Allotments 4 All

When I got up this morning OH started sprouting on about Which magazine best buys in compost. B&Q MP & seed sowing compost appears to be the one. Any comments please folks.

we're trying to decide between clover and erin, mother nature isn't available as the firm can't harvest from the peat fields, plus we have been told the price will go up considerably  :-\

did the which magazine say which ones to avoid? I thought they were much of a muchness, but some of the ones they tried on the telly last year I think were terrible

if your OH has started sprouting, you had better get some compost pronto

 ;D ;D

Bugloss I thought that would bring a comment or 2 as I posted ;D. Homebase MP peat free, Vital Earth seed & cutting compost were the ones classified as don't buy.

thank you  :D no Homebase then

Do you not think it is the way we as indivduals treat the different composts rather thean the compost itself. Some years ago I saw a lady trying to load her car with some bales of compost, I helped her and she said Colin her husband always used that compost and it was on offer. I knew Colin and he grew good plants so in I go and buy. I had terrible results but I think it was my growing rather than poor compost. I use a local nursery's compost with wonderful plants but other people just the opposite. We can all blame our tools.

I saw that report too Grannyjanny!

I think I am going to make a weekend trip to get some B&Q multipurpose and I may just have to call into Wilkinsons as I will be in town!!!!

Old Bird

I agree with Laurie!

You must decide what you want it for!

Personally I buy the cheapest MP I can get my reason is dictated by how I use it.

I also buy a good 'potting compost' for other instances.

I never buy 'seed compost it is a waste of money!

My way;

I riddle/seive some MP and add sand this gives me an excellent seed/cutting compost.

Afterall plants don't need any fertilizer at this stage!.....they have no roots to take it up!!

Next stage depends upon what I am growing!

There was a time when I bought peat and sand and mixed my own, now I use 'cheap' MP

As sand/peat ratio in all the composts are virtually the same I don't buy seperate products now!

If I am pricking out into cells I use MP on its own for hardy annuals because I know they won't be in the cell long before I plant them out!

If I am pricking out half hardy stuff I add a bit of 'potting base' or a general fertilser to my 'cheap' MP because they will be in the cells a bit longer than the hardies!

If I am pricking out into pots I use 'potting compost!

Its as simple (and as cheap) as that!

..........and there is something I have never figured out............multi-purpose compost it is said;  can be used fot seed/cutting/potting!

Then why is there all the other products on the market?

TeeGee what type of sand do you use?

Would it be OK, do you think, to remove some sand from the beach to mix in - it is the fine type!  I could wash it through to get rid of some salt if you think it is necessary?

I did buy the large bag of multipurpose from B & Q as I had seen a report that it was as good as anything else.  But it was 150 litres and either I am getting old and pathetic but I could not shift this thing.  I got one of their blokes to help me into the car with it and then had a massive struggle to get it out the car and down the garden to the greenhouse!  I will have to either buy smaller quantities or get a proper truck to move it about next time!!

Old Bird

QuoteTeeGee what type of sand do you use?

I see you go to B&Q and thats where I get it!

When I first had a look at what they had I firstly went to the garden section and they were offering a small bag of silver sand(around 3kg as I recall) for £3+ so I had a look in the 'building' section and some kiln dried came to my intention.

There was a burst bag in the pile so this allowed me to trickle some through my fingers and I saw no difference to silver sand.

I asked the lad in the garden section what was the difference between the two types and he waffled on about salt content.

I thought about it and considered that he was indeed talking 'waffle' so I bought the 25kg  for under £2 and I found it worked a treat.

I find a 25 kg bag does me at least 2 seasons whereas a 3kg bag would have not been enough for one season.

So now you have asked,and I have related the story the choice is yours.

Thanks for the comprehensive reply TeeGee!

Unfortunately B & Q is a 50 mile round trip so it sounds as if I may take a trip down to the seashore and pick up some seaweed and surrepticiously push a few handfuls of sand in as well!!

Thanks for the info I will definitely try it!

O B

Wilkinson multi purpose compost 10L for £2.97

Dunno if thats a good price or not, (being my first time buying it) but its the only place near me that has it, as far as I can tell.

They had loads of empty shelves, no seed potatoes to be seen.  :(

QuoteWilkinson multi purpose compost 10L for £2.97

Seems very expensive to me!

I have lost my receipt but I think I paid a just  little more than that for 60 litres certainly I paid under £4

I

My local B+Q has 120L MP for lessthan 7 quid.... seemed OK though not used much yet.....
Apart from the really specialist stuff (like Cactus) or heavy things I use not much of (like Innes soil-based seed compost) I'd recommend never buying in anything less than 60l, 80l or bigger if you can get it...., 120l for barely more than twice the price of 10l is a strong incentive :D

chrisc

Quote from: chriscross1966 on January 18, 2010, 18:11:52
.....120l for barely more than twice the price of 10l is a strong incentive :D

chrisc

Not only a strong incentive is needed but a very strong back! I just can't manage those really large sizes of compost, they will put it in the car for you but you've got to decant it at your destination. Very very annoying  >:(