It's that time of year again - compost

Yes, I got that offer, but you're not quite right in your calculations as it's a saving of 1.25p per bag. Must rush out and take advantage of the offer.

 

I've used Wickes for years (except for the year it was cr@p). It's pretty reasonable stuff.

Baskets are always a problem with watering as the water tends to run off the top. Instead of using crystals to help the problem we use a 7oz vending plastic cup. Make a few holes in it, bury it in the basket with just half an inch protruding above the surface (gets hidden by the foliage) and pour water into the cup when watering. It will slowly release the water into the compost. We tend to water the baskets with the hose (too many pots and baskets to do it any other way) and finish off by topping up the plastic cup.

 

I'm using Wickes MPC right now for sowing. For smaller seed I'm mixing in a bit or perlite and a small amount of John Innes 1 in the top layer. So far I've had good results, my carrots have germinated in 5 days (sown in loo rolls).

@HarryS I just assumed that the water retaining crystals worked. I've never tried comparing pots with and without so I could be fooling myself.

 

Those in Woking / Guildford area might want to look here - The Compost Centre

Cheaper than wickes and free delivery

 

There's a big difference between fertiliser and compost. I buy compost for sowing seeds, potting up, potting on and for containers, but wouldn't dream of using it as a 'fertiliser' - which it isn't.

The Which? article is about putting fertilisers in the ground and I find that our ground is quite sufficiently fertile except in certain circumstances. The major need I have found for feeding the soil was when we cut down our row of 22 conifers. The soil was so depleted that we put in two tons of homemade garden compost (to put some structure into the ground) and a ton of horse manure (to put some nutrients back in). The plants have grown like mad

I also put horse manure in the veg garden as the veg take a lot of nutrients out of the soil.

 

Most manufacturers don't claim to have nutrients in their compost but some say that there's just enough to feed young plants for a few weeks.

 

Maybe They're sulking.