Compost problems some help please

[Irie Jan]

I bought some peat free compost at B&Q's a while back it came in a nice smallish bag of 4 dried bricks of compost. whole bage makes up to 40 ltrs! I think it is about 4 and half pints of water to each block and stir it after about 5 mins. I have found the stuff great! It is fine and fluffy no twiggy bits at all! It does dry out quite fast though!

I also bought some of the tesco 30% peat free compost and that is heavy sticky and has loads of twigy bits in it yuck I dont think my potted on toms like it much

I think b4 I pot on my peppers and chilli's I will try and do a small amount of half and half mix of the 2 composts, in the hopes that one will lighten up the other a bit but at same time I'm hoping the mix wont dry out as fast. Is this a good move, what do people think?
Thanks peeps for any hints!!

[Two_Sheds]

Yes, I mix them too.
Coir on its own has no nutrients and dries out very quickly, but it's useful to bulk out a heavier/more expensive compost.


btw, The coir compost bricks rise quicker if you add hottish water to them instead of cold.

[Irie Jan]

Thanks Two Sheds! I was using warm water but will try hot next time! Nice to see you back on here you were away for a while not seen much of you!

Hope all is well!

[SlugLobber]

I would stick to warm, if it were me, although I've no experience of it. My thinking is that hot water will kill any beneficial bacteria in the soil. Is that what you meant, TwoSheds, or am I just too kind to my little baccy friends?

[Irie Jan]

hi slug lobber! What two sheds picked up on was what I was saying about adding the water to the dried compost and time it takes to mix. She was saying that the dried compost will mix quicker if hot water is used! I did not think about the bacteria side of things? I was just looking for a better option between either a compost that is too light and dries too fast or the heavy sticky other one that I bought neither by them selves are all that much good! The dried one is fab for germinating seeds as is nice and light but not that great once the plants start to grow they needed something with a bit more umph in it!