Compost?

[grannyjanny]

I'm at it again, sorry. Last year & the year before I tried to use JA Bowers MP compost. It was so poor that they gave me vouchers after I sent them samples of the stuff. The first year it was 'a bad batch' last year 'unacceptable' quality & far to lumpy to be of any use. This year I bought Which best buy from B&Q. I sowed beans in modules, stood them in a tray of water & the next morning some had still not absorbed the water. I decided to sieve it. OMG, what a job. First i put it through a 33cm diam sieve then a 6cm one. I didn't have enough for 48 modules. What are others using please. Is wickes good this year or Erin is more local at the farm supply shop.

[grannyjanny]

[Squash64]

I'm using Clover and I have been really pleased with it.  I also bought Miracle Gro compost (from wilkinsons) and it was rubbish.  Very heavy and coarse, I've used it as a mulch on my garden but it would have been useless for seeds.

[grannyjanny]

I had some Clover left from last year Squash & I agree it's one of the best. I got it from the lotty shop at daughters site but it's a trek if we aren't working on her plot or visiting as it's only open for a short time.

Last year I had some Mother Earth which is made by Clover, left over, it was outside through the harsh Winter weather & I had almost 100% germination.

Manics put me onto Mother Earth, they had it delivered in bulk to their site ATT.

[Squash64]

We sell Clover at our Stores too. 
I've recently bought Asda's equivalent of grow bags, can't remember their exact name but they are £2.50 each and much bigger than the flat ones sold elsewhere.  The compost inside seems very good and my tomatoes are doing well in them.

[manicscousers]

We get clover now, Janet, the m.e dried up last year so we tried this, excellent . in fact we're having a pallet load delivered tomorrow. Had no problems with anything germinating  :)

[grannyjanny]

Mal is it from the same place, Maher's in Bolton?

[bluecar]

Hello all.

It seems Clover is getting the thumbs up. Where do you buy it from in bulk and I'll pass that onto the allotment shop? Also how many litres in the bag?

Our shop still stocks JA Bowers MP compost. I wasn't pleased with it's results last year, but it still seems to be selling. I purchase B&Q 3 bags for £10.00.  I put it through a 6mm sieve - I only lost a little bit. The results have been fine.

Regards

Bluecar

[grannyjanny]

It will be just my luck to have had one from 'a bad batch' again.

[lavenderlux]

I'm using Wickes own brand multi purpose compost for seed sowing and J Arthur Bowers multi purpose for pots and tubs, both with excellent results

The J Arthur Bowers compost was very lumpy and hard to put through a sieve for seed compost but I am finding that its giving excellent results for containers

[manicscousers]

Mal is it from the same place, Maher's in Bolton?

yep, Johnathan, costing us about 3.20 per 75ltr bag, bit up on last year as he has had to add on a fuel surcharge, we sell it to the plotholders at 3.50  :)

[picman]

This year been using Wickes MP.. 4 (75lt) for £13  mixed with reasonable quantity of perlite , no complaints .

[Squash64]

We get our Clover from a local nursery but I don't know how much they charge us, I'll find out.  We sell it for £4.70 for a 75 lt. bag.

It's the first compost I've ever used for seeds that I haven't had to sieve first.

[lincsyokel2]

We get our Clover from a local nursery but I don't know how much they charge us, I'll find out.  We sell it for £4.70 for a 75 lt. bag.

It's the first compost I've ever used for seeds that I haven't had to sieve first.

use a loam based seed compost, you wont have to sieve it then. I use a John Innes mix seed compost.

2 parts by volume (bulk) sterilised medium loam (¼ " sieve)
2 part by volume  milled peat
1 part by volume coarse horticultural sand
Add to each bushel (8 gallons, 36 litres) the following fertiliser:
1½ oz. Superphosphate
¾ oz. ground chalk or whiting