Discounts BnQ are selling 125l bags discounted

If you like the Verve potting compost - rated by Which as the best compost out there - they are selling 2 bags for £10 instead of £6.25 each. good deal if you can carry them!

 

Plus a further 10% off if your a member of B&Q Club and got voucher emailed. These vouchers also work with 10% 'Diamond Card' discount on Wednesdays to get 20% off, but unfortunately you can't get the Wednesday discount on multi-saves, so £9 for 250L best it can be obtained for, 3.6p/L.

However, I've not been impressed with Verve compost in recent years, finding tomato plants almost reluctant to extend their roots into it, so have been using JAB MPC cheap (multi-save + vouchers that got it down to above cost/L) from Wyevale, but it's far too heavy for small stuff and I only use it for final potting up and planting pits in polytunnel borders.

 

I'm going to be a killjoy and suggest people try to avoid compost that contains peat. Peatlands are an internationally important habitat for both plants and animals and peat cutting for horticulture is an enormous problem. Verve compost is 63% peat.

Personally I get excellent results both with seed germination and growing on crops like tomatoes using Lidl's peat free compost, which is £1.29 for 25l.

Here ends the sanctimonious lecture.

 

The 'Which' people looked at MPC - testing the rates of germination - Verve came out as one of the better performers (as has already been mentioned). Although formulations do change - probably to keep down the price.

I'm not at all convinced there is much difference between the brands - I use water retaining gel and then water with a plant food (I've been converted to Phostrogen by this 'ere forum).

So for me cheap is best.

 

I used Verve up to two years ago and was very pleased with it . I use Clover now which is another very good MCP , and they sell it across the road from my office so its handy to pick up ! There are differences in MCP , it is generally better to stick with the "named" brands as they do maintain some level of quality control . Although this can break down , as happened to Wickes MCP a couple of years back.
As for peat free.... never been brave enough to try it.

 

The farm shop I use for hen food sells Clover MPC and it seems quite cheap there, could you post a pic of it and describe the texture? (never been able to find a split bag) How much do you pay for it?

 

@Scrungee this is the stuff I have used for three years now . I am picking some up this week so I'll let you know the price . It's not the cheapest Nursery I know but I pass it every day, so saves a detour to B and Q.
http://www.cloverpeat.co.uk/retail-compost/view/1/multi-purpose-compost

 

I used some of that clover compost a few years ago and it was good stuff.
BTW cutting and growing on compost reduced to 2 quid for a 50ltr bag from 5.47. Maybe national maybe just local

 

@Scrungee , the Nursery I use in Warrington charges £3.90 a 75 litre bag for Crocus MCP - 5.2p / litre . With the amount I use I'm happy with that price.

 

....and it does say that it's not harvested from areas of scientific interest (presumably SSSI).

 

That's what they say Cinnamon , but who really knows . You think an effective cheap peat free compost could be produced that works . I wonder if anyone has had "WOW" results with peat free , I would love to see this.

 

I have to go for whatever's fairly cheap, but this Lidl's multipurpose I'm impressed with. It's clearly made from composted material. 2 years ago they sold a much lower quality product under the same branding. Now it has very few impurities in and both my seeds and veggies (when I add slow release granules) do very well and it's handy to lug around these smaller bags. So I'm happy with what I currently use.
My background includes working in plant conservation so personally I couldn't be comfortable knowing that peat bogs, with their lovely flora, had been destroyed for me.

 

Checked their price for Clover today and it's 4 x 60L bags for £12, so only 5p/L http://www.cloverpeat.co.uk/stockists/view/59/hunters-farm-shop

 

Now that is a bargain price @Scrungee I have used it for 3 years now and the quality has always been consistent . Just need a bit of sun and warmth and we can start gardening - down to 1°c tonight..........