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...
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/jazzbyrd/compost001.jpg)
Duke >:( >:(
That looks dreadful. I've gone for the B&Q multipurpose, 3 bags for a tenner, because I was so pleased with it last year (didn't go all hard and green on the top!) and it seems OK this year too - but the bags are smaller....
I went to B&Q and bought their Multipurpose today because I couldn't use the Wickes. The B&Q is what Wickes used to look like.
Duke
Duke I think it was spoken about a few weeks ago. Goodlife was lucky enough to get some of the old recipe. They had signs up somewhere about it not being suitable for seed sowing. I don't think I would use it even for my containers :o ::).
Its rubbish as on the previous posts.
I wonder if they are making it this way because the Americans like "fines" in their soil..fines are bits of wood and come all sizes and it supposed to be an improvement ,drainage I think
XX Jeannine
There were no signs up in my local Wickes at the time I purchased mine but customers probably have complained about it since then. I wanted it for potting on but I wouldnt use it as its so bad. I am indoors at the moment but I think the info on the bag mentions the wood retains moisture. I even thought I'd have a go at sifting it but gave up. I will use it at the allotment to fill up some dustbins I use for growing vegetables....or maybe fill my bean trench with it. Or use it as a mulch.
sorry I missed the previous post on this.
Duke
I mentioned this on other post...but I found it to be nice when mixed into soil (in ground)..but its too early to say anything about how anything will grow in that piece of ground.
But by handling the stuff.. :-\..container growing with this 'new formula' is no no..
Perharps we need to flood Wickes with complains... ;D..give their customer cervices something to report for the bosses.. ;D ;D ;D
I bought the miracle grow (the one with peat) 2 bags £12 from B&Q it was terrible there was big twigs and no sign of any peat, I have always found this good stuff to start my seedlings off, but was really disappointed this year
The ONLY one I have found to be consistent is Clover. It's like putting your hand into a bag of flour ;D. Manic put me on to it a few years back. Thank you Manic ;D :-*.
I like Clover too, and also Erin. They seem pretty similar to each other.
Duz anyone take this stuff back, I ask the Q because if everyone did it would cost a fortune 1 having to buy and transport it in the fist place, and 2 even more expense that the cost of them bulk buying it, getting rid of it, then you can be sure, they will change the suppler next season
I have complained to the manufacturer, JAB twice & Erin. They asked for samples & said it wasn't fit for purpose. Erin said they thought there had been a blockage in the pipe & JAB just waffled.
Be careful with B&Qs three bags for a tenner type which is in a purple bag and is classified as a Which best buy.
I bought three bags in January and used it for my onion seedlings and I have lost the lot.
The symptoms were lack of growth and when I investigated the cause I found that the roots were virtually non existent as if they have been burned a way.
I stuck my pH probe into it and found it a bit more acid than I would have liked it was between 6 and 6.5
When I bought the Wickes compost I found it was no good for sowing seeds in so I decided to use the B&Q stuff as a seed compost and once again my problem become noticeable I.e. lack of growth
On further investigation I found that the plants I grew as plugs were the worst affected I.e. until the roots expanded outside the extent of the plug there was no apparent growth.
Seedlings I pricked out by the standard method romped away when planted into the Wickes stuff.
Having lost all my onions I decided to re- prick out everything I had grown as plugs ( all my brassicas)
What I did was dip and shake the seedlings in water to wash off all the B&Q and replant them.
A bit o.t.t. In my opinion but I didn't fancy losing all my plants, so it's fingers crossed that I have saved my plants.
Incidentally I read in another forum of someone who has had similar problems, have any of you guys had such a problem?
Quote from: grannyjanny on April 15, 2012, 19:17:03
The ONLY one I have found to be consistent is Clover. It's like putting your hand into a bag of flour ;D. Manic put me on to it a few years back. Thank you Manic ;D :-*.
You're welcome ;D
We're still getting this from Johnathan, still able to charge 3.70 for a 75ltr bag and still the same. We're trying to go peat free by using coir for seeds this year, ok for seeds but rubbish for potting on, not rich enough and when I added seaweed to it, the plants still went yellow-y :)
I have had some compost like yours, Duke. I use it in bottomless pots for tomatoes in the poly
Manufacturers bulk up their composts with wood as it is cheap!! Just hope that my B&Q , 3 for £10 are OK. Still to inspect them.
This is what I bought in B&Q today...
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/jazzbyrd/06c895b6.jpg)
all I want is to be able to sow seeds..and the manufacturers keep moving the goal posts. :'(
I now use John Inness seed compost for sowing seeds.
Duke
The stuff I bought was in slightly different packaging, the flowers are the same but the three for £10 logo is at the top of my bag, and it has " multi purpose compost" written at the bottom.
As I bought my stuff in January I am just wondering if I have old stock and it has gone off in some way.
Trouble is with symptoms like I have had is you have to use it to find the problem and then it's too late to take it back :(
I hope yours is OK Duke
I have sown some peas and potted on some tomatoes and cucumbers in it today tee gee so I will let you know what happens.
Duke
My Wilko's ericaceous compost was unusable, mostly wood and I mean planks of wood, capable of giving you a splinter. To top it off there was scraps of foil in there too.
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...
The ones i bought from Asda are the same :(.(very poor to put it politely)
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.
I complained 2 years ago to JAB & they're still at it ::).
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.
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 :(
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!
I so agree with the above.
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.
???
Do the wood bits cause fungus, as a friend of mine told me not to put sawdust in my compost because of this.
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.
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!
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...
(http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/jazzbyrd/compost001.jpg)
Duke >:( >:(
Looks like dried up manure rather than compost. Amounts to the same in the end. Both s**t ;)
Anyone got a phone no. to ring please?
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
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 !!!
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 .
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. ? ? ?
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.
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
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.
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......
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
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.
>:(
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?
My miracle gro, gro your own has been good for me this year, no woody bits what so ever. :)
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?
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
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.
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.
Quote from: bluecar on May 02, 2012, 20:39:32
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/ (http://www.gro-welldirect.co.uk/)
Thanks Goodlife.
I've forwarded the link.
Regards
Bluecar
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 :(
I see on the news today that there is a warning of a link between some composts and legionnaires