Allotments 4 All

Forgive me if this subject has been covered before but the Search facility on here seems to be up the creek!

I was wondering what brand of seed and potting on compost people use.  Are they all the same or do some produce better plants than others?   People have their favourites and I would like to hear about them please. 

Forgiven - mine too!!

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,38198.0.html

Hi Pauline,
I use (Westland) John Innes seed compost. I like the sandiness of it's texture and I have had great results. Plus around December time the GC always does 4 for 3 deals and that does me fine.

I use Miracle-Grow Compost for potting on and filling my borders at home. It holds the moisture very well without becoming like a swamp, if you know what I mean. Hubby brought them home six at a time from Focus 3 for 2 deals end of last year. So I'm all stocked up for this year.

I always use a good brand Levingtons, John Innes Multipurpose for setting my seeds away and M3 potting compost for potting on.
$Never been impressed with the cheep B&Q or big stores brands.

Levingtons seed compost produced brilliant results for me last year,and Levingtons+JI Multipurpose for potting on. I wholeheartedly agree that the cheap stuff is not as good by comparison.

Another vote for Westland with John Innes.  It's proved consistent for me for veg and cuttings.

Which? reckons the B&Q seed and potting compost is best this year.. I know, I know...

I had already bought mine - Westland John Innes Seed and No3.

Last year a few of us went for the Wickes 80l @ 4 for £10.  ..  We now have plenty of bulbous oxalis. Joy abounds.

To save you looking -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/composts973x676.jpg

I used a some New Horizon last year - trying to be eco friendly: was unimpressed and ended up mixing it with other multis just to use it up. I won't be using it again.

Normally use Bowers for seed - no complaints.

I used the John Innes multipurpose 3 for a tenner (or was it £12) last year.

For sowing seeds, I just sieve out the lumps and put them on the compost heap,
or use them as drainage in the bottom of bigger pots.

This year I am using my homemade compost with a bit of added pearlite and sand.
It seems to be doing the job on my chilli seedlings. :D

I like New Horizon peat-free and have always found it to be good for everything- whixh just goes to prove that the same sort can vary.

Thank you everyone for your input to this thread, please keep your replies coming.

Tim, thank you for posting details of the various composts.  It's amazing that they can vary so much in price from 4p to 17p a litre.  I was surprised to see Homebase growbags under the sowing composts.  Can growbag compost really be used for sowing seeds?   

I have generally used Focus Peat Free in the past and have had good results. Last year was rubbish though (I am sure there must have been other factors at works as it appears to have been a rubbish year for many)  This year I will be using New Horizon (it is made about a mile and a half from where I live - even fewer food miles).  I will always use peat free even if it is not as good as peat based.

I use my own homemade with no complaints.

Tom, I think that you should put that to Which. They would be very interested in view of their findings?

What I cannot understand is, when it is so critical (quote) that the balance of nutrients is right in Sowing & Potting composts, how a multi-purpose brand can be satisfactory.

Quote from: Toms Lottie on January 31, 2008, 19:08:56
DO NOT USE ANY B&Q COMPOST FOR SOWING SEEDS A RECENT SERVAY SAYS THAT USING B&Q COMPOST THERE IS A 25% CHANCE OF GERMANATION

Well judging by that, I shouldn't have been able to grow owt for the last 3 years!

I find B&Q multipurpose pretty good, but make sure you don't get last year's stock... :o

Focus stuff was crap last year, but I found this place...http://www.victoriagardencentre.com/ which does 2 x 75L own brand bags for a fiver, and the peppers and toms loved it.

mmm, interesting. Robin- not too far from me, might be worth a trip at that price.Thanks.

Quote from: tim on February 01, 2008, 06:33:12
..............What I cannot understand is, when it is so critical (quote) that the balance of nutrients is right in Sowing & Potting composts, how a multi-purpose brand can be satisfactory.

Tim, you haven't said which brands you use yet and for which purpose.  I would be interested to know please.

At the risk of inflaming the conversation even more, I use my local garden centre's own brand. Its at least as good as Levington , and much cheaper. They also often do special deals like 3 for 2. They ran out of their own brand last year so I had to buy a sack of Levington as well. As an experiment I grew the same things in both composts and treated them the same and the results were virtually the same, if any thing the Store's own brand produced better results! Its a multi purpose compost, but when I sow seeds I just sieve it like another reader (sorry, I can't remember your name!). I was getting virtually 100% germination from peas, beans and many of the brassicas, and they plants grew strongly.
KK

Pauline - I was trying to duck that!!  Trying to be good with Peat free types, I've not been happy. Being lazy, with multipurpose ones, equally. So this year it's special-to-type stuff.

KittyKatt - grist to the mill rather than inflammation? I know that we all do our own thing, but my point above was that suppliers stress the need for appropriate nutrients for seed or plant & one naturally takes it that that is important - rather than the texture?