MP compost recommendations

[veggiechicken]

I'm using Levington's giant grow bags because I bought 8 of them cheap last year.

https://www.diy.com/departments/levi...1324117_BQ.prd

Its very "black" on your skin and does have some lumps and stringy bits, which I pick out. I mix in vermiculite (from a free bag I acquired when someone was having some DIY work done. Its the big lumpy stuff but I don't care).
Seeds are germinating OK .

[Derbydal]

I use B&Q verve but only the peat based ,the non peat stuff i got last year was imho more like a coconut matting door mat that had been shreded , and before anyone jumps on me about the use of peat the Irish burn millions of tons every year in thier power stations ! atb Dal,

[rary]

I will be going for the asda 3 bags for £10 and I think they are 60lt. bags so compared with Jack's magic a lot more a lot cheaper, I have used Jack's magic the reason I bought it was 3 60lt bags for £12 which I thought was a bit of a bargain, as I always mix course sand in my compost I don't see the sence paying a lot of money for it after all you don't see the plants looking for the best compost to drop their seeds on toqqq

[Billy's lad]

van hage have an offer on in March and April for 3 bags of Jacks Magic for a tenner with a voucher from their magazine which you can pick up free in store

[Billy's lad]

Apologies the Jacks Magic is only available in March 60 litre bags

[toomanytommytoes]

It can be useful to set up e-mail notifications on something like HotUKDeals for keywords 'compost' or 'manure'. At the end of last summer Wickes were selling off both at half price or less.

[benb89]

I have purchased a few different brands of compost this year, as its all new to me im varying what I use and seeing if I find some preferable options. The Wilko compost seemed good value, £3 for 50L and personally i have not noticed much difference compared to the more expensive brands, although someone more experienced may have different opinions. The worst I tried was purchased for me from Lidl, one bag was ok, the other was full of wood.

If you have a B&M bargains with a garden center near you they have some good multibuy deals on

[bikermike]

I use B&Q verve but only the peat based ,the non peat stuff i got last year was imho more like a coconut matting door mat that had been shreded , and before anyone jumps on me about the use of peat the Irish burn millions of tons every year in thier power stations ! atb Dal,

you've only got 11 years to use that...

Do we need peat generation? | Present - Questions | Ireland 2050

[muck lover]

I’m planting a lot of large pots of potatoes this year. I’ve been experimenting in a very non scientific way with leafmould mixed with old potting compost and bfb or manure. If I had to use bought compost I think it would be expensive. My home made compost is really full of weed seeds but if I use it I put a two inch layer of bought mpc or sieved leafmould on top. One potato pot I have planted is only leafmould with bfb. It might be a disaster for the potatoes but at least I will learn something.

[annie8]

Thanks for all the replies. Interesting to see how everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Will now be keeping an eye out in various places to spot the bargains using the advice.

[annie8]

Oh and 5 min later I see that Lidl have 20l bags of peat free compost for 99p.

[It never rains..it pours]

Here i use 1/3 compost (homemade or B&Q 125l or tomorite), 1/3 soil , 1/3 manure/seawwed mix in pots. Lesson Ive learnt hard way is in future to put lifting rope in bottom so can lift out rootball and restock bottom with manure/seaweed easily.

[Bluenowhere]

I like the A Bowers it has a peat base so can understand some people not liking or wanting to use it.

I’m not keen on most of the ‘green waste’ based peat free composts, they are massively variable and as others have said often contain big lumps, plastic bits etc.

I’ve been to a couple of the places that make these composts (for the named garden centres, discounters and popular names) for work reasons and we always get to look at the factory floor of whatever business it is, the ‘rubbish’ that is the start point which gets dumped in to the start of the process from the council garden waste collections is horrible. It’s left to rot for a shorter time than most of us would consider sensible for garden compost in open bins outside (not as they would have you imagine in a high temp composter to kill off nasties), the sort of rotted down result is screened and then mixed with bark, wood fines, fertilisers, in a mix dictated by the customer (i.e. the name on the bag). I could see why they were variable even from the same facility as dependant on what sort of input so the mpc made from the autumn green waste was overall more woody as people were putting in woody pruning vs large amounts of grass in the late spring early summer into their green bins. To make the profit margin they don’t have time to mix the time of year bins together they go in as they are needed to meet demand for the end product, fully rotted or not.

[Derbydal]

you've only got 11 years to use that...

Do we need peat generation? | Present - Questions | Ireland 2050

Mike in 11yrs time I may be part of the MPC lol atb Dal.

[B Porcupine]

I think it is shocking that there is no labelling requirement for composts to state whether they contain peat. Everyone is saying don't use it, but you have to look pretty darn hard to find out what is in the bag. For something so ubiquitous and expensive, it seems terrible that no labelling is required.

Making your own is great but I don't have leafmold (aka gold dust) - it is too windy here and any leaves end up two counties away. I keep thinking I should bring bags the next time I go into a town with a park in the autumn...yup, the crazy leaf woman!

I am trying the New Horizon compost this year - so far, it seems pretty good. I'll have a verdict later in the year, I guess.