Quality of bought compost

[snohare]

Aye, when a farmer tells you he is giving you good topsoil you can usually line a pond or lay a driveway with it - why else would he be giving it away?

for my birthday I got 25Kilos of bird seed!!!

Cheep at the price, sanjo !

[crichmond]

I just bought 4 bags of mp from wickes for £12, I was totally shocked when I opened it up because it is the best quality compost I have had in the past couple of years.
I have now used 1 and half bags and have only found one small woody bit.

[vikkib]

I bought some J. Arthur Bower's MP recently and in addition to loads of wood and the other unidentifiable 'chunks' I've found broken glass in it!

It cost £16.98 for 300lt with free delivery.

I'm going to have to try the Wickes stuff. There is one 2 minutes from me but I don't own a car so I'll have to book the car club one. Shame the saving in price will be eaten up by the hire charge but if I don't end up loosing substantial amounts that I can't use for seedlings and germinating it might balance out the cost!

[crichmond]

If its only 2 minutes away take a wheel barrow to fetch it home in.

[vikkib]

If its only 2 minutes away take a wheel barrow to fetch it home in.

Ok, so it's closer to 5 minutes and with a wheelbarrow, easily 15! Not to mention all the main roads to cross...

... still... if I can persuade other half to be on road crossing patrol duty that might just work!

[crichmond]

Well if I was anywhere near you I would drop some off, but as Im not I wont..

[Digger-07]

Bought some grow bags from B&Q today. Thought it was a good price £1.78 for peat free organic, BUT the contents were a pile of S**T and smelled like it too. Bits of plastic, twigs and other stuff that really looked as though it had just come through the shredder and into the bag. They were so compacted it took me a long time to get them so that the contents were loose enough to plant into. Looks like you get what you pay for has bitten me again!

[NOG]

Yes i agree the quality bag to bag changes. If I get a good bag I keep it for seeds the mix the reast 50/50 with the free council stuff.

[dammad49]

The first 4 bags I got from Wickes 4 weeks ago (£11.74 then) were OK but a bit coarse, topped up with 2 more bags this weekend and its beautiful stuff, p'raps the slight price increase did it! Going back tomorrow for more....... and more....

[Fat Bob]

I've had a few different brands this year to compare notes on.


Homebase MP - This was dark and coarse with plenty of wood, which sieved out ok, but a horrible white mildewy fur grew on the surface. 2/10

Levingtons MP with John Innes - This was quite nice, dark and rich but lots of twigs and woody lumps, sieved well and got it on offer. 6/10

Westland West+ - This was very strange. It had a huge amount of shredded wood pulp (intentionally) and was very different in structure to most composts I've had. It didn't suit seeds, but it was great for potting on as it produced strong roots. 7/10

Miracle Gro MP - This was on offer too, and so far this year it's been my favourite. Very rich and dark, not much wood in (didn't even require sieving for seeds) and smelled great. 8/10

I might try some more brands next year.

[annacruachan]

I bought some Levington's compost this year - the cheaper stuff had run out - and it's growing what looks like psilocybe toadstools! I think they are the so-called 'magic mushrooms. Hope my veggies don't send us on a trip!

[Sonata]

I got some Wickes stuff today - 4x 75L bags (which I had to lug myself while handling the crazy runaway trolley and a bouncy toddler - joy) for £12. I've used up almost a whole bag potting up 5 toms so far (!!) and it is gorgeous, lovely stuff. I've never seen compost without big twigs and rubbish in it before.

[NOG]

I am going to be like Monty Don and have called my compost Nogpost. I am going to seive my compost and the free council compost and use that for seeds...then just use council compos for the rest.

[crichmond]

I am going to be like Monty Don and have called my compost Nogpost. I am going to seive my compost and the free council compost and use that for seeds...then just use council compos for the rest.

damn your lucky free compost.

[NOG]

Dont you get free compost?

Its made with all the green stuff they collect with the recycling. If you then take something to the recycling center (tip) you can collect some for free.

We keep all our cutting for our own compost so take some of the tins out of our recycling box and take them up the tip for a boot full of compost.