......pretty impressed so far! Good texture, pleasant smell and no large woody bits!

Fork · « **Reply #68 on:** April 16, 2009, 11:26:59 »

Just got hold of 10 Asda growbags for 50p each.Quite a few "woody bits" but I will sieve it and mix it with some mutipurpose compost to make it go further.

The growbags are being sold of from where a cannabis factory was found!!

Deb P · « **Reply #69 on:** April 16, 2009, 11:28:28 »

Did they get a good crop using the same compost then....................?! ;D ;D ;D

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #70 on:** April 16, 2009, 12:15:48 »

A load of compost from a cannabis factory was just passed on to our site. I've got a couple of bags, but I haven't opened them yet.

Barnowl · « **Reply #71 on:** April 16, 2009, 12:30:11 »

Not that I'd know from experience but I understand cannabis really is a weed - it will grow in just about anything so long as it gets light.

I generally buy from Westland Multi from the allotment shop at the weekend but was short recently so got some Levington Multi which boasted 25% better water retention due to some change they'd wrought in the mix (the 'waterlock system'). It's good textured, evenly graded stuff, but no idea whether the water retention claim is true.

70fingers · « **Reply #72 on:** April 16, 2009, 19:11:32 »

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on April 16, 2009, 12:15:48

A load of compost from a cannabis factory was just passed on to our site. I've got a couple of bags, but I haven't opened them yet.

Wouldn't be surprised if it had a load of nutrients in it still, I heard they like to feed their investment!

maybe if the potting compost is really so bad we should all try hydroponics hehe

Been using Homebase multipurpose for the last few years, seems pretty stable, but I always add to it to make my own potting compost.

Digeroo · « **Reply #73 on:** April 17, 2009, 09:15:37 »

I have had some success with it, but have had to use quite a lot of fertilizer. Also all my cabbages damped off which I have never had before. But I have a batch of dahlia seedlings which are doing extremely well on it. But I do miss the Murphys which I have had for several years.

Perhaps it was not fresh and had got cold in the winter.

Deb P · « **Reply #74 on:** May 08, 2009, 15:02:39 »

Received a letter from William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd today about the sample of glass/rubber/wood/compost I sent them.

"I do accept that you should not expect to find these items in potting compost. I have checked the code and know that regrettably there have been problems with some bags from that batch. The problems arose from a batch of composted green material from one specific supplier. The supplier on question had not screened the material to the specification required. As a result, we are not accepting any further loads from this source.

You may wonder why we are adding recycled green material to our compost. We do now have to add a proportion of non-peat materials to all or compost mixes to comply with government regulations on reducing peat usage, We use a variety of materials including composted bark, coir fibre and recycled green compost.

Thank you for again for letting us know about this problem."

They are also refunding me the cost of the bags, so fair enough I think.
Comments?

saddad · « **Reply #75 on:** May 08, 2009, 18:23:23 »

I'd rate that as a success... now how about T+M... those Sweet potato slips were Sh1te... I've lost all ten of the T65, 2 of the Beauregard but another two will probably go down... and None of the Georgia Jet (so far) at £1 each that isn't funny... >:(

Deb P · « **Reply #76 on:** May 08, 2009, 18:46:16 »

Quote from: saddad on May 08, 2009, 18:23:23

I'd rate that as a success... now how about T+M... those Sweet potato slips were Sh1te... I've lost all ten of the T65, 2 of the Beauregard but another two will probably go down... and None of the Georgia Jet (so far) at £1 each that isn't funny... >:(

Oh dear, not T&M again!I feel another letter coming on...... ::)

I tried 3 unusual rhubarb 'crowns' from them a few years ago, received three of the tinyest offsets you could get, two out if 3 died but I did get a voucher replacement. not impressed though. :-\

Digeroo · « **Reply #77 on:** May 08, 2009, 18:58:22 »

I have been mixing recycled compost with normal potting compost to make it go a bit further, especially for hungry plants such as courgettes and tomatoes. Seem to be doing well. But it is growing some interesting weeds. No cannibis yet, but courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes are popping up regularly.

the-goodlife · « **Reply #78 on:** May 08, 2009, 19:18:50 »

yes i agree the compost is crap, i bought the same and it is greenwaste! , fails to hold any moisture, but i have come up with a solution to this, i mixed with some sand and good old asda multi purp and came up with the (the-goodlife special mix)

plants have had a 100% better result :o,

lesson learnt i will not be purchasing it anymore

flossy · « **Reply #79 on:** May 08, 2009, 19:46:30 »

Have been using Westlands for a few years now ' with added John Innis '

-- good stuff but this year has more fibre in it ' straw like ' which tends to

make it drier -- hence more watering. Still get it 3 bags for price of two,

which suits me fine . Pay about 12£ for the three, not bad going really.

OH's lettuce crop has had to push through a ' crust' , still healthy seadlings .

My tomato ' babies' [ bit behind ] are thriving in it, so must still hold the

goodness '' it says on the tin ''.

Hope this helps,

floss xxx

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Author Topic: Rant about the quality of potting compost....... (Read 41383 times)