Compost, grow bags and feed

[Alex_Parrott]

Hello again, I mentioned earlier briefly about how dissapointed i was with my use of new horizon grow bags and westland multi purpose compost and I thought it may deserve its own thread.

Anyone have any preferences or more luck with these than I have.

Also what feed is everyone using for tomatoes etc, so many brands out there I dont know where to turn!

[Florence Fennel]

Hello again, I mentioned earlier briefly about how dissapointed i was with my use of new horizon grow bags and westland multi purpose compost and I thought it may deserve its own thread.

Anyone have any preferences or more luck with these than I have.

Also what feed is everyone using for tomatoes etc, so many brands out there I dont know where to turn!

MPC from Wickes Alex and it's very good, I had great harvests from it last year. I don't use growbags, it's cheaper to buy compost and buckets and I buy a basic tomato feed, Wilkinson's own brand. If you have GYO magazine, there's a voucher in the July edition for a free tomato feed from Wilko.

[Alex_Parrott]

Thats great, just need to find my nearest Wilkes... I understand what you say bout the cost of grow bags is the compost in grow bags not better than your normal multi purpose? I always thought it had adding nutrients etc

Anyone?

[COMPOST CORNER]

Focus "everyday" range compost £2:59 for 50 litres, seems to doing really well for all my plants since I started using it. Nice, crumbly, compost once it's loosened from being packed and stacked.

[muckdiva]

I've given up on cheap compost - had some of Aldi's last year and it is decidedly claggy (price you pay for peat free I guess). I'm trying Humax this season - 3 70L bags for £11 seemed quite good value and the seedlings like it better.

[Florence Fennel]

Thats great, just need to find my nearest Wilkes... I understand what you say bout the cost of grow bags is the compost in grow bags not better than your normal multi purpose? I always thought it had adding nutrients etc

Anyone?

I don't know about the added nutrients Alex, because I don't use them, but I understand there are enough nutrients for about 6 weeks growth in MPC. You can then feed the plants via Growmore, seaweed fertiliser, chicken pellets, etc. I take the very good advice from the experienced GYOs on here.

[Alison]

I've given up on cheap compost - had some of Aldi's last year and it is decidedly claggy (price you pay for peat free I guess). I'm trying Humax this season - 3 70L bags for £11 seemed quite good value and the seedlings like it better.

The only price to be paid for good peat free compost is a positive one on environmental grounds. Yes there are rubbish peat free but there are some incredibily good ones. I havn't used peat for about 5 years and have no intention of doing so again but I have spent a lot of time finding good ones and now only use New Horizon which is excellent.

[Two_Sheds]

Gardeners World and Which? both gave New Horizon glowing praise

[Alison]

I originally looked for it on the back of a Which report about 3 years ago after struggling with some other varieties and haven't looked back since.

[muckdiva]

The only price to be paid for good peat free compost is a positive one on environmental grounds. Yes there are rubbish peat free but there are some incredibily good ones. I havn't used peat for about 5 years and have no intention of doing so again but I have spent a lot of time finding good ones and now only use New Horizon which is excellent.

Think I might give the New Horizon a go Alison; certainly didn't want to give up using peat free, but so far the ones I've tried were pretty disappointing(apart from sieved leaf mould which is lovely, but which I didn't save enough of ... )